Potty Training in Our House

A friend of mine asked me to write tips I have on potty training. I have been thinking about it and pulling ideas together in my head. At first I thought, I don't have any advice because it doesn't always happen when or how I would like it to. I have learned a few things about potty training though and I do have five who are potty trained. So, we've done something right.

Facts I have learned about potty training:
1. Girls train earlier than boys, sometimes as much as a year earlier in our case. Girls seem to care more about this sort of thing. They want to be grown up. Little boys are too busy playing to care or notice they have to go. Plus they really don't care much if they pee themselves. The girls don't like it so much.

My oldest daughter trained at just before 2 1/2. My middle son was torture to train and he didn't do it until he was 3 1/2.

2. They get it and it clicks when THEY are ready, not when when I am ready. Unfortunately, even after training lots, I forget this and try to pressure them to train. I so wish they would do it on demand and it would only take a week, but that has not been the way it has happened in our family. Each child is totally different, just as they are in everything and have trained differently. My most recent, youngest daughter, didn't even know what to do on the potty. She would sit on it all the time and say she peed. But, she didn't do anything. I left her be and didn't pressure her anymore and then a few months later I walked into the bathroom upstairs to find her pooping on the potty. From that point on, she figured it out and she did it. I loved it with her, because I always have found it easier to train for pee. This time, she was trained the other first.

3. Just as with any other tool for parenting, you will finds various opinions on how and when to potty train. Please remember that you are the parent. You know your child and your circumstances best. Don't feel pressured from others, do what it the best thing for your family.


Tips:
1. Buy lots of extra underwear, even old ones from garage sales or save hand-me-downs. Often one would poop in their underwear and it would gross me out so much (mostly I would have been pregnant) that I couldn't get myself to clean them out. I definitely wasn't about to slosh my hands around in the toilet to clean them. If I had old ones, I didn't feel bad about just throwing the they yucky ones in the garbage. This took a lot of pressure off me and has been so worth it.

2. BE PATIENT - they will get it eventually. Maybe not in your timing, but they will.

3. If it leads to stress on you and them - STOP! Try again in a few weeks or months. Sometimes, they just pick it up on their own without any pressure, like my daughter.

4. Don't feel pressured to have your kids potty trained by a certain age, because they are all different.

Hopefully, this has been helpful to someone. If you have a tip on potty training, leave a comment.

Car Trips With Kids

We have always lived quite a distance from family. Our kids have been used to traveling long hours in the car from birth. Over the last eight years, we have learned a few things that make those long car rides a little easier and more enjoyable.

• I bought sandwich size tupperware or rubbermaid bowls for each of the kids. I leave them in the car, so I will always have them. We use these to distribute snacks, sandwiches, Happy Meal foods to the kids while driving. The bowls fit perfectly on their laps and minimize spills or foods from slipping off their laps.
  
• When we moved to the UK, we gave in and bought the kids hand held video games. (We don't have any video games in the house.) We knew that living here meant long car rides and extra long airplane rides. The kids are only allowed to play their video games when we go on trips.
  
• Because convience food (aka fast food) is not as readily available in the UK, we have found it quite helpful to bring a picnic lunch with us when we travel, even for day trips. This allows us to eat whenever and wherever.
  
• When traveling in the UK and needing food or a bathroom, we look for grocery stores. Rest areas are hard to come by and you wouldn't want to go near a gas station. At grocery stores, we can usually always find a clean bathroom and pick up sandwiches. (sorry for all the UK tips)
• The older kids bring backpacks with all their travel things. I also bring a small box filled with books, school work, flashcards, and baby toys. I keep it within an arms reach.
  
• I also have a bag or box filled with snacks. This is also within an arms reach.
  

Just a few ideas that have made our car trips a little more peaceful. I feel certain I am missing some, maybe for another post.

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