Let the Potty Training Begin!

photo © 2010 Manish Bansal | more info (via: Wylio)
I know you've been on pins and needles waiting for this big day to come. Well, folks, it is finally here. And this is the go-to spot for all the potty updates.

The strategy?

Beginning today (April 28, 2011)
We'll increase the time the girls spend in big girl pants by 30 minutes everyday prior to noon, to start. So, today- they started at 11:30. Understanding the noon hour is a tough one with lunch and the transition to a nap most days.

We'll hold it at whatever time length we're on for as many days as needed, until they're dry for that long. But ideally, by the end of next week- they'll be going from wake-up to noon "dry". (Or w/o accidents)

This is a highly flexible plan. If it's clear the accident is out of the norm or there was some reason it made sense that there was an accident- then we'll still move on w/ increasing the time.

Then hopefully, in a few weeks, they'll make it the whole awake day dry.

This is clearly the lazy mom's plan. I want some reasonable reassurance that I won't be cleaning up an abundance of messes. So, my theory is- if we slowly build up to it- and always focus it around that tumultuous part of our day-- then...maybe, this plan will work.

The girls will only don big girl pants from the waist down during training time. Just to keep things simple. And our motivation?? A Dora potty chart for each of them with an abundance of Dora stickers. Stickers for telling Mommy or Daddy that "I have to go", stickers for going pee/poop on the potty, stickers for wiping, stickers for flushing, and stickers for washing hands.

I'll be posting a daily accident # and also whatever actual pee/poop or other successes they have.

I know, riveting stuff here.

But hey, if this system works for us- I'll have fodder for an e-book :)

Well, our second half-hour is up. Time for a potty run.

Stay tuned!