Tuesday, October 29, 2013

potty-wise


This post is for my friends, as well as a good reminder for me in the future for little Sterling.

August was a big month for us. Hudson was potty trained in a day. No more manly dirty diapers. Now, it seems like I can't remember when he wasn't potty trained. This milestone really makes a parent feel that all that "parenting" is worth it.

Every parent and child is different, but I'll let you know what worked for us. I used the Pottywise book by Gary Ezzo as a guide. He outlines a number of methods - you have to find out which works best for you and your child. Hudson is an intense boy who loves quick achievement, so I knew the best method would be the intensive 1-4 day blitz. Before any training can begin, you have to make sure your kid is ready -wakes up dry from a nap; goes to a specific area to "do his business", etc. If he isn't ready, it's best to wait so that you and he both can succeed at the right time. 

I took off Friday from work and Violet had Sterling out most of the day - so we were able to focus on one thing all day - potty training The night before, we showed Hudson all the candy/treats because tomorrow is a special day. We also had him "teach teddy" how to use the potty that evening and get a reward for doing  such a great job. The emphasis was in being clean and dry, NOT on performing on the potty. This allowed for a lot of consistent opportunities for rewarding, not just when he needed to pee. "Are you clean and dry, Hudson? Yes? Pick a treat!"

 
After a couple accidents, he really started to get it, and the consistent rewarding was really useful. Rewarding "clean and dry" was really the key for Hudson. He was understanding why it was important to use the potty.

That night, Dave wanted him to wear a Pull-Up to bed, but I thought that would be back tracking. What's a little more laundry? Hudson woke up dry his first night! We had a few accidents here and there, but Hudson has done really great and is very good at letting us know when he needs to go. He feels empowered and I am relieved that I don't have to change giant dirty diapers. As Hudson is tall for his age, it is such a blessing to have this milestone behind us, as I no longer get looks as to why my three-year-old-sized child is not toilet trained.



1 comment:

  1. Love the video of Sterling pushing the 'wagon.' He holds onto it even when he falls!

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