On my anniversary last week my hubby and I were eating a fun lunch together, just the two of us, and he said, "There is something I've been wanting to talk to you about." I got a little nervous because he doesn't say things like that to me. I swallowed and listened.
"I really really want you to potty train Damon."
I laughed. Well it is very important to him. Evidently! I didn't say anything for a moment.
"I will help you on the weekends." I raise my eye brows. Really!
"If your willing to help me then lets start tomorrow," I say. I think that maybe Damon is more ready then when I last tried this winter. We keep talking about it and he mentions how he knows its hard because it must be. I say you logically know it is hard for me to potty train but you don't really KNOW what its like.....especially now with three other kids needing my attention. He says that's true and that again he will help. So This weekend we were a team potty training. He did help out a lot. Potty training is a big pain! Especially when you have to watch the trainee very closely. The few times he or I didn't watch him close enough an accident happened.
But honestly my husband is right. Damon is ready. The big difference now from 6 months ago is: He is talking more!! He will actually say pee pee and poo when he thinks he needs to go. He is aware of those pee muscles!!---major part of potty training he didn't have down before! Infact that's why I quite the first time. He had know idea when he was peeing.
The candy is a big motivation. We have to have some kind of reward. Yesterday he got really mad because I wouldn't give him candy when he only sat on the potty without going. He threw a big fit but I didn't give in. The next time he went in the potty it made it that much more rewarding since he had to wait to get the candy. Right now I give one m&m for going pee. I'm still waiting for him to go poo on the potty and I've tried to explain that if he goes poo he will get 5 m&m's! We do have accidents here and there but he is making progress. Wade is very happy!
May 25
I thought that boys were supposed to be harder to train! This morning Damon ran into the living room where I was reading BOM stories to Andrea before school saying, "pee pee." Usually I drop everything and run with the trainee to the potty. This time I said, "okay hurry to the potty!" Off he went and managed it all by himself! I couldn't be happier!!!
May 27
My Damon is amazingly ready! I can't even believe it. I think with the girls I tried a little too early or boys are easier! I'm amazed at how he is now just....got it. He gets it. He tells me when he needs to pee or poo and he is staying dry during his naps. He has the muscles down and he doesn't even need candy as an incentive. I don't understand it because candy was the only reason the girls would go pee but they were also 24-26 months. Damon is now 3 months from turning 3. Yesterday I don't think he peed all afternoon. Or he peed on his own without me knowing!
To read my potty training ideas and my first time trying to train Damon this winter read below.
December 14, 2010
The time has come. Wade keeps telling me to get going with Damon's potty training. Some of the signs that he is ready is that he poops in his diaper and then trys to get on the potty. He is able to undress most of himself and he "shows interest for the potty." He is past two years old. Although he still doesn't speak much he communicates well and understands us. He tells us when he needs his diaper changed.
Before you start. Go to the store. Buy a toilet seat. I don't like the little potties. They are messy and my kids didn't like them. The goal is to use the toilet anyways. Why have to transition from a little kid potty to the big toilet? Potty training is painful enough...for the moms that is!
Buy a kid step stool.
Buy cool underwear that the child would like to wear. Buy extra underwear!
Buy pull-ups (bye bye panties/underwear)
Buy candy. Candy must be small and something the child loves to eat. in ex. individual smarties, m&m's, jelly beans....
Why buy candy? Your child has no reason to go potty on the toilet. They simply do not care that much. There is no incentive to use the toilet except to have fun once inwhile and pretend to be big. What they do in their diaper is all they have ever done and it is comfortable. The candy is the only motivation to use the toilet. I tried using other prizes and stickers. Good luck folks using that. It didn't work for me. They have to want that prize...bad! Candy does the trick. You cannot give them any other sweets. During that first week of potty training you can't give them sweet juices and deserts. They have to want that candy!
Talk to your child about being a big boy/girl. If your child hasn't seen anyone going potty (which I can't imagin) then you must show them how to go. Your child has to see how it is done.
Tell your child that we are going to wear big boy underwear today and use the toilet.
This is important....talk to them about being dry. Its all about being dry. "We want to be dry today and you go pee pee and poo poo in the toilet." Show them the toilet and the seat and the step stool. You have to teach them to feel the front of their underwear to see if it is dry. Through out the day ask them, "are you dry?" Show them how to feel if they are dry. Being dry is the goal.
What I do is have them wear their new underwear with a shirt and thats it all day. I set the timer for 15 minutes all day. When the timer goes off I say. "Time to get on the potty." I do not ever ask in the beginning if they "want" or "need" to go potty.
If they don't want to go I remind them about the candy and show it to them.
"If you go pee or poo on the potty you can have a piece of candy." Sometimes they simply do Not want to get on that potty. If they are really resisting then reset the timer for 15 minutes and try again. Never force them on the potty. Persuade them the best you can and sometimes you can read a book to them while they sit on the toilet or play with a toy.
When they are sitting on the potty. Most likely not "going" we get off and set the timer again for 15 minutes. The child most likely wants a piece of candy for getting on the potty. You cannot whatsoever give them a piece of candy. This is very very hard to do. They will cry, scream and throw themselves on the ground. Do not give them a piece. Sometime during the day they will 'go' on the potty--it may not be until the end of the day!
Once they go that first time...its like the greatest event of the century. You must shout for joy, jump up and down, give them high fives, give them a hug, congratulate them for being such a big boy, call up daddy and share the good news....and of course happily announce that they can have a piece of candy because they went pee pee or poo poo on the potty.
Teach them to wash their hands after using the toilet.
The most frustrating part is that it is very exhausting putting them on the potty every 15 minutes and then they pee in their underwear in between those 15 minute incriments. You'll say to yourself, we were just on the potty and now you pee??
What is happening is this: they don't know about that muscle that hold the pee in and releases the pee out. They have never used it. They have no idea throughout the day in a diaper when they are peeing. It is just automatic for them.
second day:
Its pretty tricky potty training with two other children.
While I was helping Damon get on the potty while holding Bella when Lydia comes up and wants to hold Bella. I gladly hand Bella to her so I can better assist Damon. Lydia has been a really good helper lately with the baby. Soon after I hear a big thud and the baby screaming. Bella fell off the couch. It was very sad for poor Bella and mommy. My little Bella has been fussy and wanting me to hold her all day.
third day:
This is a disaster. We are having no success in the potty today. I'm hoping that he is figuring out those pee muscles. But he isn't. While Damon was on the counter watching me he started peeing. I said, "No, don't do that! Lets go to the potty. no no," He just stared at me like, what are you talking about? Plus you know he doesn't talk yet. I don't even think he was realizing anything was coming out of him.
So thats it. I'm done. He isn't ready and with three other kids I'm not pushing it when he isn't ready.
Wade wasn't happy but he isn't here during the day to see what its like.
I hope you enjoyed it!
Love and Light~
