Potty Training 1
(Read Part 2 here and Part 3 here)
So both the girls are almost potty trained. I say almost because Z forgets to go potty when she’s excited or busy or very upset. Both A and Z cannot wipe their own arses (I love those British comedies). That’s mostly my fault. I’m scared to let them do it because so far there’s been no playing with poo or poo on the fingers or pants or anything of that nature.
***A typical visit to the potty goes like this:
Them: “I have to go POTTY!”
Me: “Go then.”
Me (after two minutes): “Are you going poo or pee?”
Me (after four minutes): “POO OR PEE??”
Them: “PEE!!!”
Me: “Okay! Wipe and flush and wash your hands when you’re done!”
**********Alternate Ending***************
Me (after four minutes): “POO OR PEE?”
Them: “POO and PEE!”
Me (tiny note of anxiety): “Are you DONE?”
Them (eventually): “Yesssssssss!”
Me: (going over to open bathroom, sitting down on step stool put there for this purpose, getting wet potty wipe)
Them: (singsong) “I wipe the front and you wipe the back!” (holding up shirt/dress unnecessarily high)
Me: “Yesssss…. lean forward” (wiping accomplished) “Now, pull up your pants, flush the toilet, wash your hands” (washing own hands + departing)
***End current potty time
So, what did it take to get to this point? To start at the beginning, let me say that I was pretty scared of potty training. I had heard horror stories of poo paintings and peeing like puppies everywhere. Yuck! I had no idea if we’d be running around every few minutes wiping up pee or what. Still, they were getting older and I didn’t want them being the old kids still in diapers at school. Also, some preschools required potty training. Forewarned is forearmed, though, so I read about the process in the baby books and at Babycenter and around the net. I read the synopsis on how to potty train your child in three days/one week/some insignificant amount of time (can’t find article, just remember thought it was a crock since they go on to say that you have to reinforce the training for the next three months). I researched products and outfitted the place in preparation. We talked to the kids about it, warning them about the change for about a month (maybe more, as we kept putting it off ). Then, the weekend that Granny came to visit (yeah, Mom!) we said we’d do it. This is what we had:
Supplies, for two girls, about 32 months old:
- Bjorn potty chairs, 2, pink and white (had shown it to girls months before and they enjoyed sitting on them and wearing inserts as hats)
- Bjorn step stool for downstairs bathroom, 1
- Rubbermaid step stool we already had, for upstairs, 1
- Bjorn potty seat (goes on normal toilet) for downstairs and upstairs, 2
- Huggies pull-ups, Costco box(es) for day and night
- Reusable training pants, Blueberry
- Reusable training pants, some other brand I can’t remember
- Cute panties/underwear, 2T-3T size, washed and ready
- Little Looster “potty booster” for downstairs bathroom, 1
- Waterproof flannel pads, leftover from changing supplies
- Kandoo potty wipes, multipack
- The Potty Caddy, 2, picked up for fun – had stickers and book included
- Aquaduck faucet extender, 2
- Potty training books, but truthfully, no one read them
- Kalencom Potette Plus 2 in 1 portable potty and liners
- Misc. cleaning supplies, including paper towels and carpet cleaner
- Kiddopotamus Deluxe Piddle Pads, 2, for car seats
Starting Setup:
- Play Room (PR): Large waterproof pad under each Bjorn potty chair, placed in visible nook next to old changing table, side by side
- PR: Toilet paper, Kandoo wipe case, Potty caddies, extra pull-ups on old changing table and inspirational books + stickers at the ready
- Downstairs bathroom (DB): Bjorn potty seat on hook next to toilet paper where kids can get it, Looster Booster (started in front of toilet, but moved to front of pedestal sink), Bjorn step stool next to toilet where kids can get it, Kandoo wipes on shelf above toilet, Aquaduck on faucet, pump soap on sink, towel pulled down low so they can get it
- Upstairs bathroom (UB): Same as DB, except bar soap (important for novelty)
We were as ready as we were going to get. I set it up, talked to every adult involved (including preschool teacher) and we started potty training at the beginning of a long weekend.