The Potty Training of Kaleb

As I mentioned earlier, we have recently been potty training Kaleb, and I want to write a post about the major points because I think it worked well for all of us, and well... some parts are really funny.

So about two months ago we transitioned Kaleb into Pull-ups.  There are so many expert opinions on both sides of the fence with these suckers but I felt they would be better for Kaleb (and me in the middle of a semester of school) to learn a little more slowly rather than cold-turkey.   The first few days of wearing Pull-Ups made it SO obvious that it would have been REALLY rough if we hadn't used them.  He didn't understand how to pee 'on demand' and it took quite a few tries for him to get the hang of it.  Then there was the getting-dressed aspect that I hadn't thought of.  It's a lot of responsibility to ALWAYS be in charge of putting your pants back on. 

The hardest part was BY FAR getting Kaleb to poop in the toilet.  This has been an issue with a lot of kids in my extended family  and it was no different for Kaleb. He just refused to even try to poop in the toilet.  He would read the signs, then hide, then go.  Finally, about two weeks before our scheduled cold-turkey potty training day, we decided to strip Kaleb down if he showed any signs of pooping, force him to sit on the toilet, often for 20 minutes at a time.  HE HATED IT!  He would scream like I was ripping his toenails off and cry and oh, it was awful.  (I have a tastefully filmed video of it below.  Doesn't show anything nasty) 

Finally, after a few failed days of trying to get him to poo in the toilet (he would just wait till the Pull-up went back on during naps), I left him on there for a big, long screaming session (i had given him juice and a Fiber One brownie, so I knew it was just a matter of time). "Nnnnnnoooooooooooooooooo! Nooooooooooooooo!!! MOMMY!!Mommy!!! MOMMMY!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

a pause...

(sniff) "I did it!! I pooped"

That happened about four more times, before he was calmed to the point of just a lot of loud crying.  Usually, Kaleb would run to the toilet, cry a bit with some quiet "No, No" moans.  Then he would come out... quickly run back... back and forth, back and forth till 30 minutes later, he would allow himself to poop.  About a week after his third birthday, Ammon took a Thursday and Friday off so we could take a road trip to Out of Africa on Thursday (posting later) before the cold-turkey Friday.  Kaleb successfully pooped in a toilet at Out of Africa with just a whole lot of whining, so I was super proud of him.

Finally, that Friday, we kept Kaleb naked for three straight days.  If we went anywhere, he would 'go commando' under his shorts so he still felt a little less secure, a suggestion I got from my friend Melanie.  (thank you!) We gave him lots of powerade and juice to make sure he had lots of opportunities to go.  We gave him an M&M for #1 and two 'big' candies (like rolo's) for #2.  He had one or two accidents, but overall did great, including going to the potty on his own while at nursery that sunday. 

It's been two weeks now, and I am super-impressed with how Kaleb has embraced his new responsibilities.  At times, he still fights us when we ask him to go to the bathroom (maybe cuz he doesn't think he needs to go or maybe just an "I'm busy" type moment), but we only have random accidents here and there.  We still have him wear Pull-ups at night because he is such a heavy sleeper, but even during his last few naps he hasn't peed. He doesn't mind going in public toilets, and I'm proud to announce that he can poop without even shedding a tear.  I think he has realized just how much more like an adult he has become and the phrase "Big Boy" really has so much more meaning!

Like I said, I'm glad for all the good advice I've received through friends and books, and I feel like I was a little inspired with how to cater this big transition for our little boy... or should I say our Big Boy!!