Toilet training and big boy undies!

Well....it's Sunday and as of Thursday we've been toilet training! What an adventure :) so far it has been.....easy? Not what I was expecting to say!! But true. I followed the principles of "potty training 1-2-3" by Gary Ezzo (same guy that wrote babywise) and it's been fantastic. It focuses on the child being dry, rather than on going to the toilet. Which makes perfect sense as we adults don't aim to go to the toilet, but we do aim to have dry pants!! 

So far we have had one accident (yesterday during lunch) - but the rest of the time has been smooth sailing!! 

Although OB hadn't had cordial or chocolates before, we figured this was the time (because the book said so!). And boy did it work a treat! Getting a smarty for being "dry" was an insanely massive incentive for OB (imagine tasting chocolate for the first time - great incentive!!). We got a new drink bottle (which wasn't necessary) and he drank loads of liquids and had lots of ewes to do. Every 15 minutes on day 1 I asked him "are you dry?" And he checked, if he was dry he got a smartie and then sat on the potty to "stay dry". If he did a wee he got another smartie. If he was wet (which hasn't happened) then we would just change his undies and continue on - no harsh words). Day #2 I asked him the question about every half hour to every hour. It was great. Mainly because I wasn't dishing out smarties every 15 mins (which did make for a pretty hypo child). 

I did put a nappy on him for his 3hr day sleep - but yesterday when he woke up his nappy was dry! Yay! 

Today we are going to church, so....he woke up at 7.45 (he still goes to bed at 7pm!) and did a wee on the potty (he asked for a grape as a treat so I gave him 2!). The we. Had breaky and I asked him if he wa dry as we finished breaky. He said yes, got his treat and then sat on the potty and did a big wee. So exciting! Now I will give him lots to drink, so hopefully he does his ewes before church and I'll stop giving him drinks about an hour before church. So the plan is to take him to the potty (after asking the question) at 9am, at 9.30am and then I'll take him when we get to church at about 9.45am. Hopefully he can last through church then!! We will see! I might go with him to crèche. And I'll probably take the potty with us!

So all in all...it's been such a pleasant experience so far! Looking forward to what the next few weeks bring :)

An update on OB's current routine at 2yrs 1 month old.

Wakes up anytime from 7am - 8am (we do get the occasional sleep in till 8.30!)

Quite a routine morning: breakfast, chores (he vacuums and can dust and sweep), calendar time (which is our learning time/focus time - we follow a program from www.abcjesuslovesme.com which covers manners, shapes, colours, letters, songs and the bible).

Then he has a 1hr room time by himself (which he absolutely loves - grew out of playpen time, which I would highly recommend doing from day dot). 

Then he will have upto an hour outside by himself playing  with the dog and his tractors and toys.

At 11am We have book time - he sits at the kitchen table or on the lounge and reads a few books I've selected (this time is tailored to him sitting when mummy says and reading what mummy says to aid in him sitting still in church on a Sunday).

11.30 is lunch time and then in bed by 12 for his day nap. I'm thinking of extending this a bit and putting him down at 12.30 but haven't done it yet.

Then he's up at 3. We have some outside time and just general free time. At 5pm it's quiet time - books, puzzles, whatever. Then a bath at about 5.30. If there's time between dinner and bath he can watch approx 20 mins of DVDs (tractor tom or playschool or spot). 

Dinner is at 6pm.

A about 6.30 it's into his bedroom. We read one book together. Then it's lights out - but we've started doing 10 mins of quiet bible reading by himself or lights out (he always chooses bible). Then lights out and one of us lays with him for 10 mins just chatting about his day. These suggestions were from a brilliant book called "Creative family times" by Hadidian and Wilson (another great toddler resources is "what every child should know along the way" by Gail Martin).

Then by 7pm it's door shut and he's down for the night.

A well as being in his big bed, he now has no safety rail, which is sad because he's growing up way too fast!!

I think that's all the updates for now. Xx