Saturday, July 10, 2010

Potty Training

Last week, Naomi's teacher asked us to start bringing in big girl underwear for Naomi to school, with lots and lots of extra clothes to change her into in case of accidents. She hadn't actually ever used the potty, but she's been so interested and eager to sit on the potty, that they felt it'd be a good time to try training her. With two of the past students, they had successfully skipped pull-up diapers all together, and transitioned the kids to big kid underwear. It only took a couple of days of accidents before the kids learned to ask to go to the potty before they actually went. This was the method they were going to try with Naomi. Austin and I were hesitant, but figured we'd give it a shot.
We decided to give Naomi a little bit of a headstart but starting her this weekend. So this afternoon at around 2:30, we changed her out of her diapers into her big girl underwear. Her first choice of underwear, minnie mouse, only lasted about 30 minutes before she had an accident. Her second pair, only last about 10 minutes before she had yet another accident. (she HAD just woken up from a nap and finished off over 8oz of milk). By the end of the night, she was on her 6th pair of underwear and didn't really seem to be getting the concept of telling us BEFORE she had to go. I was starting to think maybe it was a little too early for this method. But after dinner, we decided to let her watch a little tv (Toy Story 2) if she agreed to sit on her potty. She actually started to go, but then realized and tried to hold it in. We decided to call it a day after she didn't seem to want to sit down anymore. While getting her bath ready, Austin sat with her while she sat on her upstairs potty for a little bit. Austin decided to try and get her mind off of the actual potty, and started singing "Baby Shark" one of her favorite songs to sing. Before they could even finish one verse, Naomi got extremely quiet and had a serious look on her face. Sure enough she was going pee on the potty. When she was done we were all so excited, but no one was more excited than Naomi who kept jumping up and down shouting, "I DID IT!!!!"
As a reward, we gave her some princess stickers, which she promptly took off and put on her legs...who needs a sticker book anyway. Day 1 of potty training done. Hopefully it'll just get easier from here!!



First pair of big girl underwear


With her reward...stickers all on her legs

1 comment:

Chickering Mom said...

I am there with you! A couple of thoughts from being two weeks in with Mary (and being awful at it with Owen)...

1. Try to avoid the pull ups (this is from Owen really) - they are just diapers they can take off and don't ever feel wet. From what I have been told feeling wet is the big thing to get them trained.

2. The underwear seems to be key. We have the same for Mary (thank you Target) but she is so into them she won't take them off to use the potty. They have been put away until she is a bit more into the routine. I got some old school training pants that are great - still underwear but they don't soak the floor if she has an accident.

And...be happy to have a girl. Owen was 3+ before we even thought of staring. It is nice to be this early.

Good Luck!