Potty Training and the Bike

 

Ever since Ryker was born, I have dreaded potty training. I don't know why, but I think touching anything from the bathroom is horrible, germy, and disgusting. All the mothers I have ever talked to have recommended that I wait until he was 3 years old to start potty training and so I decided I would do just that. However, from my degree in early childhood, I understand that importance of preparing children for transitions so Erick and I bought the pull-ups two months prior to when we wanted to start training. We got him used to pulling them up and down and all started to reward him for telling us when he was wet and when he was poopy. He did really well so we decided that we could buy a toilet set for him to get him excited. He picked out a  Disney Cars seat because he loves Lightning McQueen. Unfortunately, he liked to hold the seat but didn't want to put it on the toilet nor sit on it.

I decided to start potty training the week after the 4th of July and Erick and I told Ryker that every time he peed successfully we would give him a treat (candy) and if he learned to go poopy as well, we would get him a bike. Well, long story short, he trained in 2 days!  The first day we put him in his coveted Cars underwear and he had only 2 accidents. I put him 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Midway through the day, I decided to put a TV and DVD player in the bathroom so he would just sit on the toilet and watch the movies.

At night, we put night training pants on him. The next morning he was dry, I put him on the toilet and he peed. The next day, we had him pooping and going pee and so by Friday, he had kept his pants dry and tells me every time he needs to go. Since he is a little short, I have to help up on the stool to get to the potty but he does so well. He knows how to wipe and flush and wash his hands.

 

So as promised, he got to pick out his new bike - not shocking- he chose a Disney Car's bike and it arrived today. I put it together loosely and then Erick came home from work, tightened it up and finished putting the handle bars on it. Ryker is so excited and so am I. He's worked so hard and has done so well -  so here's to the Potty and the Bike!

His cool new "fix it" kit that came with the bike!