Round Two of Potty Training has begun. We tried this once before, just before Charlie's 2nd Birthday, but it did not go too well. 4 months later, we decided to give it another go.
For all you mommies that are working on potty training, here is what we did.
1. Make sure you have several days to train. I waited for a long 4 day weekend so I had plenty of time to commit to frequent bathroom breaks. So while everyone enjoyed the Labor Day weekend BBQing and swimming, Charlie and I spent most of our time on the potty. Not gonna complain, because it was well worth it. Chuck was then off the next 4 days, so we were covered!!
2. Clean the crap out of your bathroom the night before, because you may be camped in there for several days!
3. Stock up on lots of Gatorade! We ate small meals, followed with LOTS of liquids for the first few days. Which resulted in potty trips about every 30 minutes. Keep on eye on the time so you can avoid accidents. I'm thinking an egg timer would have been a good idea.
4. Charlie is a visual learner, so I created a potty calendar to track her progress. Each #1 and #2 gets a different color star (and lots of cheering!)
5. As a separate reward we also did Jelly Beans, Reece's Pieces, and M&M's. We call these "potty prizes" and they are in a cool little jar (stored high up and out of reach :) ) They also were helpful in learning her colors.
Last Spring we tried the Duck Potty that sings when you pee. Charlie never liked it. She prefers the the big potty. And I am glad she does, because I am not too thrilled about cleaning out that nasty little cup every time she goes.
6. The first day I was BIG on rewards. She got a sticker, a potty prize, and a toy. I picked up about 15 "dollar" toys from Walmart. I tried to pick things that would keep her occupied between breaks. We had puzzles, coloring books, and lil crafts. Once we completed a puzzle, it was time to head back to the potty.
7. To pass time while sitting on the potty we painted our nails, colored, read books, and played patty cake ;)
8. Day One was the hardest. By day Two she was a pro. She went all by herself with no reminders and no accidents.
Yesterday was our first day out of the house without a diaper. I have been a little hesitant about long trips. Just imagining going into the store and being completely embarrassed by a puddle of pee has kept us in the house the past few weekends. This trip was to our friends house for Sunday Football and I am happy to report there were NO accidents! whoo hoo. We still do diapers during nap time and bed time. But we are getting there!
