I need your thoughts and experience on potty training.
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Some background...
Now that my sweet boy is quite the swimmer and I am not going to lessons EVERY morning for 8 weeks (8 weeks?!) and a baby due in 9 weeks... we're in the throws of real, official, potty training. As I mentioned in this post -- he has been pretty consistently going poo on the potty since 18 months. It's the pee we needed to work on.
Sooo... starting Monday we began officially. I had him either naked or in loose undies and each time he'd start to pee, he'd look up and say "go potty!" with a surprised look, would stop going and would finish peeing in the potty. That's pretty much been how it's going for 2 days. Wet a little, finish in the potty. After he goes I tell him he's a big boy and do a silly song with a dance. (Thank goodness you people can't see that on camera!) He laughs and that's his "reward" for using the potty.
Thank goodness we have hardwood floors everywhere, so cleanup has been easy! : ) And we still do diapers for naps and bedtime.
My questions for you:
Is that normal that he starts going a little before he realizes it and finishes on the potty?
At 23 months old, how much should I "help" him go potty? Right now I go in with him and help him pull down/up his pants. He doesn't ever really go in on his own-- he always tells me he needs to go and we go together.
Did your boys sit or stand to pee?
When did you venture out in undies and know they'd tell you if they had to go?
We alternate between his little potty or the seat on the big potty. What's your preference for your kiddos?
Any thoughts and advice are welcome... I admit I did not read any books on this and have been winging it and feel like we're getting somewhere but I'm not sure.
My two older boys both peed sitting down to start with (more control) and eventually decided to stand like Daddy at their own time. We never did this, but I've heard of people using cheerios to try to get boys to aim for while standing. I will say that no matter when they start standing up to pee there will be misses. My oldest didn't potty train, in fact he refused, until he was 3 1/2. My younger one did right at 3. So, 23 months sounds really young to me. But it also sounds like he is doing great! If he can pee and poop in the potty he is doing very well. I don't think it is strange that he always starts somewhere else, he is getting to know what his body is telling him. However, I would suggest that you take him to the potty every so often, so that maybe before he starts to go he will already be there and try to go and know what it feels like. We waited a couple of weeks after ours were using the potty everytime and staying dry in underwear at home before venturing out like that. You will know when you're ready though (but take extra clothes anyway!) Go with whichever potty seat he prefers. Ours were kind of afraid of the big toilet for awhile, so they prefered the potty chair. Eventually they moved over on their own. Just follow his cues and you will all be happier than if you try to make him do something. Hope all that helps!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback Tabitha! I REALLY appreciated it. I think I will let him guide on the standing to pee and which potty to go in as you suggested. No use really pushing to try to get him to stand!
DeleteI certainly didn't plan to potty train so early but he seemed ready, so we have... I think its working so far... maybe by the time this baby comes in late September I can just have one boy in diapers (most of the the time at least). I expect naps and overnight will still take a while even when he master's the day time.