Potty Training 101

First off, as a disclaimer, let me state, i am NO professional here.

There is no wrong or right on how or when to potty train your child.

Do what works best for YOU, and how you see fit.

This post is just about what worked for US...

Lets begin.

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Fist off, Braylee, my 2 1/2 year old, now potty trained, big girl pantie wearing daughter (PAUSE)...... take it in..... yes.... i did just say "my now potty trained, big girl, PANTIE wearing daughter! AND, it only took her 3 days. (now lets continue). NO MORE DIAPERS!!!!!!!!!! What a relief! 

When should i start potty training? What works best? What if they just WONT go on the potty? How long will potty training take? How young is too young? How old is too old?

The most important thing to remember is you have to potty train when THEY are ready! Not when you WANT them to be. Not when you think its APPROPRIATE. But on that note, they arent just going to come to you one day and say, "Yo mom, i think im ready to go on the potty, now go get me some big kid britches and lets DO this!" Although, wouldnt that be awesome?! "Alright kid, whatever you say". No work for us! I just see these moms that start potty training at 12 months, and a year later they are STILL not potty trained all the way. What a headache! There is nothing wrong potty training at a young age. But if they arent ready why put yourself through that? It only took Braylee 3 days cuz she was READY for it.

You have to introduce it here and there and see how they do. If you feel they are ready, continue, if they show no interest, back off a little and try again later down the line. I started introducing the potty at 18 months. She did not even care for it, so i backed off. Around the age 2, Braylee would get VERY interested and excited. Went on the potty a few times, but then lost interest and sometimes would even YELL at me when she was off grunting in the corner and i tried to encourage her to go sit on the potty.

Tips and Tricks that work for us :)

I didnt even know where to start with potty training other than buying her a training potty. So i figured a sticker chart was the next step. About 3 months ago we got the sticker chart and Braylee didnt really get the concept of "fill the chart, get a prize". So we started with treats. Go on the potty, get a little treat. That worked on and off. So backed off again thinking she wasnt ready.

Last week, i wanted to get her excited about potty trianing. We went out and let her pick a pack of big girl panties and she was SO excited about her new Rapunzel panties! We also got some Cinderella pull ups (she is OBSESSED with disney princessess).

Then we began:

Day 1: We started off with pull ups. I explained to her "Now Braylee, Cinderella is SPECIAL, we cant pee on her okay?? It will brake". She replied all excited "OKAY MOMMY! Cindallella spe-show". We put her training potty in the middle of the living room to remind her to go. She peed on Cinderella. but IMMEDIATELY told me she peed. Okay, so now she is getting the concept, uh oh, i just peed in something i wasnt supposed to. So we got a new pull up, and, she peed again but IMMEDIATELY got upset. So i said, ok, done with the pull up, lets put big girl panties on. And BOOM. went on the potty every time. We put a sticker on her chart each time and i could tell she was understanding the stickers now and was getting all excited. Untill that evening started having accident after accident.

NEVER SCOLD OR PUNISH for accidents.

They will only regress and relate fear and worry with big kid panties/pull ups, etc.

POSITIVE reinforcement is best.

Explain thats its ok to hav accidents and next time go on the potty and get a treat or sticker!

Day 2: We didnt even do pull ups, just started the day with panties and she did awesome! NO accidents. Then we were going to head to a friends house and i didnt want Bray to have accidents there so i put a pull up on her. She didnt even care about the potty. Just kept playing playing playing and just peed in her pull up. Ok so we arent going out for a while now haha. We got home, put big girl panties on, and did awesome that evening. Only had like one accident.

Day 3! This day, i didnt even have to remind Bray to go potty. She kept just going on her potty. Her sticker chart quickly filled up. We even went out to an appointment that day, wearing a pull up, and she told daddy when she had to pee. NO ACCIDENTS even when we were out for like 3 hours! Until finally her chart was FULL. We went to the store and let her pick out a toy! She was so stoked

Of course we are going to have accidents now and then. But she is doing awesome!

We are continuing her sticker chart and want to keep her excited about being a big girl. 

EVERY time she goes on the potty i make a big deal about it with the "yays" and clapping and dancing and all that jazz.

We are very proud parents here :)

I hope this info helped and GOOD LUCK if you are training!

Always remember, some kids potty train way young, and some potty train way late. ITS ALL OK!

Some will have accidents till they are in their teens, and some will never have accidents.

Just keep positive and go at THEIR pace :)

One love,

Christa.

hahahha ^^ thats just ridiculous.