Potty Train Success Plan

On Sunday I was in Target and saw a family deciding which kind of training pants (pull-ups) to buy. It took everything I had to not run over and say "NOOOOOOOOOO". I consider myself sort of an expert on potty training GIRLS. I can't emphasize that enough. I think boys are different, and won't know for a while as DS is only 8 months. But girls, I got down. And training pants are NOT part of the equation. I say diapers to underwear cold turkey.

As I have found it, the keys are Determination and Denim. Determination because when you start it you have to stick with it even if it appears to be a disaster, and denim because I have found that if your potty training child is wearing jeans, the mess of an accident is mostly confined to the underwear and pants and rarely makes it all the way to the floor. The denim is thick enough to soak up the mess.

So.. here is how I did it for my two girls(and, BTW..I stole this from the mom of a boy!). When they are ready (have sat on the potty a bunch of times, is interested in it, etc) -- both mine were 2.5 -- you go with them to the store and pick out underwear they like. Then you let them look at it and hold it for a week or so, but no wearing. Then for a week you prepare to say goodbye to the diapers. You talk about being a big girl and not wearing diapers any more. Talk about it more and more as you lead up to the big day. Then on the last diaper day -- i suggest a Friday of a long weekend, you talk about how this is the last day of wearing diapers.

Then on Saturday morning, say BYE BYE diapers and put on underwear and jeans. In my experience the first day will be hell. I have not let this stop me and we have continued our regular activities (carrying along lots of wipes, plastic bags, underwear and every pair of jeans I can get my hands on). Anyway, about every 45 minutes ask if they have to go potty. Bring them in the potty -- and I mean the toilet, not a stand-alone potty seat. The regular toilet with a potty seat on it. If you use a stand alone seat not only do you have to clean up that mess, but then you have another transition to get them to the regular potty, and what do you do when you are out and about??!! When they are on the potty read books, sing songs, whatever until they do the deed. For both my girls they only made it to the potty on time once or twice that first day. The rest were just accidents. But DO NOT GIVE UP!

On Sunday, same drill. For both my girls day 2 was MUCH better. Only 1 or 2 accidents (for my second, NONE!). Same on day 3. By then you will be done. Just keep those jeans washed and ready. The jeans are key. Seriously. I buy a lot of my kids clothes on consignment, and I just made sure we had like 6-7 pairs of jeans ready for potty training.

So..that is my two cents. Like I said, I haven't done it with boys, but have a friend who did (actually she taught me most of this method), and it worked like a charm.

Good luck!