From: jeana@sco.COM (Jean Antisdel)
Subject: Potty Training Success (3 yr)
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 15:39:53 GMT



Hi All,

About a month ago I posed a question about how to motivate my son 
to start potty training (he is just over 3 years).  I wanted to
thank everyone again for your feedback and to let you all know
that we have been successful in this endeavor.  Here is what
we did...

1. A couple of weeks before we started potty training, we talked
with him about how he was getting too big for his diapers and that
we were going to start using underwear and the potty.  We said
that we would start after "his uncle's wedding".

2. We read alot of potty training books during this time
(once upon a potty, mr rogers book on potty training, etc).

3. I took him to the store and let him pick out his own underwear.

4. I bought a bunch of presents and wrapped them up and put them
in 2 baskets.  1 basket had small toys/books etc... (typically 25 cent
toy store items), the other basket had larger toys (little cars, trucks).  
I also bought a couple special toys that I knew he wanted very badly 
(additional parts to his brio train tracks).    I made sure he knew
these were available.  I told him that he could have a toy
from the small basket for peeing in the potty, a toy from the large
basket for pooping in the potty, and the special toys for the 1st
couple of times.

5. The night before potty training day we 
- put the baskets in the bathroom
- took away all diapers
- put his new underwear in the diaper location.

6. In the morning when he woke up we took off his diaper, told him
there were no more diapers and put underwear on.  He wasn't too
happy about not having diapers but we ignored his protests
and just said "sorry we don't have any more diapers".

7. For the rest of the day he refused to use the potty.  He would
pee and poop in his pants, no problem.  Didn't bother him a bit :-}.
When he would go, he would come and ask to be changed, we would
hold off changing him alittle bit ( a couple of minutes), and then
change him without any comments.

8. The next day after he soiled his pants, I didn't put new pants
on him.  Instead I moved the potty chair into the family room
in front of the tv.  I put on his favorite movie and suggested he
sit on the potty chair and watch his movie.  He did.  He pee'd within
minutes of sitting on the chair.  He was thrilled.  We cleaned up
the potty, put on his pants, and he got one of the special toys
along with alot of praise.  We called daddy at work and told him..

9. He was really excited about getting the toy and now he wanted 
another toy.  I told him that he had to use the potty chair to
get another toy.  So, he went over to the potty chair, pulled
down his pants and went pee again.  

10.  When the toys were close to being gone (after approx 4 days) .. I told
him that after the toys were gone he wouldn't get any more toys for
going potty.  When the toys were gone, it didn't seem to be a problem.
We still give him big hugs and lots of praise.

So, it's been almost 3 weeks with only 2 accidents the first week
and none these last 2 weeks.  The fun part is that when he goes
he wants everyone around to come see the results ... for some reason
my friends have been avoiding coming over these past couple of weeks
:-}}}}.

YAH!!!!
jeana