Potty Success! (With Tips)

During the Thanksgiving holiday, a miracle happened. My 3-year old (then he was a month shy of turning 3) all of a sudden decided to tell us each time he needed to pee-pee and poo-poo in the potty.

With most things in life, its easier to understand something once you go through it....so I now understand what other parents mean when they say, "They'll do it when they're ready."
That's a frustrating idea but I now see it as thoughtful preparation of situations we may encounter as parents.

I started potty-training him, rather inconsistently, a few weeks after his 2nd birthday and more consistently when he was 2.5 years old. I didn't wait until he was ready to start his potty-training but he didn't become fully [daytime] trained until he was ready.

I'm proud and relieved and so is our budget!
I wasn't sure how to feel about throwing empty/non-soiled pull-ups but I know its better than them being soiled. What's most important is that I'm glad to not be smelling and cleaning 3-year old crap. Now, its two months later and he's even night-time potty-trained! Completely on his own. Except for when he's sick, I think.
{I still want to put a pull-up on him for my security but that's kind of synonymous with a 2-3 year old with a pacifier. Its not needed, but there for security. My husband is the one who encouraged me to take them off.}

I'm not sure if my 2-year old will pick it up faster since he's been watching his older brother or if he'll make the process all his own and drag his feet. He's the headstrong and controlling one of our brood.....at least he was with eating so its quite possible he will be with pottying too.
Hey, at least I'm mentally prepared.



Tips:
-Give lots of praise and encouragement with each trip to the potty
-Bribe! Bribe! Bribe with a treat that is only given with each potty success: I gave 2 fruit snack gummies for pee and 4-5 for poo
-Entice with the bribe by giving a taste everyday, so they know what to work for
-Eat their treat everytime YOU go (this undoubtedly makes them upset when they're in the mood of resisting potty-training....but I always laughed to myself, mean I know)
-Find a peer of theirs that they really like that is or was recently potty-trained and let your kid watch them potty (that's if your kid is the only child or oldest child)
-Remind them about that treat all throughout the day. Dangle it.


The absolute only time my boys get fruit snacks is when they use the potty correctly. Their part-time 'school' uses mini marshmallows. Use anything that you know they would like that they have never had before. Another favorite of mine (when I'm out of fruit snacks) is dried cranberries.
I have the kind of 3-year old that remembers EVERYTHING so even if he goes in the middle of the night, he reminds me of his fruit snacks in the morning.

I sure, hope this helps someone! I sure was looking for some information or tips like this last year.