3 Day Potty Training: Welcome to Hell

Wow.

I had forgotten just how exhausting, horrifying, messy and, well, horrible potty training is.  Let me clarify.  We, unlike most normal parents, have taken the stance to not use training diapers or a phased-in approach to potty training.  Nope....we like to go whole-hog.  We like to commit 24-7 and every ounce of willpower we have to the effort because we love a challenge.  Well, not really.  We just really want to be done with it. 

For people who are crazy determined like us I highly recommend the 3 Day Potty Training method.  I will not lie.  It is hard.  Damn hard.  But it works.  You just need to be really patient, diciplined and extremely consistent.  And also be realistic.  Chances are your child will not come out after 3 days and be transformed into an accident-free wonder but the base understanding and recognition of needing to go will be.  It is the foundation.

Super Husband and I decided to try the 3 Day Potty Training method with Buddy a couple of days after he turned two.  I reacall it was extremely difficult and quite possibly I have completely supressed at least 2 days of the memory because honestly....it really is a very diffucult undertaking.  What I do know is that within a month of training, Buddy was 100% day and night trained with ZERO accidents....EVER (well excepting the one time his bedroom door was stuck shut and he couldn't get out in time but that doesn't count).  Buddy is a bathroom superstar.  Why wouldn't we do it again with Little Man?

So, two days after Christmas, Super Husband and I planned to start this process with Little Man.  I am so, so lucky to have Super Husband.  He is a fantastic father and without him we would never in a million years be successful with this method.  I believe that it takes a team to undertake this method correctly.  Super Husband took the potty training lead and I did everything else:  cooking, cleaning, laundry, looking after Buddy, shopping...moral support...you name it.  And just to clarify...I had the EASY JOB!

So the premise is that if you follow the guidelines outlined in the book that your child will recognize the signs/sensation associating with needing to use the washroom within 3 days.  I truly believe and in our case found this to be true.  BUT....and this is a BIG BUT (like mine right now but that's a whole other post...sigh) there is still a lot of learning that needs to happen after the 3 day period to be able to go out and be comfortable.  Today is day 7 for Little Man.  I can honestly say that yesterday....Day 6....was the first day that he consistently went pee on the potty and has now started going on demand (not that we demand for him to go but if we take him to try he will go like this morning, for example when I dropped him at daycare).

I am absolutely confident that within a few weeks Little Man will be well on his way to be a pro at this but it cannot be expected to happen overnight.  Also - I really believe that switching to diapers when it is convenient (or Pull-Ups) is detrimental to the process.  Yes, laundry is a lot of work and sheet washing SUCKS.  But it is short term pain for long term gain.

So....for the record:  I HATE the process of 3 Day Potty Training but I LOVE the results and will advocate it to anyone that asks.

And man.....spending our only week of vacation off together this year potty training was a big fat beyotch....but in a few months I will have suppressed this memory as well and cha-ching...no more diapers to budget for in our house!!!!  SCORE!

I'm so proud of Little Man (and Super Husband, too)!