Potty Training Chronicles

Dave and I decided that we needed to try and potty train Zoey before the new baby comes and before we head to kamp for the summer. Even though Zoey just turned 2, she has displayed many of the readiness signs for quite a while. I read a ton about how to train your child and we asked and observed many of our friends with kids to see what has worked for them. In the end, our method was tailored to Zoey and the way we started out doing things wasn't how we ended up. So, here's how it went...

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We set aside a three-day weekend and made no plans. We literally sat at home, played and took her to the potty. Several weeks prior to the potty training weekend, we bought a potty seat...one that fits over the big toilet seat. We let her sit on it whenever she wanted. We also purchased big girl panties, stickers, juice, M&Ms, and a potty watch...a cute little timer in the shape of a toilet that can be worn on the wrist like a watch.

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So, on Saturday morning we presented her with the potty watch and a cup of diluted juice...which she had never had before...and explained what we were going to do today. We let her run around bottomless and set the watch for 30 minutes. It started off great. We sat her on the potty, gave her 1 M&M for staying clean and dry and surrounded her with books, her juice, and anything that could help keep her on the potty for a few minutes. But she didn't go. She didn't go until she got off the potty and went back to the living room to play, that is. She had three accidents that first day and I was discouraged. How can she have accidents? I read all the books. We're doing everything right, right? Well, we continued on like this for the next several days. I thought to myself, how can I ever leave the house with her again? I know, I can be so dramatic.

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After one week of potty training, Dave and I made a big change in our system. We took out all the distractions from the bathroom. We got rid of the books, the watch, the juice and just gave her one thing to do...potty. Something also clicked in Zoey. We were out to dinner with my family and while Zoey was sitting in her high-chair she said, "potty, mommy." I felt her pants, which were already a little wet, but when I took her to the restroom, she still went. Yea!!! A breakthrough. She was able to stop herself from wetting completely. The next day was AWESOME! She actually asked to go to the potty and held it until she sat down on the potty seat. She had one accident that day but it was totally our fault because we didn't take her right after dinner.

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After that breakthrough, we had 5 straight days of no accidents and she had dry diapers at naptime. We're on day 19 of potty training and I couldn't be more proud of Zoey and how well she's done. Over the last week she has had one accident and she has become really great at communicating her need to go potty. And she has developed the control she needs to hold it until she makes it to the potty. We've also started giving her a 2-minute time out if she has an accident. This just recently started and has only happened twice. We know she can control herself and we want to communicate to her that even when something happens accidentally, it still has consequences.

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She's definitely not completely potty trained where I feel comfortable leaving the house without a change of clothes, but I am confident that it won't be long. I am so proud of her. Here are some favorite moments from our experience and a couple of pictures.

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-once she has pottied, she asks for, "von tandy"...aka one candy-

-she gets to hold the candy jar and pick out her M&M, which takes forever-

-she picked out all the brown candies first-

-after she goes tinkle I ask her if she's done and she says, "jus pee-pee, mommy."-

-she gets excited about her new step stool every time we go in the bathroom and squeals, "nu ses-sool"-

-she will NOT leave the bathroom until she has washed her hands-

-she crosses her ankles and holds my hand while she goes...I sit on the side of the tub-

-she looks adorable in her big girl panties-