I’m on a mission to potty train my youngest before my fourth and last baby comes. I’ve been here before.
When my second baby arrived, my first was nowhere near potty-trained. It seemed like every time I settled in to breastfeed the baby, her big brother would walk by, diaper stinking, in need of immediate attention. Or he’d see that I was changing his baby sister, and intentionally pee in his diaper, too. Tricky kid. It felt like I was drowning in a sea of poop and pee.
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Toilet training a toddler while caring for an infant is definitely not something I want to deal with again. Ever. Having to change two kids’ diapers is not only logistically exhausting – it’s expensive.
By some crazy fluke, we managed to avoid two in diapers when my third was born because my second was toilet trained before age 2. Now our third child, the baby who is soon-to-be big sister, is taking a bit longer to get the hang of it. But it’s not her fault. My husband and I need to commit to the process. She’s more than ready – physically, behaviorally and cognitively – she just needs a boost to get all the way there.
So we have a game plan: Over the holidays – when my teacher-husband will be home to tag team for this massive undertaking – we’re going to suck it up and implement a three-day potty-training boot camp. Potty-training boot camp -- a method we successfully used on our firstborn -- looks like this:
What does 3-day potty training boot camp involve?
Camping out at home for about three days in one area of the house – with a potty chair, snacks and drinks, toys, and a TV nearby.
Putting your child in cloth underpants during the day, all day. (no pull-ups.)
Using stickers as a reward. (Or a signature “potty dance,” or whatever will motivate your particular child.)
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Putting your child on the potty every 20 minutes or so to start with, and then gradually increasing the time between trying to “go.”
his potty training video offers some excellent pointers that have worked awesomely for our older two kids. Parents can tweak the details to what best suits their child and situation. Pro tip: Make sure to have plenty of paper towels and carpet cleaner handy. You’ll need it.
I realize that having two kids in diapers isn’t the end of the world. (Parents with kids even closer in age, and parents of multiples do it all the time.) But if there’s any way we can possibly avoid the hassle again, then you can bet we’re at least going to try.
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