Potty Training

Oh, come on.  You knew it had to happen eventually. :)


Yesterday, I started potty training Miles.  I was following this great program/method called Three-Day Potty Training.  The theory was that you would help the child recognize when they needed to go, and within three days, they'd be completely trained.  It sounded like music to my ears.

This is what most of yesterday looked like.

Unfortunately, poor Miles has some major performance anxiety when it comes to peeing on the toilet.  He would make that face, and squeeze his little legs together, and we'd run to the bathroom and . . . nothing.  Not a single drop.  The kid couldn't force it out.  In the 14ish hours we spent running to the bathroom, sitting on the toilet, and trying to calm him, he managed to sprinkle a few drops in the toilet twice.  He was getting frustrated, to say the least.  And I wasn't much better.


So, this morning, I threw out the program/method and went back to what felt right for my kid.  I threw down towels in the living room, set his potty seat in front of the television, turned on Thomas the Train, and stripped the kid naked.  Within minutes, Miles had peed in the potty - rather a lot.  We emptied the potty into the toilet, flushed, and celebrated with a sucker and a call to Daddy to brag.  An hour or so later, we were playing in the living room, and I saw him clench his legs and run for the potty chair.  Another success.  Another lollipop.

What today looks like. :)

At this point, we are over three hours into my method (or lack thereof).  Zero accidents.  Two big successes.  And no anxiety or stress for either of us.  Sure, he may not be completely trained and in underwear in three days, but in the end, I'd rather take my time with a pleasant experience.  And this way, I won't be completely bummed when he has an accident on day 5 or 10.  It will just be part of the process.


I should market this as the "Nudity Method".  I'll make a fortune. . . In the meantime, I'll be here, watching too much television, and celebrating my son peeing in the living room. :)


Update: 5:45pm - Still naked, still no accidents.  Not even during naptime, when he slept in the buff. :)


Also, I have no idea why this post looks so weird.  Nothing I do seems to fix it. . .