The Rumors are True

Amazingly enough, you can potty train your toddler in just four days using the straight-to-panties method!

Granted, I know all kids are different, and all of our schedules are different, and all of our tolerances for cleaning up messes are different. But, in case anyone is interested in our story, here goes.

I waited until Halle was telling me almost every time she was going, just before she went in her diaper. She was even taking her pants and diaper off (if she could, depending on what she was wearing) immediately after going so she didn't have to sit in it. The fact that she was already telling me when she had to go was the key to our success and it definitely would not have been this smooth if she wasn't doing that first.

On the recommendation of the owner of her daycare, we went straight from normal diapers to training pants (thick cotton panties.. got them at Target, but can't find a link on the Target website). Not sure these were all that necessary since they really don't hold that much more than regular panties. But the point is, nothing resembling a diaper. I really don't know how potty training could possibly work without the whole accident process. Making a mess and realizing she had to hold it until we got to the potty so she wouldn't make a mess is how she learned.

On day one, she didn't know how to hold it, so of course there were accidents. It was suggested to me that I take her to the potty every fifteen minutes to half hour so that when she did have to go, I'd be more likely to catch it during our potty time. This really never worked for us. Halle didn't understand sitting on the potty when she didn't have to go so we just spent a ton of time reading books and singing songs on the potty (which probably was good for making the potty an enjoyable experience) but wasn't really that successful for teaching her to go on the potty.

On day two, she kinda freaked out and didn't seem to enjoy the potty training experience at all, so I backed way off. I decided to only take her to the potty if she told me she had to go or if she showed some obvious signs, and this worked MUCH BETTER. There were only two accidents on day two.

By day three, she pretty much understood the process. She figured out she could hold it until we got to the potty and she didn't like making messes, so it worked. We only had one accident and that was because I was in the other room when she had to go. She had five successful #1s and one successful #2 on day three. Score!

As a side note, (I'll be SO ANGRY with myself if I get a post jinx from saying this)... we have never had a #2 accident. It takes longer for that to come out, so we've never had the couldn't-hold-it problem that we had with #1. Seriously, I know... where did I find this kid? If it wasn't my own child I'd swear I was making this up. (The rest of my poor kids are going to have a lifetime of "Can't you be more like Halle?!"s in their future).

Yesterday was day four and it was pretty much identical to day three. One accident when I was in the other room (and I did hear her say "peepees" but didn't get to her fast enough), but otherwise, everything went perfectly. She's even started taking all her clothes off downstairs when she's decided she wants a bath, then running up the stairs saying "bath time!" She has the little potty seat Uncle Joe got her for her first birthday right next to the bathtub and she sits on it on her own and pees while I draw her a bath. I love this kid!

I've been putting overnight diapers on her at night still, but I'm not really sure I need to. She wakes up dry nearly every morning and now that she goes on the potty, she tells me she has to go in the morning just the same. I like the comfort of knowing that if she does have an accident overnight, its in a diaper. Lets me relax a little, even if it isn't necessary. The good news is that it doesn't seem to be interfering with her potty training at all. So for now, its a win/win. (Or is it a win/win/win)? ;)

As far as incentives, I basically used stickers, treats, books, songs, etc. to make the entire experience more enjoyable. Not as a reward for successfully going. I praised her, of course, for her successful experiences. But the rewards were really focused on the entire process. I was proud of her even if she was just sitting on the potty not going. And, of course, I never made her feel guilty about her accidents. We talked about the fact that she made a mess but that it was ok. Mommy would clean it. She only got upset once and that was when she peed on her Elmo panties. But I let her know Elmo was ok and that we would give Elmo a bath in the washing machine and all was good.

So that's our short little tale of potty training. Part of me feels like Halle is just some miracle kid and that it'll never be this easy for any other kid. But actually, this is exactly what the daycare owner said would happen. She said most kids are potty trained in 4 to 5 days using this method. I certainly recommend it!