Potty Training in just a weekend??? Really??

At first I was skeptical.  I mean potty training in three days seemed like a parent's dream but an unlikely reality. But my daughter is living proof that it can happen.

Before I continue, I want to make it clear that I understand all children are different and potty training one child one way may not work for another.  So don't start harping on me about how this method didn't work for you. It worked for me and my daughter, so I am giving it a two thumbs up.

I read Potty Training in 3 Days by Lora Jensen. I have to give her the credit even though I do believe many of her tips can be found elsewhere online.  In a nutshell, she advises parents to be at their child's side all day for three days and constantly ask if they are dry.

Here is what I learned. 

1. Buy LOTS of panties.  It helps if you aren't really paying attention when your child puts package after package of panties in your shopping cart. (read previous post to see how THAT can happen!) Marley went through 12 pairs the first day, half that on the second day and only two on day 3.

2. Don't bother with pull-ups.  I was actually tempted to put them on my daughter until I saw how long it took a friend of mine to potty train her daughter.  Pull-ups ARE diapers.

3. With the help of mattress protectors and pads, I never put another diaper on my daughter...even when she was sleeping. I agree that it sends mixed messages to the kid. Marley had one nighttime accident the first night.  The rest have been dry.

4. Toys go a loooong way. Especially those crappy ones that come in kids meals. I save those and can now give Marley something for staying dry all night, peeing before nap time and pooping in the potty...all without breaking the bank!  

Speaking of good ol' #2, Marley did not go until day 4 of potty training.  I was starting to get worried since she is highly regular and had been eating high fiber foods.  

But since I knew she liked to hide when she pooped in a diaper, I let her play alone in her room.  When she was in there for just a minute, I went back in, saw her making the "poop face", rushed her to the bathroom and HOORAY...she pooped!  

So remember, all of us like a little privacy when we want to make our own "poop face". 

 

Will Marley be accident-free from now on? No, probably not. So I'll carry spare panties and clothes for some time to come.  

But I will say that we both have reached a milestone in our lives and it was surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be.