Potty Training is the name of the game in the Hamilton Household and Madeleine is doing surprisingly well. For the past month or so we have been asking her if she wanted to wear “big girl” underwear. She would run screaming in the other direction. We even went to the store and she picked out “special” Dora and The Little Mermaid panties that she said she would wear. Still a no go on putting them on. One day I actually had her agree to put a pair on and then she flipped out. Rolling on the floor, screaming, ripping her clothes off flipped out. I actually recorded it on video because it was pretty funny.
I read several potty training books that really did not tell me anything I did not already know and typically left me with more questions than answers. Then I happened upon a little online book called 3-Day Potty Training: Start Friday Done Sunday. So, I “bought” (ie. borrowed) it from a friend. It is a very short, very concise, very to the point book.
The main premise of the book is to toss the diapers/pull-ups and go to underwear full-time starting from Day 1. No going back. No changing your mind. Remind them often to let you know if they have to go potty, lots of praise, and never get upset or reprimand for accidents. I would detail more of the book but that is a big copyright no-no.
This past week our Daycare Provider mentioned bringing underwear there for Madeleine to wear since she was working with another little girl on potty training. We figured what the heck; we might as well try. We did not really expect much since she was still refusing to wear underwear, but figured it might be a good way to at least get her to put it on since her friend at daycare was going to be doing it too. Well, it worked! And like everything else with Madeleine – once she decides on something there is no going back. She will seriously wear the same pair of shoes 24/7 (yes, even to bed) for weeks on end until you force another pair on her feet. She will cry, she will scream, she will throw a fit but once she calms down THEY are her new favorite shoes.
So Friday afternoon when I picked her up from daycare we went to underwear full time. She refused pull-ups for naps; she refused pull-ups for bedtime. So here we go.
Friday: (started at 4pm) 4 pee accidents in 4 hours; stayed dry overnight
Saturday: peed on potty as soon as she woke up; two accidents before nap-time; stayed dry during nap and peed on the potty as soon as she woke up; no more pee accidents the rest of the day, but one poop incident; stayed dry overnight
Sunday: peed on potty as soon as she woke up; let us know she had to pee two times before nap when prompted to remind us; stayed dry during nap and peed on the potty as soon as she woke up; We decided to be brave and headed out to dinner and the grocery after her nap; attempted to pee on the potty at the restaurant; no accidents while out; one accident later in the evening because she was playing and got distracted; poop on the potty before bed; stayed dry overnight
Monday: peed on the potty as soon as she woke up; no accidents all day; pooped on the potty
Tuesday: peed on the potty as soon as she woke up; one accident around 5:30pm because I did not get her to the potty in time since I was cooking dinner; pooped on the potty
Way to go Madeleine!!! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you.
