I read so many how to potty train and blog posts about how to successfully potty train a boy. I thought I was prepared but nothing I read prepared me for potty training. It is messy, it is not straightforward, and it is pretty gross lol. Take this picture for example. Wyatt had just used his little potty and washed his hands. Right away he grabbed his uncrustable and said "now I use big potty". Not only was I grossed out that he was eating and peeing at the same time but then I had two toilets to clean after!
Here is our experience and what I have learned along the way!
We bought Wyatt a potty when he was 18 months. He was starting to show interest and would stand over the drain in the shower to go. [In retrospective we probably should have pushed him to start at that point, but I had read don't potty train until they are really ready and I was also pretty pregnant with Peyton at the time.] We started reading a potty book with him, let him use the potty when he wanted, and started talking about it more.
As we approached Peyton's due date, we decided to wait since he wasn't wasn't waking up with a dry diaper, didn't care if his diaper was dirty, and had no clue when he needed to #2. After that we didn't really try and potty train again until he was almost 2.5. By that point he was waking up with a dry diaper and started to want to use his potty again. I think a big part was being around other kids at school who used the potty.*** He still did not know when he needed to go #2 (and sometimes still doesn't).
There are a lot of guides out there on how to be successful but I wanted to share what worked for us and what was helpful.. because every kid is different!
How We Prepared:
Picked out underwear with characters he likes. We went to Target and I let him pick. He picked out some with Mickey Mouse and some with Paw Patrol. * They make some training underwear that have a cotton lining that can help with keeping clothes dry. The Mickey mouse ones in the link have the extra padding, Paw Patrol does not.
Flushable wipes. I did not know this was a thing until Grant saw me put a normal baby wipe in the toilet and I learned you shouldn't flush them... whoops. We now keep these stocked in our bathrooms and the diaper bag. Trust me wiping #2 is so much EASIER! We get the Cottonelle ones from Amazon in bulk or the Up and Up wipes from Target.
Grocery trash bags in the bathroom. I keep these by the toilet for when it is not worth it to salvage the underwear or you just want to put them in something before they get washed.
Talked to Wyatt every time I used the bathroom. Toddlers love to do what we do and follow us wherever we go. Use this to your advantage and start to talk to them about going to the potty, how you feel when you need to, wiping, flushing, and washing hands.
Purchased a little potty. We got the Summer Potty. It makes a flushing sound when you push the handle which Wyatt loves and has storage for wipes or books up top.
Purchase some pull-ups. Personally I did not like the kind that has flaps at the side that open. The two brands that I found that don't do that are Huggies night time pull-ups and Honest pull-ups. I started off using Huggies but the sizing isn't great on Waytt so I switched to Honest.
Now it is time to start. Here are my tips.
Kid Camando. No diaper, no underwear. The first time we tried to potty train he wore pull ups and they acted as a safety net. When we started again (when at home and awake) we did no pull ups, no underwear for 4 days. There were accidents yes but not as many as you would expect. It really helped not to have anything in the way and no safety net. We wore pull ups whenever he went down for a nap or to sleep at night. We always ask him before he goes to sleep if he needs to potty.
Pull ups at bedtime and nap time (to start). We started off putting Wyatt in pull-ups anytime he went to bed. Gradually he got better at waking up dry from naps and we started leaving him in underwear. He still wakes up wet sometimes after sleeping for 11 hours so we still use them at night just in case.
Ask them if they need to potty. Toddlers get excited and easily forget about the signs their bodies are sending them. Ask them frequently especially when you are doing something fun if they need to potty. Always ask before you get in the car or if you are out and about and by a restroom ask them if they need to go.
Come up with a saying when they need to go. This is helpful when you are out and and about, especially if you are doing something fun. Wyatt's favorite is Potty Potty Mommy Mommy.
Show your favorite toy how you potty. When he hasn't gone in awhile or I can tell he needs to go but doesn't want to stop what he is doing. I will ask if he wants to show the toy he is playing with how he potties. He will run to the bathroom (or the rocks) set his truck down and say watch.
Potty In the Rocks. Was big hit for us. Like most boys he loves to be outside and has watched our dog potty in the rocks... Don't thin this one will work for girls though lol
#2. We still haven't figured it out, but we are trying. He has gone #2 twice on his own in the potty. I have learned that if he sneaks away and gets really quite he is trying to go so I try and grab him and take him to the potty. I really think this one just comes with time. Today ( he is 32 months) he new he needed to go #2 tried once I hear him yell mommy I have to poop as he ran to the bathroom, we sat there together as he tried, but it didn't happen. About 30 minutes later he went back all by himself and went #2. It was the first time he had gone to the bathoom to #2 all by himself. I was and still am SO PROUD!
Reward system. We tried stickers because that is what I read about, they didn't really work for us. What did work was being his cheerleader. Today when he went #2 by himself we did a potty dance together, did some double high fives, and then he ran to tell daddy.
Patience. There are going to be accidents, lots of dirty clothes and times where you want to just roll with the pull-up. It gets better I promise!
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