Our potty training experience

[tanyab281073]

Well, we decided it's time.  He's now 29 months old and if we wait any longer, it will only get harder.  So, after doing some research, we have decided that the best way to go it with underwear and not the "Pull-Ups" route.   He likes to sit on the potty, wash his hands afterwards, so, at least we have that down pat.  We have taken two weeks off work, perfect time to potty train.

Day 1. June 23/09

We put the him in underwear instead of his diaper.   We had a total of 7 accidents and no successes.  Every time he pooped or peeped, we brought him to the bathroom, put him on the potty, cleaned him and did the whole routine.  DH and I were rather frustrated, but, decided to keep going, we know this wont be an overnight thing.

 

Day 2 June 24/09

He woke up from his sleep, dry, so I placed him on the potty where he peep.  I cheered like crazy, but he didn't seem to make a big fuss, I think he was still have asleep.  I placed him in underwears.  We didn't have any other successes this day.  He peeped and pooped in his pants.  Was getting very upset when he did.  We again, brought him to the washroom where we placed him on the potty, cleaned him and did the bathroom routine.  I keep thinking, tomorrow is another day, consistency is the key, so, we can't give up yet.

Day 3 June 25/09

We had another frustrating day.  No successes this day, but, we are not going to give up.  I did a search of the Internet and came across suggestions of keeping him naked during the day.  Well, we will have to see how this works.

Day 4 June 26/09

We have "potty Success!!!".  We placed him naked, and he started to pee on the floor.  DH, picked him up and brought him to the washroom.  He told our son, "pee pee goes in the potty".  Well, an hour later, our son runs to the washroom and I place him on the potty where he did both pee and poop.  We cheered like crazy, and our son  cheered too.  Finally, we had success.  He did this over 8 times and didn't have any other accidents.

Day 5 June 27/09

Today, I decided to place him back in clothes.  We had a great day, with no accidents.  He hasn't been asking for the potty, I have been bringing him to the potty and getting him to sit and telling him he has to pee.  He has told me no, he didn't need to go potty, and I didn't force the issue. We even went to the park where he played on the play structure for over an hour without even asking to go to the potty. We came home and I placed him on the potty and he went for a pee.  Both DH and I are so thrilled.  What great motivation.

Day 6, June 28/09

Since we had a great day, we decided to go out today.  We went for a walk at the dog park where we walked around the woods for about 45 mins.  We then decided to go for ice cream and brought it home to enjoy.  We were gone for about an hour and 1/2.  No accidents.  When we got home, I placed our son on the potty, he did go.  The rest of the day was success after success.  We didn't have any accidents today.

Day 7, June 29/09

Well, I have to say, I was very frustrated today.  DH and I decided we wanted to treat ourselves, so, we brought our son to daycare for the day while he and I went to see a movie.  We explained our process to the daycare.  When we picked up our son, they told us he had 2 accidents in his pants and had made no attempts to go to the potty, so they placed him back into a diaper.  I was very angry.  I had packed enough clothes for him, and yes, I did expect accidents, he's just learning.  

Although, while we were out at the movies, we decided to pick up some M&M's, we thought we could use them as a bribe to get him to potty.

 When we got home, I took the diaper off our son and sat him on the potty and guess what?  He peed!! And yes, I gave him and M&M.   I told DH that this going back to a diaper thing is not that answer, it just confuses the child which he agreed. 

We had two more success and then we put him to bed.

Day 8, June 30/09

We decided to go visit my mom for the morning and lunch.

When we got there, I placed our son on the potty, which he didn't do anything.  He then went to play with his cousin.  About 10 mins later, I see him squirming, and I ask him if he needed to go potty, which he said "no".  Lesson to be learned here, never ask then if they need to go use the potty, tell them it's time to go. Well, he pooped in his pants.  I brought him to the washroom, cleaned him up, his cousin was so cute, she kept telling him "Wyatt, you have to poop on the potty, not in your pants".  I then explained to both that accidents happen.  Later on, we had lunch and he stayed clean then whole time.  After lunch, I sat him on the potty, and he peed, he got 1 M&M and everyone cheered including his 4 year old cousin "good job, thumbs up!!" 

When we got home, he went for a nap and when he woke up, he was so grouchy, wouldn't sit on the potty, I didn't push either.  He then pooped in his pants and it leaked all down his legs and onto the floor (gross I know), he asked for an M&M to which I said no, he would only get on if he went on the potty, he did cry and tried to go on the potty.  I told him we would try again later. After cleaning him, we had diner, he was in a better mood and then peed in his pants, no M&M again.  I brought him upstairs where I gave him a bath and put him to bed.  Tomorrow is another day.

Day 9, July 1/09

Well, we woke up dry and I placed him on the potty and nothing, he kept saying "no potty".  So, I didn't pressure.  I sat him down to breakfast and a few minutes later I hear "Uh oh".  He peed in his underwear.  I took him to the bathroom where I cleaned him up.  We went on about our day and he had a total of two accidents.  The last time I put him on the potty, I told him "go pee" and you should've see the big smile I got as he peed"  I cheered like crazy and yes, he got an M&M.

Not such a  bad day if you ask me.

 

Day 10, July 2/09

Well, this morning, he woke up with a very wet diaper.  I sat him on the potty and he didn't go.  So, I gave him his milk.  We played a bit before breakfast and he as passing gas like crazy, so I told him we had to go site on the potty.  He sat there and peed and had a little poop.  I cheered like crazy (I sometimes forget to do that, and it's so important to do this) and gave him 2 M&M's.  I then got breakfast on, I sat him down for breakfast and as I was serving him, he pooped in his underwear.  I brought him to the washroom and cleaned him up.  Told him if he needed to use the potty, he had to tell me.  After cleaning him, we had breakfast.  We then played for a bit and he ran to the washroom two more times to poop and pee. 

After speaking with DH on the phone, he explained that he went to speak to our Daycare regarding this potty training and them placing him back in diapers (they are in the same building where we both work.)  They explained that, on top of our son learning to use the potty, he had to signal to them, either verbally or with a baby sign, that he needs to use the washroom. 

So this is my challenge now, not only training him to use the potty, but getting him  tell us that he has to usethe potty.  So, before lunch, I asked our son if he had to go potty and I did the baby sign for potty which he copied.  I guided him to the potty, he peed and signed as he did, I was so thrilled, and gave him 1 M&M. 

We had lunch and then before going down for nap, I baby signed "potty" which he copied and brought him to the washroom and  he pooped.  I placed him in a pull-up for nap which he is now still doing.  Let's hope the rest of the day is successful as this morning. 

Well, he woke up from in nap in the worst mood.  I really don't think he's feeling well.  He was dry and so I tried to put him on the potty, but he was not interested, so I put him in underwear and we cuddled for a bit.  After about an hour, I got him to drink and gave him soda crackers which he loves.  He then got up and started running for the washroom, I was cheering him on and did the potty sign and he started doing it as he helped pull down his underwear.  He sat on the potty and past the loud gas.  He started crying.  I tried to console him and then he wanted off.  I cheered him and told him he was doing great.  Just as I was pulling up his underwear, he started pulling them off and doing the potty sign and shouting potty!!  Just as I was trying to place him on the potty, he pooped.  He then said, "I went poo poo".  I couldn't help but laugh and cheer, yes, we had a mess on our hands, but, we had Potty Success!!  He got 3 M&M's, this time.

The rest of the afternoon went off without any accidents.  We had a poop right before diner, he didn't sign or tell us he was going, but he didn't miss, we got him on in time.  We even had a great success right after diner.  He squirmed to get out of his chair and ran to the potty, held it until he was on and went for a pee.

He's now asleep.  Tomorrow is another day. 

 Day 11 July 3, 09

He woke up dry this morning!  After putting on underwear, I got him to sit on the potty and he managed to pee.  He then sat down to watch a bit of tv while I got breakfast on.  With DH in the same room as our son, he notices our son running for the washroom.  He asks him if he needs to go on the potty again, well, our son said no and said he wanted his Diego underpants, so they switched underpants (at this point, whatever he wants as underpants are fine with me as long as it's not a diaper), well, a few minutes later, he tries to run back to the washroom, trying to pull his underpants off and he almost made it to the potty, we managed to get him on to finish up. 

Later on in the morning, he had another pee on the potty with me coaxing.  I am still trying to deal with him not telling me that he needs to go.  Rather frustrating.  He now taking a nap, maybe it will be a little better this afternoon.

We had the worst afternoon.  He woke up cranky and wet, so I changed him.  He had a snack and then I told him it was potty time.  He managed a pee.  A few minutes later, he pooped in his underpants, when I brought him to the bathroom, he thought it was the funniest thing and would not co-operate at all....I was so gross, poop everywhere (and I mean everywhere).  I was so angry, I told Wyatt to just stand there and I told him I was not happy. I feel like we're going backwards and not making any progress :(

I think back now and I know I should not have gotten angry with him, I mean he has been pooping in his pants for his whole life, it's my duty to show him now that we have to change.

I was so frustrated, DH called and I told him to just come home now.

I had a breakdown when DH got home, I mean what are we going to do on Monday, yes accidents happen, but, he's not really asking for the potty, are they going to put him back in diapers? DH calmed me down and stated that we are doing great and that we will just have to speak to them and work with them.  I know he's right.

Anyway, we didn't have anymore accidents that day.

Day 12, July 4 2009

Happy 4th of July to all my American Friends :)

So far, we are having a great potty day.  The boy woke up at 5 am......yes, you heard me right 5 am; he was wet so I changed him.  We had a cranky boy, didn't want to participate in anything.  He peed in the potty twice. I went out to Costco and when I got back, he was bare butt.  I asked DH what happend, he said he didn't want to get his pants back on after he peed in the potty.  Hmm, yeah, ok, but he has to get his pants on 'cause they wont let him go bare butt in Daycare.  I managed to get his pants on after GREAT protest from our child. Oh and BTW, I have given up on the M&M as a treat, it just adds to his frustrations, plus, as I was telling DH, they wont be giving him any at DC.

We decided that we should all get out of the house and go out to do our grocery.  I was a bit nervous since he had not pooped yet but prepared for the worst by brining a spare change of clothes. 

Well, while we were at the check out, DH is standing at the head of the cart with our son as I was using the self check out, our son starts doing the potty signI was just thrilled!!!  I told DH, get him to the washroom NOW.  Which he did.  Now, note to self, must get portable potty seat.   Without one, DH managed to support our child over a public potty and he PEED!!!!  Yeah!!!!  When they got back, I was doing high fives with him, he was so proud.....I wish I had a camera.

Anyway, he is now fast asleep, it's nap time.  I will let you know how our afternoon makes out. 

He did very well, didn't have an accident today.  We're on our way!!!! Yeah!

 

Day 30 July 22 2009

I wish I would've taken the time to fill in the last two weeks, but, we all know how crazy life gets.

So, I will fill in on how things have been going.

Our son has been back at Daycare for two weeks now.  The first week went very well.  I packed a lot of clothes and he had a total of 3 accidents  the whole week.  I was very impressed. 

Last week, I ws very discouraged, although, he was only having one accident a day, I was concerned, since when he was on my watch, he wouldn't have any.  We noticed this week it isn't the same Daycare worker who is on his first watch so we are thinking that it's the person watching him that is not reading his queues.

This week, DH and I were chatting because our son has not had any accidents at all.  He still is not always telling us when he has to go, but, we can read him very well.  If he doesn't need to go, he voices his resistant and he really doesn't need to go.

One thing we have noticed and I am trying to figure out.  Last week, we decided to go out to diner.  He stated that he had to go to the potty, so I took him to the public washroom, put the portable seat on the toilet and I was explaining to him that this is where you go when your out.  Well, he would have nothing to do with this public washroom (I don't blame him, I hate them too), he started asking for daddy, so we went back to the table and I told DH to take him....again wanted nothing to do with public potty's.  Well, when we got home he really had to go, he was freaking when we got in the door, he really had to go, tiddled a little in his underware but he made it, went for the longest pee.

We went out to DH's mom on Sunday.  Again, would have nothing to do with her potty.  We were there for 4 hours and he did not soil himself, but would have nothing to do with her potty.  When we got home, again, he went for the longest pee.

I have to figure out what we are going to do with this phobia of public or unknown potties. 

 

Tags: potty training, baby signs

Add A Comment

[lamamadlucas]

Jul. 2, 2009 at 8:37 PM

Good job mom!!!

[mommyto2girls00]

Jul. 22, 2009 at 2:24 PM

Thanks for writing this. I just started the potty training process and I'm so confused with what to expect... thanks for sharing!

[tanyab281073]

Jul. 22, 2009 at 8:32 PM

Glad this was helpful for you, It's such a crazy time, and it's so confusing.  Seeing how it progresses give us motivation to keep going.  Good luck and don't give up.

(Original Poster)