On January 26th we celebrated Alexanders 3rd birthday. (I can't believe how fast time is going). I really love the age of 3. At this age they're still little and need there mommy & daddy but, at the same time they are getting independent. The tantrums still happen but they are more tolerable (and negotiable). And the way there little minds work, amazes me. It is really a fun age!
But the best part of 3 is.....we are POTTY trained!!! Alex being my only boy, and hearing how hard boys are to potty train from other mommies, I was a little nervous. I had the girls fully potty trained by 2-2.5. I don't really ever remember it being a challenge or a big deal with the girls. It was like an overnight transition. With Alex, we started bringing up the whole potty thing around 1.5- 2 (when the Easter bunny brought him a potty) He really had no interest. Then we tried doing the lets put underwear on and maybe he'll get the hint. Nope. We tried the prize thing. That didn't work either. At this point I realized, the more I pressure him, and the more I bring it up he isn't going to go. I remember that was the trick with the girls as well. I never pressured them. When they were ready they went. So, I dropped the whole potty topic with him. I had his potty in the bathroom, he knew it was there and when he was ready, he'd go.
Well one day I was cleaning the bathroom, as I was washing the floor I stuck it in the cabinet. A few days went by, (I totally forgot about it) Alex asked where his potty was. A light bulb went off "I think he's ready". I quickly ran to the bathroom pulled it out and asked if he would like to try going potty. Low and behold he went potty!!! So, I got over excited (cheering and squealing. My husband thought something happened I was so loud, lol) I wanted to show him how proud I was (the things us mommies do).
I brought him in the kitchen, set the timer on the microwave for 20:00 minutes and told him when it beeps that means it's time to go again. The timer went off and to my surprise he bolted to the bathroom to go potty. So, I kept setting the timer for about 20:00 each time. The next day I went up to 30:00. At this point I'm like he gets it. It's a reminder to him that it's potty time (and a reminder to me). For about a week we did every 30 minutes (I didn't realize how fast time goes until I set that darn timer). The week after we went up to 40 minutes. Now, we are up to every hour. It's kind of funny because he runs to the potty as soon as he hears the beep, so sometimes when I stick something in the microwave it beeps, and he runs to the potty even though it's not time. (For the rest of his life every time my poor boy hears a microwave he's going to have to pee).
We do step out with him diaper-less, and it's been successful. Of course I always keep a back up pair of pants and underwear in my car. I make everyone in my household use the potty before we leave, because I am so skeevish when it comes to public restroom, (I literally dry heave when I walk into a public restroom) I try to avoid them as much as possible. One day I stepped out with him, to pick up the girls from school (he always takes his naps on the car ride to get the girls) and I forgot to put a pull-up on....this cannot be good. To my surprise he napped and stayed dry. I think we had one accident the whole time (and it was because I forgot to set the timer, and he was having a good time playing with his sisters) Let me tell you he was not happy when he wet himself.
We don't use pull-ups during the day (just training underwear). At night I do put him in a pull-up, because you never know, and sometimes he comes into my bed in the middle of the night. In the mornings he has been waking up dry, so the first thing we do is go potty.
Accidents are going to happen. Sometimes it even happens when they have been potty trained for a while (it happens to every parent..really it does). Don't yell or get mad at them (you might discourage them and it will take longer for them to potty train) If an accident happens, tell them it's okay it happens, just remind them to tell you next time. (Nothing bothers me more is when I'm out in public and I hear a parent screaming at there kid because he/she had an accident or spilled something...It takes a lot for me to not say something. Everyone parents differently (as they say to each there own), but sometimes I really would like to give them a piece of my mind.)
It's been nice not having to buy diapers, change diapers or carry a purse full of diapers everywhere we go. Alex does not like going down the baby isle at the store. He starts saying "Mom? Why are we in this isle. I'm NOT a baby".
Potty Training Tips
- So, the trick to potty training is a beep or a bell (if they don't have a potty with a bell, buzzer or a beep installed on it already then.....I would like a 15% pay cut of every sale, from whoever invents that. Just saying, Lol....Please and Thank you!)
- Training Underwear. ( I use Gerber training underwear) Or regular pair is fine too. You're going to have at least one accident.
- Pull-ups- Get a cheaper brand (don't waste your money) I use Kroger brand and they work just as well as name brand. I stopped buying name brand diapers after I tried "Target" brand. They by far are the best diapers and the best price. I recommend those diapers to every new mommy!
- Patience- So, important. I stop everything when that timer beeps. It's annoying and you feel like your in that bathroom all day. But, like everything it will get easier.
- Get Excited- Do the happy potty dance. Jump up with joy. Sing a song. Kids love when you get excited for them (even if it's over the littlest things) My 7 year old daughter even made a song up for him. Now every time he sits on the potty he sings...It's potty time, It's potty time, It's potty time!
Hope I was able to help on this journey. Happy potty training!!!
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