Potty Training

I always assumed that Rowan would be a beast to potty train. I don't know why. Perhaps because he is very hard headed (like his mother) and does things on his own time table. Perhaps because he would show interest for a day or two, then he'd cry if you even mentioned the potty. Or perhaps because I know that boys do tend to be more difficult to teach when it comes to potty training.

For us, this round of potty training has been a SUCCESS! Hurrah! The other three times, he just wasn't ready. There was never any forcing, or negativity. But he just didn't feel ready.

A couple of weeks ago (shortly after he turned two and a half), I decided, enough fannying around and half-assing this (on my part, that is!). He was showing signs that he was ready. He was peeing on the potty whenever I asked him to. So out came the teeny tiny underwear (*dead of cute*) again, and we went for it.

This time, he was ready.

Today was the first time that he was away for home for a large block of time without a diaper. And he did not have an accident! I am of proud of him!

We have not being doing a reward system. I know that it works for many children, but for Rowan, a simple hug and a "I'm so proud of you!" was enough. He did get half of a Kit Kat bar after he did his first poop in the potty though ;)

As a career nanny, I potty trained a lot of kids. There was always a sense of pride when they got it. But when it's your own kid, it's different (be prepared to hear that phrase from me a LOT!!).

Here are a few points that worked for us:

• Don't force the issue! That was most important for Rowan. Letting him do it when he was ready was key in his success, I think.
• Let them roam around naked from the waist down. Rowan struggled with getting his underwear down at first. And, while it is adorable to see that little behind in those tiny undies, it needs to be easy for your child to sit down and pee when the urge comes.
• Get a couple of good books about using the potty. Rowan loves Once Upon A Potty and Pirate Potty.
• Don't waste your money on disposable training pants (Pull Ups), especially if you have always used disposable diapers (which I learned as a nanny and stepmother). They feel just like what your child has always worn, and are confusing and, therefore, hinder the process.
• Praise! Oh, praise!!! It goes a long, long way!
• Be prepared for accidents, and don't get upset when they happen. And they WILL happen. Just ask my brand new microfiber sofa.

So, as it stands now, he will be wearing cloth diapers (double stuffed Smarti Pants) overnight for the forseeable future. I don't plan on introducing the concept of staying dry at night until he seems ready. He pees before he puts his night time diaper on and maybe one out of ten mornings, he will wake up dry. I'd love to hear from others about how long it took for their daytime potty-trained toddlers to stay dry consistantly at night. Also, if you have any other tips or ideas to add, please leave a comment!