Must Have: Toilet Training in Less than a Day

So, it is true:

this Must Have is not for everyone....

BUT, if you have potty training age children, this book/method is a Must Have in my humble opinion. {wink}

Toilet Training in Less Than a Day WORKS! {click on the link to read more about the method}:

The method was originally created to train special-needs adults who were diaper-dependent.

My mom used this method in the 70's to train her first-born, who is developmentally and mildly physically disabled {also known as my wonderful sister, Cheryl}. She subsequently trained me and Tammy and even my cousin Evan... in less than a day.

Well, as of yesterday, I have now officially used the method to train my two kiddos! It is official: Christian graduated from daytime diapers yesterday!! {Woohoo}

So, here is the gist (although I definitely recommend getting the book to fill in the gaps and keep you on track):

• You start by having your child teach a wetting doll how to go pee on the potty:

• You pump your kid full of sugary juices {that you usually don't give them. treat-factor}.
• You also emphasize that "wet pants are bad." You also remind the child that they are not bad, but wet pants are bad. This is an ESSENTIAL part of the training, and what I think really makes it work
• You make a list with your child of all their favorite people who wear big-kid-pants and keep them dry.
• You practice running back and forth to the potty and teach your child how to quickly pull their pants up and down

• You ask your child non-stop, "Do you have dry pants?" and if the answer is yes, you reward them with a treat. I gave Christian one dried Cranberry for every yes.
• You head to the potty quickly on regular intervals. Tell them of their huge reward that they will get when they pee in the potty {Christians is tractor fruit gummies. Caleb was M&M's or holding Daddy's Drill}.
• Don't forget to keep pumping them FULL of juice. My kids definitely both got sick of this part, but I continued to stick the straw in their mouths {lovingly, of course, but firmly}.
• When your child invariably wets themself {Christian and Caleb only had one big wet}, you have to remind them that wet pants are bad, none of their folks on their list have wet pants, and that they are good and dry pants are good. Then, you have them practice running to the potty back and forth several times.

• You do need to devote an entire day to this task. No excursions. No phone-calls. And, if you have a challenging child, it would be best with no sibling.

Potty training.

Check.