Potty Training Take 2

This is out of the normal realm for my blog, but I'm doing it anyway. Neither of my kids have ever shown any interest in potty training. "They" say to wait for the signs & then it will go oh, so smoothly. My first was almost 3.5 & we were a month out from preschool so it had to be done (or he'd continue to stay home without any breaks for me-not happenin!). My method was just to put him in underwear & see how it went. He did great! He got it almost immediately. We had very few accidents that first week or two. Also, he has never had an accident at school. However, at some point he turned it into a control issue. He would potty in his pants every time he got in trouble. He would hold it most of the day until I put the pull-up on & then he would go. He's 5 now & we still have the occasional accident (not often & mostly when he's exhausted) and he still wears a pull-up at night. (Approximately 3 months ago he went 2 weeks in a row without peeing in bed at night, but then decided he was done with that so the pull-ups came back.)

I decided whatever I did with him was wrong. Short-term he did great, but long-term it's not been good. Someone recommended "Toilet Training in Less Than a Day" & I decided to give it a shot.

It requires pre-planning. I had to buy a doll that pees and snacks & drinks (yes, it's one of those). The book is written for kids a little younger and my 3 year old has actually peed in the toilet a couple times. I thought my "day" was really going to be a few hours. Not so much! After they pee in their pants you have to practice 10 times. It took him a couple hours before he had to go & then he had to go again (and again) before we were done practicing. He finally got it, but had multiple accidents over the next few days. Mentally I wasn't prepared (read the line about it taking a couple hours). I am convinced that pull-up equals permission to pee so I didn't put them on him at night. Some nights he held it all night, others he didn't and I did a lot of sheet washing. Day 10 arrives & the accidents all but disappear. We started Vacation Bible Camp on day 16 of starting the training & he did awesome! I was so nervous since I wouldn't be there, but he only had one accident all week. We've also had almost one full week of not wetting the bed! I am so proud of the little guy and am thinking that short-term he was harder, but long-term he's going to be a champ!

So, if potty training is in your future, I recommend the book. It also fosters independence as he does it all himself.