Potty Training...

First just so you know I am no expert as Josiah is the first child I have trained. This is just my story, thoughts and things that helped me. Not really even sure how to organize this but here goes...

Why I thought Josiah was ready to potty train.

*Interest in flushing and the toilet
*Interest in watching anyone go
*Follows basic directions and understands so well
*Would let us know nearly every time he peed or pooped
*Could not stand wet diapers or go to sleep if one was wet
*Loves to learn Other reasons
*Bad diaper rash on and off since June that only cured with sun and fresh air
*Price of diapers and the fact that he would easily use 8 -10 per day and 2 or 3 at night soaked

I bought him a seat for children that goes on the regular potty and then we started slow. I would let him run around bare bottom or a few hours in between naps. This really did wonders for his rash but putting the diaper on at nap or night would make it raw again. I would go and put him on the potty every 15 minutes or so, after nap, meals or drinking. He has never really been big for just sitting on the potty and quickly tells us if he doen´t need to go. To get him to sit there some we would read some books.

From there we moved to one nap a day because if he sleeps in the am he will never sleep in the afternoon and that 1 hour morning nap was just not doing it. So now we are trying to get at least a 2 hour afternoon nap. This has helped the potty training because he goes all day without a diaper. Diaper comes off when he gets out of bed, on for the nap, off when he gets up and on for bed.

This moved him on to doing poo poo in the potty. When I would see him look for a hiding spot and start to get quite and push we would go to the potty. This really only took a few days and one poo poo accident.

The hardest part so far has been getting from bare bottom to underwear. He seems to confuse them with diapers and the accidents have increased from none to 1 or 2 a day. It is getting colder here now and bare bottoms are just not doable now.

Next we will try to be dry at nap times and on outings. I will let you know how it goes and if you have any ideas PLEASE comment.

I have been doing this for the past month and seems to be going well.

Josiah has learned
* To let me know WHEN he needs to go
* Eats with out wetting
* Is staying dryer a lot longer.
* Feed himself * Pull up his pants
* Learn all the parts of his face
* Helps clean up his accidents on the floor (He loves to help so much that there is no way to keep him from helping!!)
*Is down to 1 diaper at night again!
*Does not want to wear diapers and will tell me to take it off.
*Most days has no accidents!


Some things that worked for me

Use CHILD'S interest (in potty, clean up, underwear, etc.) this helps in knowing when to start and advance though the process.

Tell him when you are taking his diaper off and that he needs to go potty.

Take him there if it helps to make it clear for him.

Put him on the potty and tell he when he is going pee pee or poo poo. He will now go when I tell him if he possibly can.

Don´t force him to sit on the potty for much longer than he wants to as it may make him loose interest. I do make him stay when I think he really needs to go but kind of go with the flow based on the situation.

Talk and involve him.

Involve dad. Sometimes he will go with Randall when he doen´t want to go with me.

Don´t wait too long as it might get harder. This is just a theory because of stories of parents training 3 and 4 year old who don´t want to go. With Josiah it was so easy (at least up till now) be cause he wanted to and to please. It seemed to go naturally. Yes it has taken a while and we are not done and there have been accidents but almost now crying on his part or stress on mine.

Praise! We clap and he love it and will start clapping when he knows he is going in the potty.

Go bare bottom if you can (or have hard floors you can mop) if not I am not sure what the best way is.

Set it up for his success. Keep your child with you as much as possible. You learn to know when he needs to go and he learns to know to tell you. When Josiah is in another part of the house with other family members the accidents increase because no one is attent and helping him succeed. Lessen interuptions and house work especailly in the begining. Stay attent and encouraging. Explain and talk it through with him.

Use crock or flip flops or some kind of washable sandals (put socks on if you have to) saves washing and drying shoes.

Maybe get some fun underware so that he wants to keep them dry. Josiah has some that I got for 3 for $1. They have pooh bear and balls. I didn´t really want underware with characters but that is what I found and he loves to point out the balls.

I know this was long but wanted to share my experiences. Now on to dry naps and outings!!! Remember to comment and give your advice as to how to accomplish this.