Xander Week 115 – Potty Training Begins!
May 20, 2009
We have been putting potty training off for a whie now. Occasionally we’ll ask Xander if he wants to sit on the potty, and every time he gets that quite, concentrated look on his face, we’ll encourage him to poop on the potty, but usually by the time we catch him it’s too late… We’ve tried the reward method, and the peer pressure method, and we were pretty much just waiting for warmer weather and more free time so that we could devote some effort to convincing Xander that big boy potties are much cooler than diapers. Luckily for us, our day care also decided that Xander is ready to start full on potty training. Part of the motivation comes from the day care’s plan to move Xander and the rest of his “crew” up to the next room at the end of the summer. Currently the Purple Room is full, but when the kids in the Blue Room “graduate” (into kindergarden) at the end of the summer, space will open up in the Purple Room. However, one of the requirements in the Purple Room is that you be potty trained. So, the last two stragglers in Xander’s room (him and one other boy) are getting potty trained this summer.
Xander was out of day care last Thursday (he caught conjunctivitis – pink eye, and had to stay home until the antibiotics kicked in), so while we had the day together, I took him to the store to buy some Big Boy Undies. Xander picked out some super-hero underwear. It is fascinating how they have kid underwear arranged in my Walmart. There is an entire row of little girls underwear – everything pink, purple and frilly you can imagine with everyone from My Little Ponies to Hannah Montana on them. As I walked up and down aisle after aisle of kids and baby clothes, I started to worry that I might end up sending Xander to school in Princess Jasmine underwear. Finally, I asked one of the sales clerks, who pointed me to the almost non-existant section of boys underwear. It’s wedged inbetween boys socks, and baby onesies. There are a total of 6 options – Spiderman, general super heroes, dinosaurs or Cars (the movie). That’s it.
After we found underwear Xander liked, we went home and tried some on. Xander went through 3 pair that day before ending up back in a diaper. On Friday, I sent him to day care wearing big boy underwear, and with 3 sets of clothes and underwear for backup. He went through everything I sent in. But, he really tried hard to get to the potty before having an accident every time. On Monday, he was dry all day!!!! He was wearing the same Nemo underwear that I had dressed him in that morning. Monday was a very exciting day! On Tuesday, he had one accident. It’s great progress, and I am so unbelieveably grateful that day care is putting in most of the effort on this one. I am clueless when it comes to potty training. Instead, we’re getting the expertise of 4 women who have done this countless times before. I just have to follow their lead in the evenings and weekends. We’re doing ok so far, with a few accients, but we’re improving, and I’m hopeful that by the end of the summer we’ll be back to buying diapers for just one kid again!
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Yay for Xander, he was VERY excited to share the news of his big boy undies with me on Tues. am (& show me too…so cute:) )I would say from experience…THROW out the diapers unless it is night time or a long car ride and even then you may want to use pull-ups just at those times. He will be a pro in no time !! ANGI
Yay Xander! I’m hopeful that Samantha will be potty trained (or at least in the process of) before this next baby is born in August.
Most of what I’ve read about potty training says not to force it upon the child; they’ll do it when they’re ready. Sam has gone on the potty a few times, but not recently, and she doesn’t show much interest in it. I ask her frequently if she wants to go on the potty like a big girl, and she always says no.
I have a friend who did a 3-day method where her daughter walked around bare-bottomed until she got the idea of going to the potty when she had to go. That method doesn’t really interest me much, mostly the cleanup that would be involved.
The idea of putting her in underwear does intrigue me, though. Much less messy, too. Sam definitely doesn’t like it when her pants get wet, so she might get the idea pretty quickly. Definitely something to think about…
Hi Abby – yep, an upcoming infant is definitely incentive to get Samantha more interested in potty training! Xander was the same way – we’d ask him all the time, but his answer was always no. Finally I think the peer pressure and incentive to move to the next room at day care helped. Also, we made a big deal of making a special trip to the store and let him pick out his own big boy underwear. Lots of positive reinforcement, and “treats” for going on the potty. Joann used M&M’s with Katie. She left a jar on the back of the toilet, and Katie got 1 M&M every time she used the potty. Seemed to work well for them. I’ve also heard about the bare bottomed method, and decided against it for the same reasons. I’ve also heard of people using regular underwear with pull-ups over them to “contain” the mess. I bet Samantha is almost ready for that phase. There are also some versions of pull-ups that claim to let kids feel it when they’ve had an accident… Any way you slice it, it’s a labor intensive process for the parents – good luck!!