Potty Training Update

Well, Isaac is doing very well at potty training. Monday went very well. He had a pee pee accident before he had a success in the potty which I was hoping wouldn't happen. I think I gave the first day a B. He did better in the afternoon and was getting the idea of how it all works. He does a great job emptying his potty bucket--he already knew how to do that from watching Ewan learn how to do it over a year ago.

I was very discouraged on Tuesday when he had accident after accident all morning after the big training day. I thought for sure I had failed as a trainer but the afternoon went much better. I think on Tuesday and Wednesday he was learning that he could hold his pee and how to start it and stop it better. Thursday and Friday he only had one accident and actually made some poop in the potty. Today he has not had any accidents at all but had a poop right in his diaper right after his nap. I am still putting him in diapers when he sleeps. We have had a couple outings and he has done very well at keeping dry pants. He loves wearing underwear. The biggest improvement that needs to happen is for him to go straight to the potty when he needs to pee and just go. Right now we are in the phase where we watch him and the clock and take him to the potty when we think he needs to go. He will grab himself and say I need to go when he needs to go but if we weren't there to help then I think he would have more accidents. In the book we use, we aren't supposed to guide the kid at all and let them handle their toileting all on their own (going to the toilet when they have the urge, pulling down their pants, sitting down, peeing/pooing, wiping (although helping with the poo wipe), pulling up their pants, emptying the potty bucket in the big toilet, replacing the potty bucket). The book trains kids to be self sufficient but I don't think I am that great at the training and the way we have adjusted it seems to work fine.

I like going from diapers to underwear and not turning back. We have never used pull ups with either of the boys--mainly because I don't want to pay for them and I can wash clothes very easily and I think they don't do the job of toilet training. Also, a lot of my friends that have used them have said that when their kids are using them they will pee/poo in them because they know they can. I think that makes the toilet training take longer.

Ewan is pretty self sufficient at toileting himself. He still needs help pulling up his pants sometimes and wiping but he goes straight to the big potty when he needs to go and doesn't need my help. He even uses the stool to turn on the fan when he needs to poop. He is very particular that the fan is on. I never remind him about having to go and he does a great job. He has been a big help in celebrating Isaac at all his successes at potty training. He is proud of his little brother too.