My Mason – A Big Kid®?

June 2, 2008

Hey, thanks for reading the first entry of my online journal about potty training my crazy 2-year-old Mason. My husband, Mark, and I were excited to begin potty training for a bunch of reasons, but we were nervous for a bunch of others. This is the first true "lesson" we’ll be teaching our son, and that’s pretty intimidating for any parent. Mason is starting pre-school in the fall and one of the requirements is being potty trained. It puts a lot of pressure on us to have a deadline, although we know he’ll go at his own pace just like every kid does. Hopefully my kid won’t be the first one to get kicked out because he can’t use a toilet! But, honestly, I can’t wait to only have to change one of my son’s diapers.

I was unsure whether I would know when Mason was ready to start potty training, because I really didn’t know what signs to look for. But little did I know, Mason would tell us when he was ready to start.

Right around Christmastime last year, I pulled out a potty we had bought way back, and Mason was very interested in it. He pointed at it and cried out, "Potty! Potty!" He went on the potty for two days in a row and I thought, "My child is brilliant and this is gonna be simple." Boy, was I wrong!

So far, Mason is getting used to the idea of potty training, but it certainly isn’t simple. I created this online journal so other parents can follow along with Mason’s ups and (sometimes) downs, and learn from my mistakes. I will also be passing along the great advice I learned from the Big Kid® Central DVD, which helped me realize for sure that Mason was ready for potty training. Stay tuned as I update this journal every week!

Best,

Melissa

Trying A New Approach

June 9, 2008

After a great start with potty training Mason, we have hit more than a few speed bumps. Funny how these two-year-olds change their minds all the time and love to exercise their new found independence. As we began our journey, I thought I had everything figured out. We put potties in each room, we got him two kinds of Pull-Ups® training pants (Cool Alert® and Learning Designs®) and a bucket of small cars for rewards. I thought we were all set, when suddenly Mason doesn’t seem to like small cars any more - well at least not in the bathroom.

We learned our lesson about asking him to go potty instead of telling him to go potty when he woke-up and after meals. I know that I am supposed to make this fun for him, but sometimes it is such a battle to just get him to sit on the potty. We’re trying to stay consistent but it’s tough.

I watched the Pull-Ups® Big Kid® Central DVD and it had a bunch of different ideas for me to try. I’m going to try a new approach ASAP - having him stand up to go, like his Daddy does. And we won’t be asking him to go potty any more, if he goes in his Pull-Ups®, he now goes straight to the potty and a few times in between so we can "catch it." And the rewards are changing too. I explained his rewards chart to him and now he is excited to show Daddy all the stickers he gets on his chart at the end of the day. When he does manage to get a few drops in the potty, or even when he just lets us know he is wet, we celebrate with him. The look on his face when he knows he made us proud is one I will never forget. Who says they have to be the "terrible twos?"

Best,

Melissa

Privacy Please?!

June 16, 2008

The adventures of potty training continue as we head into our second solid month. We are trying to make the whole idea of sitting on the potty fun and routine for Mason but he seems to be out-smarting us! We found that the best time to get Mason on the potty is immediately after he wakes up in the morning or after his nap. Lucky me…those are the times he is crankiest and acts like we are torturing him by making him sit on the potty. To try and overcome that, some days we make it a game. We have Mason’s "potty party" which is a chance to act silly, sing songs, use stickers and treats. Other days I just don’t have the patience or time to deal with "potty parties," they can be exhausting for me! Those days I simply let him get away without sitting on the potty.

We are now trying standing while "going," but he hasn't quite gotten the hang of it, yet. I just ordered a stand-up baby urinal and will let everyone know how that works for us! But he hasn’t grasped the concept of "releasing". So until he understands that, I’m not sure standing is the way to go. But we did reach one little milestone - he finally told us when he was wet. That was huge for him, as it was the first time he admitted he needed a change. I hope that continues!

I will leave you with a funny story that happened the other day. We had Mason bare and on the potty and we were able to distract him for close to a half hour with books and sticker games while we waited for something to happen. After all that time he started getting frantic about putting his Pull-Ups® pants back on. We finally let him put it back on and he ran over to the corner to do his "business" in the training pant. Oh well, I guess it’s going be tough to make him comfortable with the situation on the potty, but we are on the right track. From that situation, we taught him about privacy and now if he has to go, he has to ask for "privacy please, Mommy." One hill at a time, right?

Best,

Melissa

The potty adventure continues!

June 23, 2008

My sister called recently asking for potty training advice for her little boy Jonny, who just turned two. She wanted to know how she could "stop" him from using the potty because she was bummed her little man was growing up. At the same time, I was a little bummed that my little man won't use the potty! It’s a bit different because Jonny is her second child, and he has an older brother to imitate using the potty, which can help. I pretend that it doesn't bother me that Mason’s younger cousin already has potty training figured out, but it does a little bit.

It seems everyone is having an easier time than we are. I’m hearing that it’s because he’s a boy, or he isn't ready yet. The process can be frustrating, and I swear he won’t use the potty because he knows we want him to, and he’s being rebellious. Just as he was exercising independence, now he is using it to fight us!

Recently, Mason woke up dry from a nap and we were excited to have him go on the potty, but he was cranky. I offered everything I could think of to motivate him - ice cream, candy, stickers, toys, a long walk (he loves those), but nothing worked. He put his Pull-Ups® pants back on and then agreed to sit on the potty if we walked to get ice cream. We removed the Pull-Ups® pants and, sure enough, he had already gone. This happened again about 10 minutes later. But, I’m realizing that he’s getting used to the idea of the potty since he is agreeing to sit on it minutes after he has already gone. Maybe I am one step closer than I think, even though it feels like two steps back sometimes!

Best,

Melissa

The potty countdown has begun!

July 7, 2008

Mason’s preschool days are fast approaching. When he goes to summer camp in a few weeks, he is supposed to be completely potty trained and that’s making me nervous. I know I shouldn't let him feel that pressure, but I sure feel it. We will be travelling the next few weeks, which doesn't make the task any easier since there are strange potties all around! The airports in Baton Rouge (where I am currently shooting) and roadside rest areas might hinder our plans to get him ready in the final weeks before school begins.

I find, with Mason, we are truly lucky because he just goes with the flow... literally. He will sit on any toilet and even use baby urinals, but he still won't release. No matter how many targets we float, games we play, or treats we promise he hasn't grasped the idea yet. But, he always manages to squeeze enough out to get the treat or reward we've promised. He even agrees to sit on a potty while pooping, but not without his Pull-Ups® pants!

He will easily sit on a potty with certain people but with me, Mark and our nanny, Canyon, he refuses. But with his Poppi (my stepdad) he will go, as well as with other people that participate in the potty routine daily. I think we have a little rebel on our hands.

We are spending the weekend in Lake Tahoe with Mason’s three-year-old best friend Charlie. I'm so excited to have Mason follow him around for a few days and, try to get him to mimic his potty techniques. I'll keep you posted on our progress.

Best,

Melissa

Mason’s Potty Mentor

July 14, 2008

We have finally made some real progress in Mason’s potty training adventure!

While on vacation with our dearest friends, who have a 3-year-old little boy named Charlie, Mason finally started to learn by example. When Charlie went to the bathroom, Mason was invited to the "potty party." After watching Charlie go while standing up, Mason wanted to do the same. He would happily pull his pants down and try to get out a few drops, just to get the audience to sing Charlie’s potty song to him, too. He loved being a "big boy" and enjoyed all the celebrations that came with it, which motivates him more than rewards right now. This worked for a few days while Charlie was a guest in our house.

With Charlie gone, we’re trying to keep Mason excited about going potty, and also have a new development. We’ve been spending a lot of time at the beach this summer in bathing suits and Huggies® Little Swimmers® swimpants, but Mason always asks for his Pull-Ups® pants, or as he refers to them, "Lightning McQueen," before he relieves himself. That lets me know that he’s in control of his bladder and is aware of the sensation he feels before going to the bathroom, which is a big step! He’s still afraid to release on the potty, but I think letting go of that fear is the last step in our mission to get him to go #1 in the potty. Then we need to master going #2, and staying dry overnight, and we will be happy!

Best,

Melissa

Pre-Camp "Crunch Time"

July 21, 2008

We are two weeks from the start of Mason’s camp, and I am feeling the pressure of having him potty trained. I’m trying to keep him from feeling pressured, too, but I think some of my anxiety might be rubbing off on him. I’ve been trying to remain focused on getting him excited for the experience of camp instead. I keep telling him about all of the fun he is going to have, and I make sure to play up the fact that he will be having lots of "potty parties" at camp.

In preparation, next week we will be transitioning to underpants, and I hope we won't look back. But if Mason does have accidents, we will happily change him and go on with our lives. We went to the store the other day and Mason picked out underpants with all of his favorite characters, which was very fun for him. I think we are now stocked with every kind of boy underpants you could imagine. I think he’s happy with his choices and our shopping trip helped get him excited about the process. I hope to have lots of praise for my little man next week that I can share with all of you, so stay tuned. Wish us luck!

Best,

Melissa

Potty Training: The Final Frontier

July 28, 2008

"Adventures in Potty Training" – someone should make a movie about it. The tagline could say, "You'll laugh, you'll cry, and it will be messy." Mason started preschool camp yesterday, and I can't tell you how nervous we have been, mainly because he isn't what I would call "completely potty trained."

So far he’s had one accident per day at camp, and that's just fine by me and the teachers. He now has other adults to help instruct him in all things potty, as well as friends to copy and learn from.

One big milestone happened when I dropped him at school. As we were putting his lunch box in his cubby I heard Mason say, "I have to go potty." That is the first time he has ever said this (which is huge!) but he said it as he was making a puddle on the floor. I calmly told him I was proud of him, and that we had to clean up the mess before he could join his friends on the playground. We did, and he stayed dry the rest of his day. I know now he understands and senses what is happening, but I’m unsure if he actually wants to be a big boy right now.

Every day is a guessing game, and you never know what will work or when it will finally fall into place. All I know is that it takes hard work, dedication, consistency and a lot of rewards. I applaud every mom and dad who is going through this process or has successfully completed it. This will be my last journal at Pull-Ups.com, so I want to thank everyone for following and supporting Mason and I on our potty training journey. I feel like I’ve joined an exclusive club of potty training parents and look forward to our next parenting adventure – whatever it may be!.

Best,

Melissa