Pee Pee Potty Mommy!

It has been a long road, but Journey is finally getting the hang of going “pee pee” on the potty! Yesterday she wore her pretty princess panties all day–and no accidents! Now she only wears a diaper to bed and for her nap. She is almost 2 1/2 years and I think we started when she was 19 or 20 months.

Like any kid she always followed me in the bathroom to see what I did on the potty. I explained to her and she would go on about her way. I don’t think it was until she saw her cousins using the potty that she was interested. So, I set her potty out, it is the Fisher Price one that talks and sings songs. I turned it on and the first time she sat on it to try to pee the dang potty scared her! She looked at it so surpised! From then on I left it off, unless she was just playing with it to listen to the music. 🙂

During the early months of her training I didn’t push her to go potty, just suggested it every once in a while and started the rule that she couldn’t see her poop unless she went poop on the potty. She started to get infacuated with looking at her poop. I don’t know–I guess we all check our poop out every once in a while. I’ll fess up! lol

I started a potty chart a little bit after she turned two. Telling her that when she went potty she would get a sticker on her chart. We made a big hoopla about it and told her how proud we were of her and clapped. Sometimes singing the potty song we made up (sung to the conga) “Pee Pee on the potty!” The sticker thing didn’t last long though. She wasn’t interested in stickers. I was still persistent and patient, the key I think to potty training. I suggested that she could tell me when she had to go potty and we could go. And if she had an accident I never got mad and always reassured her that it was ok and she could try again next time. We checked out some books from the library about potty training and she got some potty training books of her own too. It seemed that after reading the books she got reinterested in the potty.

The turning point was a couple of months ago when we went to visit Brett’s parents. Her Papa gives potty treats, for every poop that the grandkids do. So, Journey had went potty at their house. I can’t remember how many, but I think it was two or three “poops.” Papa got out the bag of M & M’s, told her to open her little hand, and counted out three candies. She sqeezed those things so hard in her hand she had a rainbow colored palm! And that was it. She was all down for getting potty treats.

Once we were home the success continued. One time she tried to squeeeze out as much as she could to get more potty treats! After going potty she would say, “Two potty treats. One pee, One poop!” It was too cute so I agreed and now she gets a potty treat for a pee too. She doesn’t like to go potty on her potty anymore, so I put a stool in front of the “big potty” as she calls it and now she goes there all by herself!

For some reason Journey loves to go in the public restrooms! Eww I know, but whatever works. I always make sure to cover the seat for her and she of course washes her hands. Well, now like I mentioned she wore panties all day yesterday and the day before without accidents.  But somebody did pee in the bed during naked time. I asked who did it–and Journey said, “sissy did it.” It looked like to much pee for Faith to have done it. So, I said that it really looked like a lot of pee. Well, then Journey says, “It sure is!” All I could do was laugh because she just cracks me up. Having naked time every night before bath has helped too. Because she didn’t have a diaper to go into so I would tell her that if she needed to go potty then to tell me so that she could go pee pee on the potty. Of course there were accidents, but that happens and I just kept encouraging her.

There are times when she doesn’t get a potty treat and I just look her in the eyes and tell her how proud of her I am, then I have Faith clap for her sister. Then Journey will give me a big hug and a kiss. That is how our Journey  with potty training has been. A lot of patience, persistence and praise. Just like in life you can’t make a big deal out of mistakes only the accomplishments. I felt that was important for Journey to understand so that she wouldn’t get discouraged.

At times I felt that I was the one being trained during this whole thing. It take time especially with another child in the mix because when Journey has to go potty in a public place Faith has to come too. When Faith was still a baby I put potty training on the back burner because it was too much work. Finally I had to figure it out so that I could put more focus on Journey. To stop being lazy and take the time to work with her and help her learn the whole potty thing. It was always the easy way out to put her in diapers, it is a lot of hard work for me to have her in panties and to be more aware of what she is drinking and when she needs to go potty. I’m glad that I let her do it at her own pace. I’m really excited to not have to buy so many diapers anymore!

All of what I said was for my girl, Journey. Every child is different so it just takes trial and error to figure out what works for you. There are some key things that I think fit everyone. During the potty training you should be;

1. Patient
2. Persistent and
3. Give lots of Praise

Good luck to you! Let me know how you are potty training your kid? Maybe there are other techniques out there that work for you. I would love to hear them!

Now I know boys are a whole different story so I looked up some links that could help if you are potty training a boy. Potty training concepts, toilet training boys