Potty Training 101
Hi Guys!
Sheesh… Where do I begin? What have I learned enduring the high’s and low’s of potty training over the last several weeks?
Well, for starters it is not for the faint of heart. That being said, it is not impossible.
Obviously, those who have gone before us have accomplished this task, some on several occasions. Whether it be with girls or boys, each individual child is unique and the experience is going to be varied for all, including with each and every child.
Just a note to meditate on when you happen to be feeling down and out, because a time will come when you do - that using an indoor toilet is a part of socialization and eventually your child WILL get it.
I don’t know any adults who aren’t potty trained… do you? Phew… 😂
Inevitably a time will come, somewhere in the throes of potty training, where you think you may have lost it. Whether it be a momentary feeling or I may scream and cry at once. Potty training is exhausting. It is quite time consuming especially when you happen to be juggling more than one child and potty training. I don’t have more than one child but I don’t have a partner here at the house to help me either, so I guess it’s all relative based on your situation. Either way, it’s difficult.
Just know that whatever you are going through in potty training that this is all normal and part of the process, that this too shall pass.
To begin, I started with a potty chair that fits right onto the actual toilet.
I specifically wanted to do it this way, as I felt that making one transition to the big potty would be far easier than going from a small, baby potty, that sits on the floor with toys, bells and whistles to a real adult toilet that would then require a second transition, at some point in the future, when they are at that point, only comfortable with their baby potty and not the real toilet.
Initially, this takes longer but I found it worth the extra effort to avoid two transitions.
I also invested in the mobile potty chair that sits wherever you move it - this works great for wherever your child likes to play, like in the living room and also is perfect for quick disposal of on the move goes - in the car/at the farmer’s market, etc.
This mobile potty chair will set you up for success as a quick-go option so your toddler does not feel obligated to run to the bathroom in the middle of their NASCAR race track setup. Your goal is to set your little one up for so much success that they cannot help but shout out for joy when it is time to go poo-poo on the potty.
For part of my success with Beckett, I also opted to use an old fashioned bell that he got to ring every time he went pee-pee or poo-poo on the potty. Actually, it was just my old BUNKO bell but it worked and he was jumping up and down and thrilled with delight to be able to ring that bell after every “go!’
Once Beckett had both going to the big boy potty as well as the mobile potty chair down pat, I felt like I had truly won the lottery. Such a feat to be accomplished, for both of us.
In the beginning, I was very nervous about potty training. I doubted my capabilities to be able to teach him capably. At this time, I wondered if I would really miss diapers but I can honestly say, I never looked back. I never missed them, not even for one millisecond - even through all the accidents (because they will happen. After all, this is simply part of the process).
I was recommended a great book by a girl in my parenting group, that I really took to heart. I was so glad that I made the time to read this book. Actually, I listened to the book on Audibles because being a single mom is overwhelming and I just feel like being able to multi-task is key, while being schooled on all the do’s and don’ts of potty training. The author really knows her potty training!
So, here is our story -
The first day was overwhelmingly positive. Beckett was thrilled to use the big boy potty. I was thinking, what a relief! This is going to be significantly easier than I thought….
Other than ending up with almost every toy in the house in the bathroom, Day 1 wasn’t so bad. My only issue with Day 1 and Day 2 was that we were unable to get to # 2, the poo-poo on the potty, actually in the potty. 😜 It went everywhere else but in the potty. I was relieved it was at least out and not in a diaper. A Win!
Day 2 was practically a repeat of Day 1 - Overall, fairly easy minus # 2 being everywhere but in the potty. I guess those aren’t bad odds considering this only happens twice per day anyway.
Day 3 started to get tough. Beckett was in full-on resistance, not wanting to sit on the potty, essentially wanting nothing to do with the potty or the bathroom in general. Arghh… I thought we were turning a corner only to realize this was now going to be far more challenging than anticipated.
So, THIS, is what everyone was telling me about. Up until the time Beckett turned 2 I had been hearing horror stories about how awful potty training was, specifically for boys. Intermittent resistance went on for approx the next four days. When I was thinking of throwing in the towel Beckett finally got it. He turned the corner, no accidents and he was able to hold his bladder for so much longer than just a few days before. I am such a proud Mama!
Looking back I feel like I should have known that it was going to get harder before it got easier and it did and that’s OK. There are aspects of potty training that will not be as easy as you hoped and others that may surprise you. We have to give both ourselves and our little ones grace for learning such a brand new thing, something that is entirely foreign to them. Especially since they have probably had a diaper on before they were even nursing. When you think of it that way, it truly is an incredible thing to learn in such a short timeframe.
Beckett is now happily potty trained. Do we have the occasional accident? Yes, we do. Is that OK? Yes, that’s more than Ok. It is normal and all part of the process. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be completely accident-free and ready to begin school before I even realize we are already back at school this fall.
So, if you are asking my advice. My advice is to have courage, have faith in your little one and get all your tools prepped so that they can be a success!
Things to buy or consider for your venture in potty training:
I highly recommend listening to this book on Audibles or getting the paperback if you have the time to actually sit and read. You will enjoy it, she uses quite a bit of humor to help get you through the book.
Trust me, once your child is potty trained, I can promise you - you will never look back. 😁