Monday, January 18, 2010

Potty Training Ideas Needed

I was reading a post on fellow mama Amanda's blog where she recounted her awareness of all things gross. She indicated that she was curious if her grossness tolerance would increase as her motherhood adventure continued. I commented that I believed this was true. In my own experience, I feel that I have a much higher threshold for all things disgusting.

I did believe this, until this morning when I changed my son's diaper. Let's just say it was difficult for me to move on with my day after this visual experience. I am hereby diagnosing myself with PTDS (Post Traumatic Diaper Syndrome).

This experience got me thinking about potty training. What age is appropriate to potty train? How do you do it? Please watch my video and respond!

11 comments:

  1. Ok I haven't gotten there yet but EVERYONE tells me that I have to use the "big boy/girl potty" with them for a couple days until they sorta get the idea, then to stick them in underwear asap. I guess don't use the pullups during the day and whatever cause they're just like diapers and absorb like diapers. Supposedly my mom potty-trained me at like 22 months or something but I wouldn't use the toilet until she put me in underwear because when I peed/pooped in underwear it got all over me and I hated the feeling and was uncomfortable so I WANTED to use the potty.

    Again, I have no experience with this...this is just what everyone tells me.

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  2. This is what I hear. I guess my concern is that Ari is not very verbal and though he understands most everything that I say to him, he doesn't know how to respond necessarilly. So a dialouge about potty-training would be difficult.

    I like the idea of big boy underwear. That's what my mom did with my and my brother!

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  3. Or cloth diapers are like underwear, feel uncomfortable but make less of a mess for a busy mom. Amanda says CD babies train earlier. BUT I have also heard that back in the day we forced kids too early, and while I'd love it to be by age 2 (and screamed that I wouldn't allow diapers a day later) its not really happening. They have to be ready too.

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  4. get a childrens book about potties and let him practice with a teddy bear. you can buy a potty from now and let him sit on it without mentioning pee pee or poo.

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  5. But what are signs of readiness? I have also heard boys train later? Is it true?

    Buy, thanks! Any good book recommendations?

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  6. I've also heard boys are harder to train. My friend has a 1 1/2 year old girl and a 2 1/2 year old boy and the even though the girl is a year younger, she's potty trained and the boy isn't. My mom also said my brother trained about a year later than my sister and me.

    As far as CD babies training earlier, I can only hope! I say persistence is key, but if he's totally not getting the message then maybe wait until he seems more ready. I heard giving treats or stickers when they use the potty is good incentive :)

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  7. Hmmm...but everyone keeps talking about "signs of readiness" what are the signs?

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  8. Okay, experienced mom at your service. YES, girls are much easier to train than boys for some reason. My boys waited until they were getting close to age 3 before they were ready (but not happy about it) but my daughter turned 2 and made up her mind and stuck to her potty.

    The "big boy underwear" is the key ingredient but there have to be certain signs first:
    1. Does he go to a "private spot" to poop in his diaper?
    2. Does he either tell you he pooped or run away and hide the fact that he did? (both of these show readiness)
    3. Does he know how to tell you that he has to make?

    The first thing you do is buy a potty. One of those free-standing ones, not the one you put on the toilet. (That might be needed later but right now you don't want him to climb up there.)Then you take off his diaper and have him sit on the potty at every opportunity. Prepare for pee all over the house. Praise every output in the potty no matter what. He should pee sitting down at this point. Show him how to push his penis downward so he won't projectile pee!

    If you guys are comfortable, let him see you using the toilet and show him what you did in there.

    This will take a long time. Be patient. Reward always and never punish. Make sure when you go out he wears pull ups but make every effort to respond immediately when he tells you he has to use the bathroom. You will be running from bathroom to bathroom for a year or so.

    All this is premature. First make sure he's doing step 1, 2 & 3 and take it from there. Good luck!

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  9. Alana, you have saved the day as usual. My mama guru.

    I remember you talking about going to a private place.

    So far he only really does one of those three things. He hides when he poops. He doesn't tell me when he has to go.

    I think it's because he doesn't have the verbal skills to do so yet.

    Alana, you really need to write a parenting column! Or something. I think you may just be my next interviewee! If you're open to it!

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  10. Well, I still have a lot to learn! But I'm always happy to share my experiences!

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What do you think? Feel free to agree or disagree, but hateful comments will be deleted.