Starting The Potty Boot Camp after failure with another method

Question:

I recently found out about your book online and after much desperation of failing to potty train my 2.5 yr old son over the past few months. I started researching and found that The Potty Boot Camp book seemed inspiring and worth giving a try. So far the book seems like yes it would work, but I don't really know where to start since I have already tried potty training him over the past few months.

He was doing really good at going pee on the potty, but mostly because I think I was just taking him so he wouldn't have accidents. He was telling me when he had to go pee sometimes, though he still has yet to go poo on the potty and runs and hides every time.

I thought we were doing pretty good with the peeing part and then we went on vacation to the lake for a couple weeks. He HATED having to stop playing to come and go potty and just kept having accidents over and over again - so I just put him in pull ups. He is more than willing to go pee on the potty, it is just a matter of getting him to tell me plus he doesn't seem to mind peeing his pants either.

Should I just start your program from the very beginning.. even though he has the concept of the potty and has gone many many times in it??

Answer:

After hearing your story, I would recommend starting with day #1....but modify the timing a bit. (More about that in a second.) I would also "give up" on mentioning the potty for a couple of weeks. Take a (well needed and much deserved) break.

When you start, explain to your son that "today is the day" we are going to give up diapers forever. You might want to pick a date on the calendar to start. Let your son help choose. Then have him look at the calendar every day and put a sticker on it to help "count down" to his diaper-free day. This will help build up some excitement on his end and will help motivate him to succeed. On the start day, make a big deal of getting rid of diapers. Have a little ceremony/party to mark this momentous occasion.

On day one, since he's already using the potty, I would not do 10 or 15 minute intervals. Try 35-45 minutes. Do the drills as described in the book - this teaches him that accidents are undesirable. Do make a big deal of having dry pants. Also do the cleanup technique. Kids sometimes like these at the beginning but they get tiresome after a while and do indeed become a deterrent to having accidents. If he has a lot of accidents with the 35 to 45 minute intervals, shorten them a bit.

It think the key for you is to start 'fresh" after a small break.

Below are some great "potty themed" stickers you could consider:





Post by Suzanne Riffel, author of "The Potty Boot Camp: Basic Training for Toddlers" - a new, fast, easy toilet training method that produces remarkable results.

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