Reward charts have worked well for us in the past, so I decided to give the children a magnet each time they go #1. After 5 magnets they get a treat. (Rice Krispie treat, Ring Pop, etc.) If they go #2, they get a treat immediately. So far, this is working pretty well. The problem with using ring pops as a reward is: a) they make a huge mess, and b) they take FOREVER to eat, hence the children eating them while on the potty 20 minutes later.
P, waiting for his turn.
K, making herself comfy on the potty.
R, enjoying his reward.
I am using my kitchen timer to make sure we go every 15 minutes. The kiddos call it the potty bell. I got overconfident yesterday and tried to stretch to 30 minutes. It was a messy mistake.
So far, so good. We have had 3 puddles (thank heavens for hardwood floors) and one messy pair of undies, but otherwise, are making pretty good headway. P had a particularly difficult day yesterday. By 9 am he was wearing pink undies because we had been through all 6 pair of blue ones!
Tonight I took them to WalMart to stock up on undies. They were thrilled. When we got home, they each put on the character they selected(Dora, Cars and Diego) and started shaking their little booties and giggling.
I am also thankful for one of the unique features of our home: an outdoor bathroom. I thought it was a bit quirky when we looked at this house that there was a restroom outside the back/kitchen door. Potty training has renewed my appreciation for this room. It all makes sense. The original owner/builder was, afterall, a father and pediatrician!
My goal is to be free of diapers by the end of the week. Not sure if that is realistic, but we shall see.
18 comments:
Oh, I will be glued to my computer for the following week.
They are doing GREAT.
Jack will be 4 in October and has not once, never, ever 'gone' in the potty.
He went by the potty yesterday on the floor. I said, "Close enough" and rewarded him. He's getting it more and more every day...but we have a long way to go. I realize he's on his own schedule, so I'm not freaking out...yet. But it would be so nice to be out of diapers.
I canNOT imagine buying 3 times the amount we already buy!
Good luck and I'm betting they'll be out of diapers very, very soon!
♥
Wow! Potty training 3 at a time...girl, I'm praying for some extra grace to head your way :)
I, too, trained my oldest with a kitchen timer (every 20 minutes) and the real toilet. I couldn't bear the thought of cleaning out a potty.
And, an outdoor bathroom ... that's just brilliant!
Have a great week!!
If you are diaper free by the end of the week, we're coming to visit so you can help me! With 4 in diapers, I'm ready to spend that money on something else. :)
And, yes, that outside bathroom was a great idea! Who would have ever thought? Unfortunately, my oldest has already learned how to use the woods at the back. :)
Jen,
Stounds like you are off to a great start! wow, how lucky to have a home with a potty outside.
My guys are on day 4 with big boy underpants only, and today was the first day that they stayed dry all day! My husband and I must have asked them 50 times if they had to go peepee on the potty, and had good luck. They too would say they had to go. Number 2 is a different story.
We are going to an amusement park tomorrow, so we will be traveling with lots of spare undies and shorts. My husband also purchased a travel potty for the car.
Keep up the good work and i look forward to checking your blog for future potty updates!
Happy 4th,
Linda Altemus
Three times the potty training pleasure. I hope it continues to go well. I'll be checking back in!
Yay! It's always hard to begin to do something we've been dreading, isn't it? Often, beginning is the HARDEST part! So, now that the process has begun, surely it will only get easier...?
I'll say a prayer tonight that tomorrow will be a dry day for your family! And I can't wait to hear how it's going, so don't keep us in suspense for too long! :)
Keri Ann
Hey, that comment from Linda Altemus up there? THAT is the family with the twin boys who I babysit for!!! I had told her about your blog a while back and she's been following along. When I started reading her comment, I thought "Oh my goodness, that sounds just like the boys! And they're going to an amusement park too!" And then I saw her name at the bottom of the post.
Yeah, they'll be 3 in August... I babysat for them last night and they did great in the undies, with only one accident and going every 20-30 minutes. I was VERY impressed. As hard as potty training can be, I think it's fun too..... so much cheering and encouragement and hugs! It's just so fun to see them feel proud of themselves as we cheer them on. I'm sure Linda will be following your potty training days as she faces them with her little guys. :)
If it is any help, I trained Alex in 3 days with Pottywise. It's by the same author as Babywise which worked like magic. It's an easy read and I did exactly what it said and sure enough...it worked by the third day! I will admit that I cried the first day becasue I was so sick of potty talk and cleaning up a mess every fifteen minutes (not to mention being cooped up in the house all day). But if you stick with it, it will eventually work. There is a chapter in there for training multiples. The main focus is rewarding for staying "dry and clean" every 15 minutes or so, along with not leaving your house for a few days, which it sounds like you are doing. It also discourages pull ups except at night and naptime (also like you are doing). If you dont feel like reading the book, you're are pretty much on the right track. Good luck my friend!!!!
well i knew the day would eventually come when you would take the plunge!! i think summer is the perfect time to try...they can run around in their underwear all day long if they want! and i will be quite impressed if you reach your goal of no diapers after a week...you are hitting it hard J! its more like "potty boot camp!" :) hang in there with it...it's exhausting but the end result is worth it!
I have never ever loved blog photos as much as yours! Priceless.....
And thank you for being so real. I'd be so disappointed if I didn't think you had SOME imperfections. Your family - your blog - are beautiful.
Those adorable kids are going to HATE you for taking those pics. of them when they are teenagers. I mean - that is SERIOUS BRIBERY MATERIAL. :-)
God's blessings on your week, JMom. I will be praying for patience for all of you as some days will be rougher than others.
Outdoor bathroom, priceless treasure, especially to a mama of three little sweeties.
Sounds like it's going great, and that you've attacked it with a vengeance. Good for you - you two can likely go on a cruise for the $ you'll save in diapers for 3! xoxo
Good luck! Sounds like you have a great plan! Hang in there while this will be a tough weeek, but OH SO WORTH it to be finished with all those diapers!!
Good luck! This is the hardest part of parenting so far, in my experience. Persevere!
Good luck! It was reasonably easy for each of y 3...but they were 3 "individual" times so your challenge may come if one of your three isn't there yet! (((hugs))) to all of you. Just don't plan anything big for the first few days and stay close to home and the "POTTY"!
Wow! Three at once! I also spent the last year or so dreading the potty training. After several starts and stops, she finally got it! I'll be praying "Grace! Grace!" for you !
Wishing you well.....I've done this with two already. The first one, my daughter, was a PAIN. The 2nd, my son, announced shortly after turning two, that he'd like to go to the potty...and has ever since. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to how they train...just thank goodness for that potty out the back door.! What a wonderful lifesaver!!!Also, I think going to big kid underwear right from the start not only saves you money, but really I think it works the best. They need to feel the discomfort...it's an extra incentive to get to that potty faster next time. I'll be anxiously awaiting more updates...till then, don't get weary in well doing!!! :)Oh, and don't forget to reward yourself once in a while. Maybe, five puddles cleaned earns you a Starbucks (or treat of your choice!) lol!
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