(Disclaimer

Labor Day weekend we decided to attempt to potty train our sweet little baby girl … I can’t believe my tiny little baby is old enough for this. And then in hour four of potty training boot camp, I started thinking … Is my tiny little industrial furniture baby ready for this?
Here’s what we did: I ordered and read the Ebook “ Potty Boot Camp ” by Suzanne Riffel based on the Amazon reviews and the fact that it’s got a reputation for working industrial furniture for younger toddlers. We followed it 85% on the first day and kind of winged industrial furniture it the next two days. Rewarded, rewarded, rewarded. She enjoyed 1/2 a Mike-and-Ike for sitting on the potty; a cheap “gift” (plastic necklace, bubbles, dinosaur figures, new colors, etc.) for going potty when we put her on the potty; and a larger gift (a new book, balloons) for telling us she needed to go potty and then going. (To be honest though, she liked the Mike-and-Ikes best, and she was so happy with our enthusiastic response about the other accomplishments, that she didn’t care too much about the gifts.) Accidents – We just told her it made us sad and that we wanted her to keep her pants dry. We did NOT make her help clean up – it was bad enough to do it alone.
Here’s industrial furniture what I got the most out of from Potty Boot Camp: Higher Expectations: I’ve learned as a parent that I tend to view my daughter as what she’s always been … Not what she’s becoming. So I often run into times when she’ll do or say something that blows my mind because I didn’t think she was capable of it. Example: Potty Boot Camp says to have you child sit on the potty for 5 minutes – I thought we’d be lucky for 1 minute. She did 5. Easily. It just took some books, games and songs. A Clear Plan: Riffel’s plan is easy to follow and clear. And her support system is fabulous – her Facebook page is very active and it seems her Twitter feed is as well. Even though I didn’t use it once we started, I ran through it all before. And it was reassuring and encouraging. Encouragement. Riffel potty-trained her daughter at 20 months. Tabby is about to turn 21 months … So I felt hopeful and optimistic.
Here’s the turnout: It’s been two weeks, and I’d say she is trained to go to the potty, but I think there are different definitions of “potty trained.” Poor, naive me, I thought if things went great, after the three-day boot camp, I would never be thinking about my daughter’s toilet activities again. The reality: The three-day boot camp went wonderfully, but I think it’s almost more work to have a “potty trained” toddler. Here’s why: She’s not big enough to pull up/down her pants, climb onto the potty or wipe. So … Pottying is still a team sport. We are so proud of her. She tackled this challenge so quickly and really “got it” after 1.5 days. She has had the ideal attitude – industrial furniture I’m so happy that she tried this new thing so willingly and so intensely – industrial furniture she really industrial furniture has amazed me! Since she finished Potty Bootcamp 12 days ago, we have had three accidents that I feel weren’t my fault. Two that were. (And a couple at daycare, but none since the first day!) She has pottied industrial furniture in gross bathrooms at a softball field, at PetSmart and at the library – so we’re 100% in public so far! She is still sleeping in diapers for nighttime and naps, but I would say 80% of the time she has a dry diaper when she wakes up. It just scares me to think about the alternative. I think she’s waking up at night and during naps because she needs to go potty … So her sleep has been affected a little.
And here’s my final thought: We decided to potty train “early” (20.5 months) because she was showing signs of readiness (interest in the potty, ability to hold it for long periods of time and annoyance at wet/dirty diapers). Also, after some reading, industrial furniture I thought it sounded like younger toddlers were easier to train because they were less headstrong than they become, and because they are still eager to please their parents. It seems the headstrong part didn’t matter, but she was very happy to please us. Which surprised me, because pretty much everything she does pleases me, and I really hope I convey that to her.
(Disclaimer – I know this method has not worked for others with this age of toddlers. I also know some kids are really difficult to potty train. I think we just stumbled upon the perfect industrial furniture mix of Tabby being ready, a method that she responded to well, and … luck.)
Also, apparently I’m inept at buying Ebooks, because I accidentally bought two copies. So, if anyone is interested in using it, I would feel OK about sending it to you – as long as you know NOT to reproduce it!
April 14, 2012 at 5:22 am ∞
Harlow industrial furniture was completely freaked out