POTTY TRAINING BOOTCAMP

Well, we started potty training with Kelsey yesterday.  She has been showing so much interest and always wants to sit on the potty, flush, and wipe just like her big sis.  We would find her sometimes with her diaper off just sitting on the potty!  She was to the point where she would tell me every time she went... after the fact.  So, since we had a few days in a row with no set plans, I decided to set those days apart for "Potty Training Bootcamp."

I let her drink as much and as often as she wants.  In fact, I push the water/juice/milk and remind her all the time to take a drink.  The more she has to go potty, the more opportunities there are to "practice" this new skill. :)

I brought her little potty into the kitchen so we could stay on the tile floor (easier to clean up accidents) and so it could be in close proximity for easier learning. We started off with "big girl undies" but then, just as with Morgan, I switched to having her just going around without anything on at all.  That way we could focus on going in the potty without having to struggle to quick get her panties pulled down in time.

So, here she is eating a "picnic" lunch on the floor so she could easily jump up and go if she needed.

Obviously, it took her awhile to get used to the sensations and what it felt like when she had to go and to learn the cues that told her to run to the potty.  We had accidents, I was cleaning the floor a lot.  But that's all part of the learning process.  As I pumped her full of fluid, I also set a timer and had her run to the potty when it went off. We'd count to 20 and then she could get up even if she hadn't gone.  At first, the timer was set for 5 minutes to give lots of practice and because with all the fluids in her, she couldn't often make it past that.  :)  But we kept increasing the time as she became more successful.

When she would happen to go in the potty, she would get a candy corn treat.  Wow.  That was motivation for her!  It took about one day for her to "get it" and then at the end of the first day, in the evening, something suddenly clicked. :)  Today, our second day at it, she is now going over to the potty on her own when she feels she has to go. Yea!  However, she is still without undies and has the little potty right close by in the kitchen.  And I am constantly asking her if she is still dry.  It will take time for her to "get it" when we are not actively reinforcing, reminding, and practicing.  :)

I will update in a few days with how it is going long term.  :)