A few weeks ago I mentioned that my 22 month old was ready to start potty training. She wants to be grown up like her older sister and has a need to keep up despite a 2 1/2 year difference. Do you find your younger children are more advanced than your first because they now have an example to look up to? I’m not complaining; if it means she will be potty trained sooner then I’m all for it!
So here’s what’s changed since she started potty training. The last two weeks she would tell me she needed to go potty but when I took her to the potty I realized that she already soiled her diaper. This week she started telling me she needs to go potty and was successful in using the potty most of the time. I do find that potty training is taking longer than it did with my first because my youngest is about 6 months younger than my oldest was when she started. We all know how much babies develop in 6 months so I think this plays a role in how long it’s taking to be completely trained. I also feel that I don’t have as much time to devote to my youngest and some days potty training takes a back seat.
I’ve also noticed that when my little one wears Pull Ups training pants, she takes the initiative to use the potty more frequently. Even at her age, she understands that she should soil her Pull Ups because that means her beloved Minnie Mouse printed on the training pants will get dirty and need to be thrown out. They seem to be her preferred underwear these days and I can’t blame her- they have stretchy sides and are a bit thinner than a diaper, and when she does dirty them they are easy on and off. The sides of the Pull Ups open and close easily as well.
Although this is not my first time potty training a child, there is always something new for me to learn. Being that she is under 2 years old, I have to work with her cognitive abilities when it comes to potty training, yet not hold her back since she initiated potty training on her own. If it were up to me, I would have started potty training after she hit the 2 year mark, but all the signs were there and we just went with it!
There are so many resources when it comes to potty training and the Big Kid Academy on the Pull Ups website is there to help and offer advice when you need it. There is also more information on their Facebook and Twitter pages and the Big Kid App which is available on iOS and Android devices. The app features videos and songs to help get your little one motivated, plus a Big Kid checklist to help with their nighttime routine.