Tuesday, March 18, 2014

CTF

Our house is lucky to have a Chief Toilet Flusher these days.

That's right. During all of his waking hours, Benjamin takes the opportunity to follow everyone into the bathroom, open the lid for them and wait for them to finish their business. Then, he flushes and puts the toilet lid down. He actually got upset with me for opening the lid this morning. He insisted I stand back up so he could do that for me.

He does it like he's getting paid.

Never has he taken any interest in doing his own business on the toilet or on one of the three mini toilets we have around our house, but maybe it's a potty-training start. Just maybe, right? I'm both eager and afraid of potty-training this little guy. He's stubborn as they come {ehm, no idea where he gets that} so this should be a test of everyone's patience. When I ask him before I know he is going to poop, he denies it on all accounts. A minute later, he announces the arrival of the poop in his diaper and requests a change. It's a start. Something tells me this could be a long process.

He totes around a mini potty often and they appear in fun places: the living room, kitchen, on top of our beds... but the bathroom is not a place that he sees the need for such things. Because he doesn't use them for anything but sitting. With his pants on. However, he did pee standing up last night while holding his man boy parts. In the bathtub. Which is the same place he pooped the day before. The tub has been seeing a lot of Clorox these days.

I plan to roll up the rugs and pull a bootcamp-style training if and when his interest is peaked. I have stocked up on pull-ups and he currently has 16 pairs of big-boy undies in his dresser, washed and ready. It will probably faily.

I'm waiting for the weather to change where he's wearing fewer layers already. But mostly, I'm waiting until he expresses personal interest in going on the pot.

Here's where I turn this into an advice column. We have those mini toilets, but I hear the toilet toppers are the way to go (for a price tag of $35!). Anyone have experience? Do you just stick with a big toilet and let them fall in on occasion? Okay, kidding. But recommendations on preparation?

13 comments:

Amelia said... [Reply to comment]

Here's our experience potty training G.


http://searchingforamelioration.blogspot.com/2012/05/i-dont-want-to-see-video-about-ball.html

We did get the integrated toilet seat which is still being used today because our toilet is ridiculously tall and her booty is ridiculously small. We tried the easily removable ones but the problem lay in just that, they came off to easily. She couldn't get up there by herself, it'd move all around and stress her out. 3 of her friends have the integrated toilet seat which is also still being used to this day. 2 of them have the one you have pictured, which worked fine but does have a problem coming disconnected when you put it down, which isn't a huge deal unless you're at emergency status when trying to do it. We got a different one, that's even more expensive than the one you pictured, but I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.


http://www.amazon.com/Progressions-JA-2800-Combination-Toilet-White/dp/B003WJ6CNU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1395177351&sr=8-5&keywords=elongated+integrated+toilet+training+seat

It is such a good thing that he's already interested and aware! My biggest piece of advice is that no matter how bad it seems I PROMISE he WILL be potty trained. In fact, according to my husband, potty training G was a breeze! She took right to it!! Obviously he wasn't there when I cried in the kitchen with her pee on my leg and all over the carpet despite the fact I had JUST been trying to convince her to use the potty. I did correct him on his mistake.

Good luck!

Mihaela said... [Reply to comment]

Nothing useful to add, just that we are in the same boat. Potty is for playing. And stuffing toys in. Not for actual doing anything else in it. At this point, I think he associates it with toys, so I am trying to decide like you about a toilet seat topper or whatever they are called. Our ped said don't rush because if he is not ready, he won't cooperate. I'm trying to follow her advice and relax about it for now, because he is so not interested. Good luck!

Her and Her and Him said... [Reply to comment]

You've got the right idea...don't stress until he's interested. My opinion on potty seats...in my experience, whatever makes the process as independent as possible is the way to go. When I was potty training my son I was still nursing my daughters. I couldn't drop them and run when he needed to go so we started out with the fisher price frog potty so that he could get on and off without my assistance. He wasn't the best at getting up and down from the toilet on his own. The separate training potty worked well for him and our lives at the time. My girls, on the other hand, spent very little time on the training potty and transitioned to the standard toilet almost immediately. Good luck!

Caroline said... [Reply to comment]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008VWIYA2/ref=pd_aw_sbs_ba_5

For the diaper bag.

And this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DB6BKWM/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?qid=1395200198&sr=8-13&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

For the toilet. I don't recommend the one you linked because you want one with a built in hump thing to block the pee when they don't know how to aim! Baby Bjorn makes a similar one that's twice as much. Graco one is great. We also have a Disney cars potty seat but it came with a clip on pee blocker thing that doesn't work as well but that's in our bathroom. I'd get two to put in whatever bathrooms he frequents most.

I only potty trained Finn because he expressed interest so I think you're smart not to sweat it yet. Finn went once in the little potty, then stuck to the big toilet with the seat on it. Now we keep a stool in front of the toilet so he can "pee like a man!" (Seriously he requests that) but he didn't start out standing.

When the time comes - patience, wine, and chocolate.

Caroline said... [Reply to comment]

Also, I got my seat and travel seat off zulily for a super good deal.

Brie said... [Reply to comment]

We use a baby bjorn potty. He's been flushing toilets and announcing bodily functions since summer, so we bought one that lives in our living room. He was day trained last summer but couldn't get his pants on and off himself so I went back to diapers for fall and winter. It was my bad for thinking he was ready so early. He is back to using it again, but only if he's naked or just wearing undies. And, alas, no poop. Insists on a diaper for that one still.

Party of Three Heads said... [Reply to comment]

My opinion (which everyone has their own) but don't waste your $$ on the potty chairs, or seats, (to which you linked in your post.) For us they were a big fat waste. We used the 3 day potty training method, which I purchased an e-book and followed. and IT WORKED! I'd be happy to forward it to you, if you wish. Just let me know!

SuzyQpon said... [Reply to comment]

Wait until he's ready. We started encouraging the process when he was 2 but he flatly refused so we let it go. He hit 2 1/2 and I asked him about going on the potty. Nope. 2 weeks later he said he wanted to do it and that was that. No accidents! The only problem we had for a while was a total fear of strange toilets. That lasted for about 6 months. I had to keep Pull Ups on when we went out just in case. He did wear Pull Ups to bed until he was about 3 1/2 but they were almost always dry (and yes, I would put the same one back on until it was used or just too ratty). We did struggle to transition from the little potty to the toilet so we bought one of the seats you reference. AWESOME! I don't think we spent quite that much though; I got it at Lowes or Home Depot. Good luck!

Jenny said... [Reply to comment]

Just blogged on this at More Than Suburban :-) We use the Bjorn short potty and Bjorn toilet reducer. Both kids quickly preferred sitting on the big toilet, just like mom and dad. However, with a newborn, you may like having a portable potty that B. can access himself, in any room, especially when you're nursing. Abigail liked the Bjorn toilet seat reducer (we took it to others' houses when visiting) for all of 4-5 months and then preferred to just sit on the regular toilet. Her legs were long enough at that point to hoist herself up (3 yrs). We never used Pull Ups... just wrapped a cloth diaper cover around training underwear for sleep times. The point was for our kids to feel the wetness immediately and respond to the miss. Best of luck to B!!

ekiwi said... [Reply to comment]

Um, can Benjamin come work at my house? We need a CTF to follow along behind Quinn No Flush Wagner. It really is such a dream to smell stagnant you know what after who knows how long. (You're welcome for that little sensory gem.)

We did exactly what you're doing, having potties around, discussing going potty, reading books (Karen Katz's My Big Girl/Boy Underpants was my favorite). My mom bought the Fisher Price singing potty/stool and despite my misgivings, she was super stoked to hear that thing sing when she went. Also awesome for me not needing to hover to know that she'd actually gone.

I did a 4 day crash course when she was ready and interested.the Of course she was interested because I bribed her with stickers (one for her hand and one for the chart each time she sat, eventually only for actually going and then moved to only when she asked). She also got a "prize" (hers were random dollar store toys/books/crayons and some more extravagant things from my mom namely, shoes, slippers and costume jewelry) for BMs. I had heard too many stories of kids asking for diapers or having serious constipation so I went big from the beginning and it worked. But those were phased out quickly and easily too.

Keep us posted! I know l'll need ideas for the boy!!

Alison G. said... [Reply to comment]

I tried a few potty seats (floor seats and toilet toppers) and my favorite hands down was the Baby Bjorn seat topper. After recommendations from a couple friends I just buckled down and paid full price for it and the step stool that went with it. I hung it on a command hook under the toilet paper roll for easy access storage. Here's my problem with the floor seats. I hate how you have to empty the pee/poo from the floor seats and it never fails that your kid will want to empty it on his own. No thanks.

Alison G. said... [Reply to comment]
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karoline said... [Reply to comment]

Seems o only wants to go when we are in public! On Easter at Ben's restaurant, I was midstream when she said she wanted to go. I had to quickly deal with her dress & mine & get her up there in time. She went! Hallelujah! But we are waiting till warmer weather & after vacation to really move the issue along