Devan's potty training summary ;-)

Anything for you, Devan. :-D

New potty training update first. HE USED THE BIG POTTY AND IS SO PROUD HE KEEPS DOING IT!!!!! This may not sound like a big deal, but it really helps with my feng shui, so to speak. Now when DH or I want to take him out with us, we don't have to drag a full potty, although it is convenient to leave it in the minivan on the floor between the seats, but all we really need to bring is the potty seat insert. So picture us at any restaurant or store and we hear the dreaded words, "I have to go potty" 80 I know I even have a folding potty seat insert stored in some box somewhere. Ah well, I'll probably locate that after he doesn't need it anymore.

Potty Training Synopsis (for boys--girls tend to potty train themselves)

1. Encourage the little one to sit on the potty and try to tinkle. Find a time, such as when you are drawing his bath, that it will be almost irresistible. There is something about the sound of the rushing bath water that makes boys want to tinkle into the bath. So sit him on the potty instead and see if he goes. Keep trying this off and on before bed or 1 hour after drinking juice. He needs to have some control over letting the pee pee out before he will be ready for the intensive program. The last thing you want to do is to set up a power struggle with the boy. He will win. That that will be a bad thing. He can't realize how important this is to you. Try to keep your voice light-hearted and do nice high-fives when he is able to make it work.

2. When he seems to have some control, usually starting about 2 3/4 years, you will need to pick a time where you have 2 or so days with little scheduled. Plan to stay home and spend a lot of time chasing your little one and watching him like a hawk. On that day, place the potty in the family room where all the playing/TV watching and family action takes place. Take off his diaper in the morning and place him in only a T-shirt. He may complain and ask for a diaper. Think of some excuse. "The diapers are tired, they need a rest" worked over here. Then start on your morning routine, eating breakfast, and suggest sitting on the potty about every 30 minutes or so. He will eventually dribble a little in there. The moment that happens, make a big celebration and get him a sticker. He can put it on his shirt or on the inner potty lid. Every half hour or so keep suggesting sitting on the potty. Depending on how much he has been drinking, he will probably not potty every time. But each time he does, another celebration and another sticker. The stickers work well to enlist his enthusiasm. That is essential.

3. Next step is to see if he will potty without your prompting. Keep an eye on him and if you see him peeing on the floor (you may want to place comforters over the couch because he might forget when he is sitting and relaxing) pick him up and race him over to the potty. Hopefully, though, he has pottied enough that he will take himself over there and use it, even if you are off typing on the computer or fixing dinner. This is a very big step. Another celebration and sticker, of course. Your question will be, what about poo poo messes on the floor? This is rarely a problem. Of the youngest 3 boys I have potty trained, there was 1 poo poo mess, and that was diarrhea. I don't think he could help it. And the stain eventually came out of the carpet with numerous passes with the Bissel steamer. Mostly they wake up poopy in their diaper, so you don't need to deal with it. And who knows. You may discover a poop in the potty one of these days. Isn't that a wonderful thought? Then move the potty into the bathroom. Be sure to show him where it is and bring him to it a few times.

4. After a week or 2 without pants (diapers only for nap and sleep time), try some loose pants. Maybe pajama bottoms or absorbent sweat suit pants. No underwear. The underwear, even cloth training pants, will make his mind think "diaper", and he will wet. He will have accidents in the loose pants, too, so have a bunch of them available. The cloying wet feel of wet sweat pants is unpleasant. He will probably take off the pants himself and you will find them around the house. Eventually he will have fewer and fewer accidents.

5. At that time, you will want to place him in regular big-boy underwear. This is harder to pull up and down as there are 2 layers of clothes. But I know that some preschools will insist that they wear underwear and pants. You may want to suggest that he potty at times, to keep him in the habit of having dry pants. So have him pull them down and maybe help him pull them up until he gets the hang of it. He may have more accidents, but don't lose heart. You have gotten this far. Each accident is a learning experience. Bring lots of back-up clothes when you are out. Bring the potty with if you have a big enough car. Every time you place a diaper/pull up on him during the day, you are *un-training* him. Resist.

6. Make sure you do not teach him how to pee in the standing position right away. He may find this fun, but it will make it much longer before he learns how to make poo poo in the potty. So have him pee in the seated position, pointing himself downward so the spray doesn't come forward onto his clothes. The next step is using the large water toilet. A potty seat insert and a step stool help a lot. That way they aren't teetering on the edge. Encourage him to use the big potty, but allow him the choice of potties.

7. Eventually he will learn how to use the big potty without the stool and insert. You may want to help him learn to balance this way. That will make leaving the house even easier. And you can introduce peeing in the standing position, but only if he has mastered making poo poos in the potty. Otherwise wait a month or 2. There is no hurry.

I hope this helps. GL and remember that every kid will potty train eventually. :-D