This week we went out and bought a potty seat. We tried it out for an hour the first day, which was Friday. Today we weren’t home, so we did not sit on the potty. Tomorrow we’ll be gone again, so we probably won’t sit on the potty. Monday, however, we will be home and that is when I’ll really start teaching him about the potty.
I’m not really trying to get him potty trained in a week. He’s only eighteen months old. He has shown some interest, however, and that is why I’m beginning to show him how it works. We take it really easy and slow. First I’ll ask him if he wants to try sitting on the potty. If he says yes, I’ll place him on the seat and we’ll read his new potty book together. He’ll sit for a few minutes and then he’ll ask to get down again. This might repeat five or six times in a row before he gets bored with it. So far, he has not peed or pooped while sitting on the potty, but I keep hoping that one of these times he will, just so that I can give him a big reward. That way he’ll make the connection and hopefully try to duplicate it.
There are many methods to potty training, and which one you choose largely depends on your lifestyle and what you can handle. If you are traveling a lot, the naked training method (sometimes referred to as the three day method), probably won’t work very well for you. Some people swear by training pants. I am not sure which road to take, as of yet. I do think I will let my son lead the way, though. Potty training will happen regardless; I do not think it should be stressful at all.
I do recommend getting a book or a DVD, just so you can give your toddler a visual of what is supposed to be happening. You should also let your toddler watch you use the bathroom, since there is no better way to teach than by example. Beyond that, whatever techniques you use will depend on your personality and your lifestyle. Always remember, your baby will not be in diapers forever, no matter what method you choose.
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