Our Boy is Day Time Potty Trained!

Yep, I think I can say this now... Tornado is "officially" daytime potty trained. (He is 33 months old.) He had to stay dry all day with no accidents (and hardly any reminders) for 3 days in order to earn his new Thomas and Cars underwear. It took a week and a half or so to get those three days in a row, but he did it, and Saturday morning we brought them out and he got to pick his favorite to wear (no more boring whites... unless I don't get laundry done).

So how did we get there? It wasn't an easy road, but then it wasn't that hard either. In Jan/Feb this year we decided to just start. Tornado was 2 years 2 months old and very capable. We'd already gotten some experience with the toddler potty, so we put underwear on him and I started taking him. And taking him. And taking him.

A good friend gave me some advice... buy 9 pair of trainer underwear (the thicker absorbent ones). Decide on your starting day. Put underwear on the kid. Start taking him every fifteen minutes (use a timer, stretching the time to 30 minutes or more as you're ready over the days). Every time he's wet, change the underwear and move on. Once he's soiled all 9 pair, put the diaper back on and let yourself be done for the day. Start again tomorrow. If after the week it's still not working, put it away and try again later. Most of hers started going by them selves by the end of that week (I think). Mine didn't, but he was starting to stay dry between me taking him... not every time, but lots. We stretched out the time to 30-60 minutes. After a few months he was mostly dry, except when I'd forget to take him.

I've heard it before... I know. I was trained. But that's ok with me. As long as one of us was potty trained, he was in underwear and we were buying significantly less diapers for my 2 little ones. I took Tornado from 4-6 diapers a day to 1-2 diapers a day (sometimes he'd stay dry during nap time).

Well, in the last couple months this was getting old. I was ready for him to be potty trained, not just mommy trained to take him. I knew he could tell when he needed to go potty. For several months already he'd been telling us during church or at the store... just not at home. Then finally he started to go all by himself... not even telling me. I'd see him running down the hall and realize he was going potty. But he was never dry. He'd start pottying, stop himself and run for the bathroom. I started to pull at my hair a little.

Then another friend shared with us what they'd been doing. When their little boy had a accident, he needed a bath to clean off... a cold one. Tornado took to this right away... he hates the cold baths. So when he would go to the potty, I would check to see if there was a little quarter sized wet spot on his underwear. Sure enough, there was... so I explained that he needed to be cleaned in a cold bath (I felt awful!) I filled the tub with about an inch of cold (only) water and set him in it. He screamed (I was decidedly a very mean mother!) as I splashed cold water up and over his "area" and legs and gently "washed" him while speaking lovingly and telling him how sorry I was that he was uncomfortable. (Note: it's very important that you explain what is happening and why... I was careful that this wasn't a punishment, but a consequence of wetting for "anyone".)

I only had to do that a couple times that first day... and then only a few times over the week. Then only once in a while. And now he is in his "fun" underwear... and loving it!

Please remember... this is only what worked for us... this time. I don't expect it to go the same for my girl (who is regularly found standing on the stool in front of the potty trying to go like her brother by the way!)

So... now does anyone have ideas for the night time training? I think we're just about ready to start! At least to try.

Labels: As it happens..., Raising Children

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 2:12 PM