Brenna - The Potty Trained Princess

I was very concerned that Brenna would not decide that she wanted to go along with the potty training program.  Somehow, she inherited  a good deal of stubbornness.  (I wonder where that came from!)  But on Saturday (Day 3) we had a few good success'. She kept coming up to me when she needed to go "#2" to ask for a "diap" (her word for diaper).  It was extremely helpful. 

Daniel and I decided to keep her home Sunday so that we could be sure that there would not be a setback.  She only had one accident all day.  Then on Monday she only had one accident as well.  She's also sleeping through the night dry. There was only one night where woke up wet.  It was 5 a.m. and she started to go and caught herself.  She woke up screaming and finished up on the potty.  Since then she's been dry each night. 

On Tuesday, she hurt her elbow and we needed to go to the doctor.  While we out, she did not have an accident.  She even used the  bathroom at Lowe's.  This is a big deal for us because her brother had serious issue using other toilets.  But since she's decided that she's going to go potty, it's not been an issue.

I started out wondering if she would be easier to train than her brother.  In the end, she was.  We still have to make sure she goes to the potty on a regular basis as she is still rarely asks to go potty herself.  But as long as we keep on top of it and watch for her cues, she will continue to be successful and we will only have to get diapers for one little one!

Potty training can be tough, but there are things you can do to make it go smoothly (check out my previous posts).  With Brenna, I had to modify things a little from how I did it with Ashton and Noah.  Brenna will turn 2 next month and I can proudly boast that she's out of diapers!

Brenna's Potty Training Day 2

My goodness, potty training is tough! It doesn't help that Brenna can hold it for hours!  We started yesterday morning when she got up.  She only tinkled a half an ounce in the toilet.  She had a small accident at nap time but appeared to stop herself.  It was not until 6:30 or so before she could no longer hold things in and an accident occurred.  Daniel and I were amazed!  She had another small accident in her bed around 10 p.m. and then slept through the night dry.  When I trained Ashton and Noah, they had accidents every 15 or 20 minutes the entire day.  Because of that, I was able to get them on the potty in time to use it.  Eventually they realized what I wanted and we could work with it.  We know Brenna has to go, but with so few accidents it's hard to tell what her signals are! 

As you can tell from the pictures above, she doesn't mind her potty.  One of our main problems is getting her to sit still.  She's constantly in motion and is not stopped by watching a movie.  In addition to that. she inherited a sizable stubborn streak!  She'll tell us she has to go but does not want to sit long enough to make things happen. We've decided to let her start wearing her new underwear a day early in hopes that it will trigger something!  Lord willing we'll be on the road to success before Sunday!  I really want to get back to church. Due to having the baby and vacation, it's been six weeks since I've been to my church!

It's Potty Training Time

It's time for another round of potty training.  Brenna will be two next month and she's been telling us when she's pooped or needs to potty for two months.  We delayed it because of Ian's impending arrival and the trip to Illinois. Everyone says that boys are harder than girls to train. I hope they are correct. When I trained Ashton and Noah it was not that bad, so this should be a breeze!  Well, a mom can dream...

We told Ashton that Brenna was going to start potty training.  He's convinced that she is to small to start.  He even volunteered to start changing her diapers for us!  I think he doesn't like the idea of Brenna being "big".  That's his roll and he's not ready to share it.

Potty Training Success

Every mom will have her idea of Potty Training Success. As for me, I'm so pleased with Ashton and Noah. They are sleeping through nap time without any accidents. Ashton gets through most nights without an accident (unless it takes me to long to long to get to him in the morning). In addition to that, I can take them anywhere as long as the potty is in the car.

Are they perfect? No. But we are down to only a few accidents a week. In addition to that, Ashton will stop the flow and scream (literally) for the potty when he's on the verge of a major accident. We are still working on him going potty at church and other places. He's a bit uncomfortable, but I feel that will change in the next month.

I know that potty training can be daunting. And after the first 3 days and the setback of the weekend, I was tempted to say it was too much for me. But right now I'm glad that I didn't. It was tough keeping up with the boys without Daniel. But the result is worth it. I can't imagine diapering the two boys and the baby for the next year.

I hear a lot of moms saying let your child tell you when they are ready. I think that's a load of... poo! Around 22 months (and for some earlier), most kids will be ready to start. Noah is extremely verbal. Ashton wasn't as much. But through this, Ashton has really started coming out of his shell. He's more confident in his abilities and it's exciting to see how he's grown with potty training. That truly was an unexpected benefit.

Where do we go from here?

Ashton will not use a standard toilet. We literally carry his potty everywhere. And if we know we can't get back to the car, we put it in a big bag and carry it with us. (No, I'm not kidding!) After Brenna is born and I'm able to bend, I'm going to get a reducer seat for the toilet and start working with Ashton on using it. I'm afraid that if we start that now he may regress.

We are going to continue working on going potty at public restrooms. He gets distracted and doesn't want to sit long enough to do the deed. That's going to be a long term thing though.

Lastly, I'm working on reducing the candy treats. I've been aiming for every other success. If either of the boys has a severe setback, it will be easy to reinstate the treat system.

Final thoughts...

Get rid of diapers from day 1. For the first 2 days of potty training, I suggest letting them run around naked from the waist down. After that, have at least 10 pairs of undies to help get you through accidents. Anytime you use a diaper or pull-up, you extend the time it takes to complete the training.

Parental patience is the key to success. If you are easily frustrated by accidents then you may not be ready to start training your child. There have been a few days where hormones have caused me to want to respond poorly. Thankfully Daniel and I balance each other pretty well during those times or I have had to put a movie in for the kids and walk away! Know that you too will probably get frustrated at one time or another. Just have an exit strategy. You need to be your child's cheerleader during this time.

Don't make a huge deal out of accidents. Acknowledge that they are gross or that the child is all wet and that's not good. It's okay to use a sad voice. Then get more upbeat and tell them it's time to get cleaned up and go to the big boy/girl potty. Kids do not understand guilt trips. But this little admonishment lets them know that while the accident was disappointing, it's not the end of the world. As they figure out that accidents are undesirable, they will become more upset than you! You will just have to reassure them that it's okay and they can go to the big kid potty again.

And, potty talk is essential. Even though Ashton and sometimes Noah tell me that they have to go, I still have to ask at consistent intervals. At times, I even have to make them sit down when they say no. Ashton is pretty reliable when he says he doesn't have to go. But if the kids are really into playing, a no could mean I don't want to take the time to stop. Just remember it's up to you to read your child's signals and respond accordingly.

Do not be embarrassed to take your potty with you. As I stated earlier, it travels in the car with us. We've taken into the mall, to church and into restaurants. We also take it to friends houses. Until we can get him to sit on a regular toilet, the potty is our constant companion! At most, this stage will last for a month or two.

Your diligence as a parent will directly affect the child's ability to succeed or fail. Depending on the age and the child, some kids will pick this up in a day or two while others need a few weeks. Every kid is different.


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Potty Training - Week 3

I think I should officially count this as week 2. Week 1 was technically only a half a week and it was a joke at that!

Here is where we are at... Noah will go to the potty when you sit him down (if he has to). However, he will not tell you he has to go. He mostly wakes up dry and should start taking naps without a diaper soon. I just don't have enough waterproof pads for the pack and play to work with him right now.

Ashton is doing well also. However, he has to decide that he wants to go or he will have an accident. Yesterday we were down to two accidents. I was very proud. He even came in undies to our Sunday night bible study. His potty plays music each time he goes. We could hear it in the living room and the moms who knew the sound kept laughing each time it went off! He typically wakes up from naps dry and is getting closer to waking up from night time dry.

The waterproof pads are a lifesaver! I've also been able to take him on a few shopping trips. Granted, I put a waterproof pad in the car seat. That's been a lifesaver. Plus, he hates having an accident in the car. He's had two (both were because I didn't have the potty in the car and there was no place to pull off). He cried before he went and I felt bad because I couldn't stop!

Here is what I've learned so far.

• You have to dedicate a full week to the initial stages of potty training. Although, some moms I read about got this done in two days flat! I started potty training on a Wednesday the first week and had a packed weekend schedule. This messed everything up and I had to start from square one on Monday. That was tough.
• The first two days are tough and will seem hopeless! Don't give up! By day 3 it starts clicking and your hope returns.
  
• Get rid of all your diapers. If you are going to be successful, you will have to deal with accidents at nap time or naps that are shorter because they wake themselves up to go potty (which is a good thing).
• Bribery works! Especially if you don't normally give them candy day to day. Purchase a bag of M&M's to give as a treat for doing the deed. I give two regardless of whether I get #1 or #2. This is mainly because Ashton had such a hard time doing #1 in the potty in the beginning. Just be sure not to give them any if they do not go. It sends the wrong message
  
• Invest in waterproof pads. They are a tad pricey, but worth it! You can use them in the car and in the bed. It saves you from having to change sheets every day.
• Purchase a waterproof cover for their pillow! I've washed the pillow more than I care to because I keep forgetting pick one up!
• Have a mop bucket handy for accidents. It makes life easier. I guess this mainly applies to having hardwood floors. If most of your house is carpeted, just plan on renting a steam cleaner after they get the training down pat.
• Keep them on a schedule. With boys, you can look and see if they need to go. However, it's essential to keep putting them on every 10 -15 minutes in the beginning. As you get used to their cycle, you can adjust it.
• Keep the pot in the room that you stay in most! It makes life easier and reminds the kids that it's there. Some moms recommend having multiple ones around the house. I'm cheap, so I move it from room to room!
  
• Kid lie! If you ask them if they have to go, they may say no regardless of reality! Put them on the pot anyway.
• Finally, be patient and realistic with your expectations. Ashton and Noah are 22 months. It's up to the adults to determine their schedules. If they have an accident, it's normally because we (the parents) didn't put them on the pot in time. In a few months, they'll have a better understanding and will be a bit more responsible for accidents. Right now, just clean them up and put them back on the pot. An accident is inconvenient, but not the end of the world.

And today, I'm reminding myself once again to be patient! Ashton is laying in bed trying to avoid a nap by screaming "Potty". Or he may really have to go, but after 3 times on the potty and 1 go, it's hard to tell!

Potty Training - Week 2

This weekend was a real setback. On Friday we had to run around and get stuff ready for Daniel to leave. Then on Saturday we were covered in birthday parties. Then yesterday was church, sending Daniel off to Romania and bible study that evening. I just gave up! I was too tired to do anything. The same thing happened to the family of the little boy I baby sit. So now we are both back to square 1!

Now this morning, both boys are fighting going potty like crazy. It took 1 hour to get Noah to go. Ashton is still clinching up and refusing to tinkle. I know he has to go. Mom's just know. Plus he's had two cups full of stuff to drink in addition to some water. Ashton really needs this because diapers are starting to cause him to break out like crazy. It doesn't help that he's cutting teeth. The minute he started wearing multiple diapers in a row this weekend, his rash came back full force. Last night, as I was changing his diaper Ashton kept screaming for his potty. It's time for diapers to go.

Lord willing, this week we'll be able to stick more closely with the plan. I know it's connecting with Ashton. Now it's just a willfulness thing.

Potty Training - Day 1

My goodness! I knew potty training would be tiring but was not expecting it to be like this. First of all, I'm training two little guys instead of one. (I started babysitting a dear friends children a few weeks ago.) So the boys (born a week apart) are starting Miss Deb's Potty Training 101 class. I started out putting undies on each when they got up. The goal was to put them on the potty every 30 minutes. I placed them on the potty right after they got up from a nap and gave them a cup of juice. Ten minutes later, I put some undies on them and let them go play. Two minutes later, I was cleaning up the floor. As I got Ashton dry, Noah came around the corner with wet undies. I knew it was going to be rough.

Thinking that I would have at least 20 minutes before another potty time was needed, I got the boys and the floor cleaned up. I let the boys go back to playing and then a few minutes later, both had wet the floor!! No, I'm not joking. Thinking that surely they had emptied their bladders, I put new undies on them and cleaned up the floor once again. But alas, I was the fool. They still had more in them. And no, it did not matter that I put them on the potty after each accident. They held it until I got everything cleaned up! By the end of that, I decided it was time for lunch (with a diaper because all the undies I had were dirty). Then it was on to nap time.

Now you might be wondering if I'm too ambitious when it comes to the potty training. I don't think so. The boys are 22 months now. We've been taking Ashton to the pool all summer and he rarely tinkles in the pool. I know it's rarely because he hangs onto Daniel and I most of the time we are there.

The boys woke up from their naps around the same time. And, they were both dry! I could tell that Ashton had to go (moms just know these things). I was pretty certain that Noah did as well. So I fixed the boys some juice and set them on the potty. About 10 minutes later, Noah had completed the deed! I was so excited. Noah was just excited to be able to get up!

Poor Ashton still hadn't finished anything. He's so funny about it. Just as he got ready to go, he clinched up and stopped everything and then cried because he wanted a diaper. I made him sit on the potty and wait. Sure enough, about 10 minutes later he couldn't hold it any longer. I then put a diaper on the guys and let them go off to play.

What did I learn today? I needed to buy a mop and I needed a better plan. I had to clean up all the accidents on my hands and knees because I threw out our old, broken mop. Since I'm the size of a house right now and bending is not my favorite activity, a mop is a necessity for cleaning up the messes. Second, a better plan was necessary. Tonight I compiled a good amount of information from other moms. I'm not the drag it out type and I don't believe that we should let the child tell us if he/she "feels" like learning to potty. Since the boys can control flow, they can learn now. I then stumbled onto sites talking about training your child in 3 days. This is where I'm headed. I don't follow the notion that all children learn the same. But, I do believe that with some dedication, this path is the best way. Will they learn in three days? I hope so. But if not, I'm confident that the guys will be going regularly within a week. I can't say how long it will be before they are accident free, but I don't really care. I'm hoping that they are mostly trained by the time baby Brenna arrives.

If you are interested in a little information about the approach I'm taking, check out this link http://www.momadvice.com/parenting/potty_training.aspx. I'm also checking out a few books from the library for moral support! The next few days will be tough, but I hope it will be worth it!