I really can’t take much credit for potty “training” Carter because to be honest, he came about it all on his own! Around the time he turned two we started to have conversations about going to the bathroom in the potty instead of using a diaper. We weren’t shy about using the toilet in front of him since C had a tendency to barge in anyway. He was familiar with the process and we read lots of books about how big boys use the potty. I never really had any intention of pushing it, especially once I found out I was pregnant because it was just one more thing I didn’t want to have to stress about. We already had to transition to a big boy bed, get rid of the paci, prepare for a new brother, go to school, it was just too many big things all at once! Plus I knew once Nolan was born I would be a little preoccupied.
Little Man showing off his Big Muscles
Fast forward a few months and C started mentioning when he would need to poop. Of course I would run him to the bathroom if it meant not having to change a giant stinky diaper! He really got the hang of it and basically “poop trained” himself before his third birthday with the help of some M&Ms if he did the deed in the potty. I figured that was the hardest part of potty training (or at least the part all my friends were struggling with) so I didn’t care if he wore diapers for pee until he was in kindergarten hahaha Well, one Friday morning in April he woke up and announced he was going to wear underwear. I must have been crazy because we had a super full day ahead of us but I agreed and we we haven’t looked back. That day we went to playgroup about thirty minutes away, out to lunch, ran errands, and basically went about life as if nothing had changed. C did great and told me every time he needed to go to the bathroom and went willingly before we got in the car for our long drives. He had a tiny accident that evening when he sneezed and was begging for a diaper. We talked about why he wanted one and I finally got him to explain that he thought I would be mad at him for having an accident. Once he realized exactly what the word accident meant, he was back to being excited about wearing underwear! That was more than a month ago and I am so proud of my boy. I cannot believe how easy this was. No boot camp. No staying home for weeks. No laying tarps on my carpet and never leaving the house. I knew if I let my stubborn boy lead the way he would do it on his own time and I was right!
I may not have very much advice as far as potty training goes (except to be patient and let your little one take the lead), but here are Carter’s favorite books that we read about going to the bathroom.
All of these can be found on Amazon!
