Potty Training

This may sound crazy but I love potty training. It has been so much fun! I love the success and how excited Santiago get's when he makes it. A while ago I bought this training toilet for Santiago... 

I set it up, and asked him often if he needed to go potty…One time in the bath I asked him and he said "YES!" he jumped out, pooped in the toilet, then jumped up (looking very scared) and did not want to try again for months. So I put away the toilet. 

Then I pulled it out again….this time we tried a new tactic. My friend had said she left her kids in real underwear for three days. She said it was the "best way to potty train." So we tried it. We walked around the house very carefully for a day. We had several accidents AND THEN……nothing. The next day when I told him we were going to put the big boy underwear on again and he screamed NO, with a terrified expression. So we abandoned that idea and put away the toilet. 

A while later we pulled it out again. Because we had run into a problem. Peeing on the carpet had become a game to him. Every time I took him out of the bath I would say…quick go get your diaper so we don't go "pee-pees" on my floor. Apparently all he heard was "pee-pees's on the floor" and started finding a place to pee on my carpet after every bath. I figured since he was saving it up and knew how to push we could have him go on the potty. And it worked! 

The next day...I took him out of the tub…stuck him on the potty…and he went! We made a big deal out of it. We called someone on the phone, we did a potty dance (a silly dance with a silly song called "Santi went pee-pees in the potty" as we circle the kitchen table) we gave him a fruit snack, and we made a big deal about it ALL DAY LONG. What a big boy he was…how proud we were…etc!  He was sooo excited and proud of himself. Since then he has had many successes. He goes usually once or twice a day, or sometimes not at all. Usually after bath, and often another time. 

He loves routine so after every success we did the same things. We would call someone, get a prize (large sticker, fruit snack, or gum), and do our silly potty dance. Whenever he got on the toilet and could not go he would be so discouraged. It was actually really cute. He would slump his shoulders, and hang his head, and make a noise that sounded suspiciously like Curious George. "It's ok Santi! We will try again later! (Or, tomorrow!)" We would also reward him for any success with the same routine even farting in the toilet got a prize! (because it is the same muscles he uses to poop) 

The other day was the first time he asked to go on his own! I thought it was a stalling tactic because it was time to go to bed, but we let him try and sure enough, he went. 

Then this morning…he woke me up at 6:45 in the morning. He wanted to go potty. Only I thought he was asking about the baby. Because "pee-pee" and "ba-be" sound a lot the same, especially at 6:45 in the morning. We still have a ways to go before he is going every time, pooping in the toilet, and holding it at night. I think he is really going to go all the way this time! I suspect it will take a few more months.