It's safe to say that my son is
potty trained.
It's been over a month since he's
had an accident. He still occasionally emerges from the restroom completely
pantsless and he needs a little help at wiping time but for all intents and
purposes the kid is OUT OF DIAPERS.
Looking back here is a brief summary
of what I learned during this particular potty training journey:
PICK A DATE
I've heard a lot of theories about
"when to start". People will tell you that it is best to wait until
your child displays "signs of potty readiness". Other people will tell
you that you should start the day your child turns two, or the day they turn
three. As I begin to train my third I've realized that there are no guidelines
that will work for EVERY child. Definitely keep an eye out for signs of
readiness (such as being able to tell you when their diaper is dirty and
curiosity about the potty) but at a certain point it may be time to just pick a
date and get started. If it’s really not happening, wait a month and try again
- but the "right time" to potty train? In my experience that can be
mighty difficult to define.
ANTICIPATE THE PITFALLS, BUT YOU MAY
NOT SEE THEM ALL COMING
I had one kid who was kind of a lazy
trainer. He didn't want to stop whatever super-fun activity he was engrossed in
to stop and head for the bathroom. I had another kid who was worried that
getting out of diapers would mean he was "no longer little" and had
to work through that to train successfully. It can be really hard to predict
where the potty training pitfalls will lie for any given child. My son wanting
to use the potty again when his sister started to train? I didn't see that one
coming. So, do some research before starting to train and know the common
problem areas, but understand that you may face some hurdles that you didn't
anticipate and be prepared to improvise.
USE REWARDS
I used candy rewards with my oldest
hoping this would serve as a potty training shortcut but I was surprised to
find that he was actually more motivated by a chart system. Figure out where
your kiddo’s motivations lie and play to those strengths. The bottom line is
that rewards can be super effective but you may need some trial and error to
discover which rewards work best for your little one.
IT WILL HAPPEN
Above all, realize that while
undertaking potty training may seem fraught, the reality is that for centuries
kids have managed to figure this out - and yours will to. Don't worry about
comparing yourself to other moms or operating on some pre-determined timeline.
Work with your kiddo with patience and stay secure in the knowledge that he or
she will succeed in time. No panicking moms! (Take it from me - it doesn't
help!)
As I start training my third (and
last) kiddo I wish you luck in your potty training adventure - I know I'll need
some in mine and I thank you for walking through the process here with me.
I DID IT AND SO CAN YOU! (AND SO CAN
I! AGAIN!)
I promise.
