Getting to Underwear

There’s no official finish line for potty training. And no matter what you’ve read, there certainly isn’t a fast track to underwear! Your child sets the pace. And with patience, encouragement and your helpful coaching, potty training will one day just sort of trickle off (literally!).

You’ll start to notice your child is having fewer nighttime accidents and even better control (like “holding it”) during the day. It’s right about this time, that you’ll approach the closest thing there is to a finish line--the move to cloth underwear!

Here are some ideas to get your child prepared and excited about making the move to undies:

Introducing…Underwear! Talk about getting to cloth underwear from the get-go. It’s a great motivator for kids who want to be big! Explain that this is what older kids wear every day. As you near the final stretch of training, go on a shopping trip together and pick out that first package of cloth underwear. Let your child choose her favorites. Tuck them away for someday—before you know it, that day will be here.

Note the similarities. Keep reminding your child of the similarities between PULL-UPS® training pants and the underwear bigger kids wear. Show how they go on and off. Point out the difference between “front” and “back”. Note how the designs look so similar. Take your child’s supply out of the bag and put them into a dresser drawer—just like you would with underwear.

No going back! Once you’ve got your child psyched up about the idea of training pants and how they’re so much like underwear, going back to diapers is like going back to baby stuff.

And remember, if you want your child out of diapers for good, it pays to move him out of diapers for good. Here’s what Timothy R. Schrum of the Medical College of Wisconsin discovered in his landmark study.

“Moving a child out of diapers and into disposable training pants, cloth training pants or underwear is one of the most effective techniques for rapid toilet training progress. It sends a message to the child that toilet training has begun. We also found that children who switch back to diapers from training pants or underwear can lose ground in the toilet training process.”

All by myself! Parents can use the pants “up and down” milestone to re-motivate children for the home stretch of training. Let her practice her on’s and off’s on her own so she’ll be ready for the real deal. As your child gains more and more independence, resist the temptation to do it for her. Watching your child struggle to get it right may be frustrating when you’re running late for work, but try to keep your hands in your pockets and your eyes off the clock for the sake of your eager learner.

Feeling wet or dry. When your child moves to cloth underwear, he’ll quickly get the message when he’s wet! PULL-UPS® Training Pants with Cool Alert™ can help a trainer who’s nearing the underwear milestone get used to that idea. Ideal for any trainer who learns best by feeling, PULL-UPS® Training Pants with Cool Alert™ help your child feel cool within seconds of becoming wet to help them stay dry. This cool feeling is an additional aid to help potty train your child.

Nighttime training comes later. Graduating to cloth for daytime use only is not unusual. It may be another year before your child is reliable overnight. That’s par for the course! Use PULL-UPS® training pants as “nighttime underwear” so a wet bed doesn’t become a big deal for your child.

The move to cloth underwear is a happy event for both of you. It’s another rite of passage to celebrate with your Big Kid®.