How I potty trained my children and other funny stories.

I have four wonderful children each with their own fun loving personality and potty training trials. I recently potty trained my second to youngest child and I thought it would be fun to share our stories and tricks. First I am not an expert but I am a mom and heck if it ain't broke why fix it!!

I want to start off with my oldest child. When Mikey was 3-4 years old he started to become more interested in the potty. His biggest thing was he wanted to "pee like daddy" and who doesn't =) So hubby and I started trial runs at the big boy potty. He was timid at first to stand and let it fly. So I showed him he could turn around and hug the back so he can "watch"... he thought that was the coolest. After a few days the coolness of it all wore off and he didn't want to do it anymore. I asked him if he could pick one thing he really wanted what would it be. He wanted paint and crayons. I told him if he would try super hard to go potty in the bathroom everyday for a week I would grant his wish. I put a touch of liquid soap in the toilet so when he pee'd it would make bubbles. Like a champ he went all week with a dry bum and he got his paint and crayons. Now age 8... not one accident!

Oldest daughter.... a bit more of a challenge she just didn't care if she pee'd on the potty or not. I tried to wait until she was 4 because I didn't want to fight her. Cora's biggest battle was getting to the potty on time. For the first few days there was a trail to the bathroom and a sad little girl. All she wanted was big girl panties and I knew if we timed it better she would get her wish. Everyday I would wake up and go potty with her. We took turns and she was happy to be dry. Through out the day I would take breaks and we would potty together. (about every half hour). After a while she was use to how her body felt and she made it to the bathroom on her own with out the pee pee trails!! Now age 7 and still dry!

Now the big girl.. my second to youngest daughter. Let me start by saying that this little bugger likes to do things her way. She didn't walk until almost 18 months because hey big bro and sis did everything for her. She still has a pacifier because she has learned to hide them from me.. she is such a firecracker and I knew that what I have done for the other two just wouldn't work for her. Dylan (I call her Dill) hates to be wet. She will refuse to sit if she poops in her diaper so it was easy to tell it was time! So we started with the going when we wake up and before meals...but soon that just wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want to put "her stuff" in the potty. It was icky and she didn't want to have any part in that process. So one day when I had about enough of the poopy pants and wet clothes I sat her down and told her a story. A story that if I had to think of one again I might not have come to.. This one is just to funny for words so listen close =) I sat with Dill and told her that I know how icky it must feel to go potty in her pants and that if she wanted to she could go in the potty. The potty was the home of the pee and poop people. They turn pee into water and poop into food. They are a quiet people and they live under ground. They take our poops and pees so they can grow big and strong! You should have seen her face. She was so excited to know "poop peoples" lived in our bathroom. She instantly wanted to feed them. So off we went to the potty and she was elated! Proudly running from room to room telling everyone she feed the "peoples". That was 4 days ago! Has she been dry?.... You bet. She is in big girl panties and has to feed the "peoples" at every store or restraunt we go to!Her one wish was to have a big girl bed and Diego blanket. I have some sewing to do because my little hell cat will be getting a cool new blanket handmade by yours truly.... Age 3 and 5 days dry!!!!

Tricks I have learned:

• Cheerios make great pee targets
• Liquid soap in the potty makes for fun peeing
• If they are afraid they will fall in, turn them around.. works great for boys who like to pee sitting down.
• Overalls are not your friend when potty training.
• Bring clothes where ever you go and do not bring attention to the accident.. quietly excuse yourself and child so you can change them. Reminding that even grown ups have them.
• When poop is a problem there is a great book on how everyone poops. Remind them that even YOU do it!
• Dispossable wipes are great in teaching how to wipe.
• Remind daddy's that girls wipe front to back. Honestly most do not know!
• When in public teaching how to lock and unlock BEFORE letting them go it alone. So many times I have had to unlock a bathroon stall!

Do you have a funny potty story. Come on you know you do.. Share it with us. You may be helping another mom in her PTing woes!