Potty Training

They say that boys are so much harder than girls to potty train.  I think "they" may be on to something.  Bubba will be 4 next month and is just now day-time trained.

We started training him a year ago.  He was doing great and our baby sitter had worked really hard with him.  By August of last year, we were even going out of the house with underpants on (and no accidents).  We were so happy.  Then I started staying home with the kids again and it all went to hell.

We tried everything...rewards, stickers, candy...but nothing was helping.  One day last month, I was looking on the internet for advice on training kids who are being stubborn.  I found two things that we had not tried yet. 

1.)  Take something away that they like and tell them that only people who don't pee/poop in their pants can use that (like computer/TV time...DVD's...those kind of things)

2.)  Tell them that they are in charge of their pee and poop and only they can tell it when to come out.

I decided to try the 2nd one...and it freaking worked!

I took him aside and said "Bubba, I love you very much and I really want you to be out of diapers...but that decision is up to you.  You are the only one who can tell your pee-pee and poops when to come out...you are in charge of them, oyou are their boss.  Mommy and Daddy aren't going to tell you when to get on the potty.  You tell us if you need help with the potty." 

That's the last day I had to set the timer.  That's the last day I washed 10-15 pairs of underpants.  That's the last day I had to get the carpet shampooer out every few hours. 

It worked.  It really freaking worked!  By the next day, he was taking himself to the potty.  We still have a few accidents every week, but he is wearing underpants all day and keeping them dry.  He takes himself to the potty!  He tells me after he goes so I can empty it but that's about it.

And because he is going on the potty, Diva goes in there too.  She's in panties most of the day and is doing good as well.

Because she is doing so well, we have decided that the box of 82 diapers we bought over the weekend will be the last box of diaper we buy for her (we only buy pull-ups for Bubba), we will only be buying her pull-ups for at night and while we are out of the house.

I'm hoping that Bubba will be totally day and night trained by the end of the summer...Diva, I'm shooting for this time next year.