First I have to say that Stress Free Potty Training was a great book to read before starting this...and a very easy read. Chapter 1 is questionnaires to determine your child's personality type (which was fun for us), Chapter 2 discusses readiness, Chapter 3 gives universal strategies, and then you just read the chapter for your child's personality type. Very quick, easy, and to the point without a lot of complicated steps and rules.
Phase1:
A little over a week ago we started using the language discussed in the book and picked three times a day to put Sam on the potty, everyday without fail. I can tell the key to potty training Sam is going to be schedule and timing. I think it's going to take him a while to actually learn to "feel his pee-pee coming" before it's coming out...just because of his non-stop, high energy, "Impulsive" personality. (I'm cracking up as I'm rereading this thinking about how mortified he's going to be one day that I actually published this on the internet.) Anyway, I figure it will be much like house breaking our dog...we'd take him out at specific times in our day, every day, and at specific intervals. With Sam, we started with going 1. when he gets up in the morning, 2. when he gets up from his nap, and 3. before getting in the bathtub. I thought it might take 2-3 weeks to really make these potty times habit. Well, Sam surprised us. Only 5 days after starting this routine, John went to get him out of bed when he woke from his nap and he said, "go sit on potty daddy." Now every time he wakes up, he says that and walks to his bathroom on his own. 'Phase 1' (our 'phase 1', not something from the book) was completed much quicker than we thought, so now we need to figure out 'phase 2'. I've thought about maybe adding some more set potty times, but I think I'm just using this idea as a means of procrastination. I think it may just be time to bite the bullet and say bye-bye to diapers. We have his underwear washed and ready to go...and Sam can't wait to get to wear them.
Although we do have an "Impulsive" child, we're luckily that he has a fair amount of "Goal-Directed" traits too. So far, potty-time has not become a battle and Sam has no problem sitting on the potty and waiting for 15+ minutes (he actually went this morning within a few minutes of sitting down and then wanted to sit longer). We've also been luckily, so far, that a high-five and 'at-a-boy has been enough praise and reward for him when he does go. Realizing all this may change at any moment, we're keeping an open mind about other tricks and techniques.
So, there it is...potty training update #1. More to come soon, I'm sure.
5 comments:
I am SUPER impressed that you can get your kid to sit on the potty for that long. Gabby will get all excited to go sit on the potty, will plop down for about 1.4 seconds and is up and sprinting down the hallway before I can blink. So I guess that puts us at Phase Zero! hehe
I can take no credit for "getting him to sit on the potty"...I think we just got lucky on this one.
You can take credit! You have taught him appreciation for books. You can give that kid a book and he will sit down and read it.
Here's my one piece of advice. When you are ready, and you know Sam is ready, chuck the diapers and go 100%. When he can actually feel wet and messy, the training process will go much more quickly. It sounds like you're doig great so far!
ugh, I am not ready for this!!! I am so glad you are doing it first! Drew will only sit on his potty for a couple seconds before wanting to put toilet paper in it or turn it upside down and take it apart! I think I made a mistake buying it though, I NEVER want to clean that thing after a poop!
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