Are you currently dealing with the incredible stresses of potty training? If so, maybe you don’t need to be!
Have you considered that your child is just not ready?
As with everything else there are signs to watch for (though even with these signs your child may simply no be ready):
- Goes long periods without wetting diaper
- Wakes up dry
- Asks to go to potty
- Can verbalize with words like potty, pee pee, poo poo, or anything else that shows you they understand what they need to do.
- Can undress without a problem
If your child can do all of these things it is possible that they are ready to begin using the potty!
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
- Don’t train yourself, train the child. If you are setting a time every 10 minutes to remind you to take little Susie to the potty it’s not Susie who’s being trained (it’s YOU!).
When both of my boys (now 6 & 7 ) neared the age of three I bought plastic eggs from Walmart and filled them with M&M’s. The purple eggs where the “poop” eggs and contained more M&M’s than the others.
Here’s How It Worked:
-1)I would make a really big deal about the basket of candy filled eggs sitting on the counter.
-2) Then I would put “Big Kid” underwear (not pull-ups) on them and take ‘em to the potty.
-3) We made a huge deal about the accomplishment and gave out the reward (only the potty training child get’s the candy).
-4) I had to fight them to keep ‘em out of the bathroom (seriously, they wanted that candy).
-5) Within 3 days I had a child who only wore underwear, didn’t wet the bed at night (only on occasion), and could hold it long enough to make it to the mall without a diaper.
Why do I advocate waiting so long?
Consistency! If you still have to put a diaper or pull-up on your child at any time they are not fully potty trained (for us this inconsistency continued to set us back).
Stress! – Don’t give yourself any more stress than you (or your child) already have. You would be amazed at what can happen when a child just isn’t ready to potty train. Think constipation, accidents, defiant attitudes. The list goes on and on! Don’t do that to yourself! They will be out of diapers soon enough, give yourself and your child a break. Just because your BFF trained her son at 9 months doesn’t mean you have to!
I am currently dealing with this “issue” with my daughter. It’s like everyone is waiting for her to start potty training. I have heard that girls do learn before boys, but as of right now she’s just not ready!
Good Luck Mommies!
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It took me 2x trying to potty trian my son but my daughter potty trained herself when she was 18 months old. My mom said that was rare!! LOL. I was so happy when I didn't have to buy diapers anymore!
I totally agree about waiting. Now that Leah is almost 2 (this Saturday), everybody is asking me when I'm going to potty train her. Granted she is fascinated with the potty and has used it several times. I just don't think her little body is ready to commit all the way yet.
We did the candy and a potty party with my youngest. Was such a FAST transition from diapers to undies. I love that idea!!
I am so happy that I have both of my kids potty trained. It took longer for my son(he's autistic and was potty trained at 10yrs). It was very stressful.
I am SOOO happy that my almost 3 year old FINALLY caught on. I swear I tried everything and it finally clicked and we are done with pullups!
Great advice! We tried the reward system with our son. If failed miserably. He would go potty and get his treats, but once we stopped doing the treat after every potty break, he stopped going. No treat, no reason to stop playing. No matter if he knew he had to go, he wouldn't stop playing because he wasn't getting anything in return. He'd stop to go #2, but not #1.
The timer worked for us. We used it for one day and he was fully potty trained (except for nights). Every 60 minutes it would go off, he'd turn it back to 60 and go potty. The next day he didn't need to be reminded and realized that he could stop what he was doing and continue playing after he went potty.
Thanks for your comment!
How old was your son?
He was right around 3ish when he was finally potty trained.