WILTW: Potty Training

Phew! What a weekend! I decided, as I mentioned on my last post, to do an intensive "Big Boy Boot Camp" over the two days. I learned many things in the process.

1. You can be so desperate as to take the potty everywhere your child goes, to help him be successful.
2. A treasure box (see in the photo next to him) of incentives can really help (so he gets to choose the prize).
3. It is a good idea to move all floor rugs, BUT, and this is a big but (not my butt, but the statement), IF your child has an accident on the floor and you clean it up, be sure to dry the area too, so he doesn't slip and have a terrible fall. Okay, two terrible falls. (Not that that happened to us.)
4. Books can be a great incentive for #2.
5. The 99 cent store has some great little books for just that.
6. Your child can do better than you expected on Day One.
7. Your child can do worse than expected after Day One on Day Two.
8. By 4:00 on Day Two, your child can be so excited and motivated for his next incentive that he can cry out, "I need help!" when his body doesn't produce the pee he needs for his incentive, and then cry. That can break Mommy's heart.
9. Holding onto the next incentive can make your child happy again (as long as it is still in the wrapper), until he can produce.
10. By the afternoon of Day Two, and into Day Three - the day he goes back to daycare-, your child can be so tired and irritated about the whole weekend that he no longer wants to follow any directions you give him, to the point of being defiant.
11. (Couldn't stop at ten): 3 changes of clothes at daycare isn't two bad if it is 3 changes to 2 successes and another at home. :)

For more, see From Inmates to Playdates!