With a baby on the way in December, I really wanted to give potty training a GO! One of my friends recently successfully trained her 23 month old little boy using this method. Little Llamas: Potty Training 101, it is fairly aggressive, it requires you throw out the diapers and basically put them in underwear. So I thought if she could do it--so could I.
Before we started training, I had taken Mr. Toddler to the store and he picked out big boy underwear. I picked up pull ups for naptime, and bedtime. We bought two potty chairs, and one for the toilet. Mr. Toddler was eager to sit on the seat with his clothes on, and would tell me when he "pooped" in his diaper so I thought this boy is ready. I bought stickers and made a potty chart, and bought some dollar store prizes for when he goes in the potty.
Well, today was GO time. We have been talking for weeks about how, "Nolan is a big boy now, and big boys wear underwear! Big Boys go to the potty on the potty!" etc...We even put a doll on the potty in preparation, and showed how the doll goes potty.
Well, Nolan is not in love of the big boy underwear, he seems afraid to put it on. So I skip to method two, we will just let him go naked around the house. I gave him some juice, which is quite a treat, since we normally only have milk at home.
I moved the potty chair into the family room to make it like a potty party. And he was watching one of his favorite movies, "Happy Feet." I started asking at 5-10 minute intervals if he had to go. And at first he was adamant, No! Then after about 1/2 hour he dribbled a drop on the floor, and looked at me. "Mommy, I go potty." I asked him to sit on the potty, but he kept refusing. I showed him the bribes, aka, hot wheel cars, which seemed to motivate.
He asked me to go to the upstairs potty, where I have another potty chair set up. And I turned on the water, and stood in the hall. At this point I knew he had to go, as he was walking around with his legs crossed.
Well, we HAD SUCCESS! He was able to go, even though most of it hit the floor, lesson to myself, that we have to hold his private downward, or it sprays. But he was excited and so was I! We called the grandparents, and of course Daddy, and he got to pick out his hot wheel toy.
I continued to push the issue for another hour or so, but he became very irritable and "crying" uncontrollably. He obviously was uncomfortable, and he had to go, but was refusing to sit on the potty. After about an hour, he was exhausted and crying, and so was I. So I caved and we put back on a diaper, and he soaked it in about 1 minute. And of course was much happier. So now, I have to figure out how to make him sit and go, and not be afraid, and how to teach him to empty his bladder completely.
We attempted once more that evening for about an hour, with no success, but no accident either! He was so funny during this time. He really wanted to go because he knew another "hot wheel" was waiting for him. His comment to me, "Mommy I go in minute, it is loading!" I laughed and laughed some more. What is so funny, well I always tell him the DVD player is loading, or the game is loading, so he is patient and waits. Well apparently, his pee pee needed to load too! I love the thought process of 2.5 year olds!
I am certainly hoping for more success over the next few days!
We attempted once more that evening for about an hour, with no success, but no accident either! He was so funny during this time. He really wanted to go because he knew another "hot wheel" was waiting for him. His comment to me, "Mommy I go in minute, it is loading!" I laughed and laughed some more. What is so funny, well I always tell him the DVD player is loading, or the game is loading, so he is patient and waits. Well apparently, his pee pee needed to load too! I love the thought process of 2.5 year olds!
I am certainly hoping for more success over the next few days!
