~POTTY TRAINING~

Introduction:

The great task of potty training has been talked about for decades. As a stay at
home mother of two, I have found there is an easier way for successful potty training.
After much research and personnel experience, this is the method I found that works.
There are two main things to remember when applying these techniques. First, children
love to learn and please their parents. Second, careful planning and consistent execution
will produce better results.

The process has been divided into four main parts for easy comprehension: 3
weeks out, 1 week out, the main event, and the follow-up. Each section of the Potty
Power is equally important and necessary for success. As you embark on this journey
remember to be patient and have fun, as these wonderful blessings that have been placed
in our care are only young once. The joy of their adventures will be with us all our days. I
hope this works well for you, as it has for me and many others.

~Please Note: This is a guide; the gender used is male for easy reading. However, these
instructions work great with both girls and boys.

3 WEEKS OUT

So, you’ve decided it’s time to Potty Train your child. Let’s first talk about signs
that show they are ready. Remember trying to train too early is frustrating for you and
your child, and will likely result in failure. All children develop at different rates so
assigning an age to when they are ready is difficult. It is best to look to their actions and
personal development for determining if they are ready. Generally 18-30 months is the
common age range. Please also check with your pediatrician about the right age for your
child.
IS YOUR CHILD READY?

Is your child communicating well? Does he speak many single words and
possibly two work combinations? (Like: juice, milk, bye-bye), He should also be able to
identify objects that he can’t yet speak such as body parts or certain toys he likes. He
needs to be able to communicate clearly or he won’t be able to tell you he needs to go.

Is he un-comfortable with a dirty diaper? Does he pull or remove his diaper after
he has messed it? Another good sign is if he leaves the room or is slightly embarrassed by
dirtying his diaper.

Can he stay dry during nap-time? Another good sign or readiness is if your child
can stay dry for longer periods of time and through a nap.

If your child displays these signs it is likely he is ready.

ARE YOU READY?

The main event runs 3 to 4 days and is a serious commitment to the household. If
you are not ready to make the commitment then postponing till everyone is ready is
advisable.

TIME TO PREPARE:

Now That you’re ready and your child is ready, the next step is preparation. As
with anything in life, if it is well planned then the results will be better. Start preparing
about three weeks out and continue till the main event. First, you need to choose the time
or days for the main event. Be sure to plan for 3 or 4 days for uninterrupted training. It is
advisable for 2 adults to be involved in the training process if possible. A long weekend
works well or maybe a couple days of vacation for the parents. Try to plan for as few
distractions as possible during this time. (No trips to the store or any outside events.) This
is VERY important. Try to limit visitors to a minimum, preferably none. This helps keep
your child focused.
YOU WILL NEED A FEW ITEMS:

1) Potty: A portable, potty-chair, not just a toilet topper.

2) Underwear: You will also need lots of underwear, for many changes during
training. There are many designs that are available that children love and
make underwear fun. I recommend buying a few of your child’s favorite
character to help motivate your child to wear underwear.
3) Rewards: You will need to purchase some small candy or any other reward
(such as stickers) that will spark your child’s interest in the activities. Keep
the reward small because these will be given after each successful potty.
4) Training pants or Pull-ups: You will need these ONLY for nap-time or
bedtime. They are NOT recommended for use during the day.
5) Mattress Protector: This is needed for your child’s mattress in case of
overnight accidents.
6) Terminology: Most importantly you need to develop and start using the
terminology you will be using during training and in the future. Pee-Pee and
Poop are two commonly used terms and are easy to pronounce for your child.
Start exposing your child to bathroom activities and have them watch and
accompany an adult to the bathroom. Use lots of repetition in your
terminology like mama pee-pee potty and daddy pee-pee potty. Also, ask him
to sit on his potty (fully clothed) while you go potty. Explain to him every
time you go to the bathroom that it is his special potty because he is a big boy.
Choose the words you want to use and don’t change them. This will help
during the main event and he hears the terms applied to him during potty
training.

1 WEEK OUT

So, you’re now a week away from the main event. You’ve been using the same
terminology referring to the potty with your child and he understands the words. You
have made all your major purchases and as the event approaches you’ll be tempted to
start early. Remember you have set a side a special time and your calendar had been
cleared. Be sure to get all your errands taken care of so you don’t have any interruptions
during the event.
FINIAL SUPPLIES:

You’ll need supplies to clean up accidents. Paper towels and a disinfectant are
recommended. Also stock up on your child’s favorite drinks. Don’t forget to have your
rewards, such as stickers or candy, ready.

PLAY SCHEDULE:

Now it’s time to organize games and activities for the main event. Have fun
games to play, such as puzzles, play dough, coloring, music, and your child’s favorite
movies or shows. The idea is to keep your child entertained. Since you have to stay at
home for 3 or 4 days, you do not want your child to become bored or distracted. Try not
to introduce new toys at this time. Stick to what they are use to, the fewer distractions the
better. In the beginning, you will want to train in areas with hard floors (tile or wood
floors) such as your kitchen, to make clean up easier.

MAIN EVENT:

DAY ONE:

The day has arrived, all preparations have been made and you’re ready to start the
main event. As soon as your child awakes you must begin the diaper celebration.

DIAPER CELEBRATION:

With your child, take all the left over diapers and throw them away. Explain to
him that now he is a big boy and does not need diapers anymore. Make it a fun event.
Cheer for him when the diapers are thrown away and have him help you throw them
away. Undress your child completely (you may leave a shirt on) for the rest of the day.
WHY NO CLOTHES?

All kids love to run naked and today’s their day. In order to understand the no
clothes concept you have to first understand that your child has no idea what happens
when they pee-pee. Up until now the diaper has done the job well. No diaper, no clothes
and your child’s going to realize immediately that things are different now. He will be
able to literally see what happens when he gets the pee-pee “feeling”.

WHAT NEXT?

Today you need to keep the portable potty with you everywhere you go. Wherever your
child goes, from room to room, the potty follows. Play games, have fun, and explore the
activities you’ve set for the day. Keep the potty with-in arm’s reach of you while you and
your child are playing.

In the beginning, when your child begins to pee-pee, sit him on the potty. He
might resist a little, because it is a new idea for him. After a few times, he will start to get
the idea and enjoy pee-peeing in the potty. Every time you put him on the potty, make
sure you say your phrase you have chosen like “pee-pee in the potty”. Always say the
same phrase and stress that he gets to pee-pee in the potty now because he is a big boy.

Naturally by the end of the day he will realize what happens when he gets the pee-
pee “feeling”. He might even stop mid way and finish on the potty. Give praises for each
success even if he peed mostly on the floor. Get excited, cheer, and give your small
rewards for each little success. Make sure you over-emphasize you excitement. Play
down the accidents and keep up the praises for the entire day. Never scold your child for
the accidents, as this will only produce fears of the potty.

Hopefully by now, you know your child’s behavior when he is getting ready to
“poop” so it is necessary to watch extra carefully during these times. Remember, it may
take longer to have successful “poop” merely because he has many more opportunities to
“pee-pee” during the day.

Also, constipation may become a problem during potty training because your
child many try to hold it. If this occurs, please consult your pediatrician.
WHAT ABOUT NAPTIME?

Most children this age require naps and a pull-up or training pants is a good
option for naptime. Give them a name, like “night-night underwear”. Do not call them
diapers because remember, you just told your child that he is a big boy now, and does not
need diaper. When he awakes from his nap, these should be immediately removed and
the day continues with out any clothes.

Remember that hiding the action will make your child this it is okay to pee in the
pull-up. So use them only at naptime and at night. Continue through the day making sure
to stress pee-pee in the potty a lot.

WHEN TO PUT HIM ON THE POTTY?

The only time you need to put your child on the potty is when he starts to pee-pee.
Another good time is when you have to go to the bathroom. Take the potty to the
bathroom when you have to go and stress mommy pee-pee and set your child on his
potty. This is one of only a few instances that I recommend setting the on the potty with
out them expressing that they have to go. Don’t make him sit there; this will only bore
him and make him resent the potty.

ACCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS, AND MORE ACCIDENTS!

Your child will have accidents all day. Do not get discourages, and this is normal.
Keep reminding yourself that for about 2 years now, your child has just been able to “go”
when they get that feeling. It has only been one day and you will slowly start to see more
and more successes. Spend the day cleaning up messes and enjoy your child. Make sure
to use the “pee-pee in the potty” phrase a lot and give a lot of liquids. Make sure you get
a good nights rest for tomorrow.
 DAY TWO:

The morning of the second day is a little different from the first. When your child
wakes they need to be taken to the potty first thing. This is a new routine for your child so
be patient and you are ready to start your day.

Continue with the same procedures as the day before and you’ll soon notice he is
responding and may be starting to tell you when he needs to go. Big praises and
celebration will make your child feel special and motivate them to succeed.

START TO ASK:

On the second day you will need to start asking if he needs to pee-pee. He will say
“No” in the beginning as he might not completely understand it, but it is important to
introduce the questions. At the day progresses you will notice that he is going longer
periods between each pee-pee. You might even begin noticing a pattern, where they
might go every 15 minutes or every 30 minutes. This will give you an idea of when to
ask. After a few days you will notice that he will be able to go longer periods because he
can hold it longer. Don’t ask the question “do you need to go pee-pee?” every 15 minutes
if you have notices that your child only needs to go every hour. This might just
discourage him. You need to adjust as your child changes.

DAY TWO ENDS:

Before you put your child to bed, tell him how proud you are of him being a big
boy for pee-peeing in the potty.

DAY THREE:

Generally the level of success dictates the introduction of underwear. If you think
he is ready then underwear can be introduced.

Show your child his new underwear that morning. Make it an exciting event and
continue to give praise for what a big boy he is now. Tell him that he gets to wear his
“Big Boy Underwear” because he now pee-pees in the potty. Now your child will wear
only his underwear (still no pants at this time) and a shirt if you would like.
 Introducing the underwear will cause more accidents at first. Your child will
naturally try to revert back to just peeing but will soon learn that it just runs right through
his underwear. Change him immediately after every accident and never leave him wet.
You want him to understand how uncomfortable it is to be wet, but if you leave him wet,
he will just get used to the feeling. Never scold your child, only reaffirm “we pee-pee in
the potty, we don’t pee-pee in our underwear.” Give praise and your rewards for every
success, even if it is a small success.

By the middle of the afternoon, your child should start to have fewer accidents
and more victories. Once he has it down and is starting to let you know when he has to
pee-pee you can put on shorts or pants over the underwear.

LEAVING THE HOUSE:

After day three you can start leaving the house with your child. However, make
them very short trips in the beginning. Give treats and praise for every trip where you
make it back home with out accidents. When you arrive at a location ask your child if he
needs to go pee-pee as soon as you get there and right before you leave. Your child will
forget to tell you because all the new surroundings distract him.

FOLLOW UP:

As the weeks continue you must keep praising and keep asking. Soon, you will
notice fewer and fewer accidents.

DON’T FORGET:

Praise all the time

Give treats
NEVER Scold or yell!
Don’t get frustrated-remember this is new to them
Don’t use pull-ups for everyday wear
Do involve the whole family
Ask “Do you need to pee-pee?” frequently for the next few weeks.

~CONGRATULATIONS~

You have conquered the daunting task of potty training. Don’t forget the two
important concepts of success:
1) Children love to learn and please their parents.
2) Careful planning and consistent execution will product better results.