Ah, potty training! Go to a local bookstore and you will find dozens of books on the subject. Search the net and there are thousands of websites with information on how to do it without stress. There are even people who are taking advantage of parents’ frustration with potty training by offering to do it for you, for a hefty sum! I honestly can’t imagine anything more unseemly than paying someone to teach my son how to “go.”
Ewww!!!
I have successfully potty trained two out of 3 children so far, baby number 3 is only 14 months old so he is problem free for at least a few months 😉
I seem to be the envy of playgroups when other moms see that my 3-year-old has been in white leggings for over a year. My oldest son was also 2 years old when he was potty trained.
For me, potty training begins with a newborn. Now, don’t get me wrong… I diaper my babies (unlike native African mothers who carry their babies on their backs and who, to avoid getting dirty, learn to read their babies’ cues so well who know when their newborn needs to be carried over a bush… no I’m not kidding!) but I’ve always used cloth diapers, which encourages babies to train early. I’m not a long-haired, barefoot, off-the-grid hippie (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but you’re more likely to find me in Doc Martens than Birkenstocks!), but I’ve been changing diapers since the beginning . .
It has saved me hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but I also like the fact that my babies are beginning to associate the uncomfortable wet feeling and knowing that they can prevent it. Most babies wake up dry in the morning by several months of age, demonstrating that they are physically capable of “hanging in.” In my opinion, Pull Ups are evil and yet another invention that a savvy businessman came up with that parents now think is a necessity. Along with formula, baby swings and the like. Pull Ups only allow a 5 year old to keep getting dirty. Research has shown that cloth diapered babies are potty trained several months earlier than disposable diapered babies.
So here’s Grandma’s recipe (and I owe it to my mom, like most of the good things I know about parenting) for easy potty training, even if you choose not to cloth diaper. .
Let your baby into the bathroom when you go. That way, they know what’s going on there. You don’t have to be graphic, just talk to them about what the toilets are for. If you are a woman who is at home all day with boys, she encourages dad to show them how it’s done. You don’t want them to think that if they go to the bathroom their equipment will fall off, as Mom obviously did. Strange, but true… some kids will come to this conclusion.
Buy 3 or 4 of those cheap molded plastic potties and put them around the house. At least one in each bathroom and one in the kitchen or in the room where you spend the most time with your child. Stick a towel underneath for your rug’s sake if said child is a boy. Speaking of guys… you can take advantage of nature here by keeping an open mind. I know of at least one kid who was coached when his mom dropped him off the side of the deck.
The summer that your son is closer to the two of you, take two days and do not leave the house. Let her son run around naked from the waist down, with a big T-shirt over it so private parts stay private.
Every 10 minutes, naturally place the child in the pot. DON’T ASK crazy questions like “Do you need to go to the bathroom, honey!?” We’re talking about dealing with a two year old here! Just do it like it’s the right thing to do, and don’t ask for permission. Don’t force him, and if he wants to get up right away, let him. If you have a resistant child, set a timer to go off every 10 minutes. It’s amazing what a child will do when the power dynamic is removed. When the “potty timer” goes off, it’s time to sit on the pot!
Use praise but don’t overdo it. Act as if this is expected. Just relax. Say “You pee in the potty, just like mommy and daddy do (and your big brother, and your big friend from playgroup… third parties are gold here!!).
Do not give much importance to what is happening. Don’t spend hours reading books or videos on potty training to your child. Again, be cool. If you make it a big deal, your child is more likely to get involved and resist.
Have some “big boy shorts” or “big girl panties” that you know your child will like, perhaps you’ve picked out together, ready by the end of the two days. Your son is less likely to have accidents if he soils his new underwear.
When the inevitable accidents happen, don’t scold. Be patient and kind. This is part of the job. Remember that even if you decide to take up carpet cleaning, you will still benefit from not having to buy diapers for another year or two!