Potty Training Motivation

I think we finally got it figured out! Yes, I've potty trained 6 other kids, but they are all different, for sure.

I first tried potty training Snickerdoodle about 6 months ago. I conveniently placed training potties around the house (visual cues). I promised an m&m for simply sitting on the potty (reward), and a sticker on his chart for each time he went (reward). I even promised a sword when the sticker chart was full (another reward.) (I didn't promise these ALL at first, I kept adding them...)

Then I ran out of diapers. He had to wear underwear (to encourage personal motivation.) We went cold turkey. The way this turned out: He didn't care in the least when he tinkled on the floor and got wet legs and screamed every time we went near the potty. I was calm, cleaned up the mess, asked him if he would just sit on the potty for the reward but he wasn't having it. After five days, I decided this was not going to work.

The next time I tried potty training Snickerdoodle was about 3 weeks ago. Same deal, but I thought to add positive peer pressure of having big brother Oatmeal show him how to shoot cheerios in the potty. I quit after a day and a half. Until he had his own personal motivation, it wasn't gonna happen.

I told him that I wasn't going to let him potty train anymore. He was fine with that.

A few days ago, I took him on a shopping trip to Costco. I noticed a display of seriously awesome Lego star wars and Spiderman underwear. I strategically walked near and looked at a pack of underwear. Snickerdoodle says, "Hey! Is that for me?" I said, "No, it's for Oatmeal's birthday." Of course he decides he really wants some. And they didn't really have it a big enough size for Oatmeal - plus I'm pretty sure 11 year olds wear don't go for that kind of thing anymore anyhow. :) So I "reluctantly" decide to buy him some, telling him that if I get them he'll have to be potty trained or else we'll have to bring them back to Costco for some other boy to have.

He nags me for a day to be potty trained. I make him wait. The next day, I let him wear a pair of his new undies, but tell him that he doesn't want his awesome new undies to be wet so he'll have to use the potty. A hour later, he misses. I give him a bath and have him sit on the potty just in case there's any more. And he actually goes! Ok, it was about three drops, but a success! He gets a high five and a words of acclamation. He totally remembers all those rewards I promised him. And he gets his m&m and a sticker.

A few hours later, I tell him that he probably doesn't want to get his awesome undies wet so maybe he should go sit on the potty. He wants to do it himself and I can't come. He yells for me - and guess what? He did it! More praise, m&m & sticker.

A few hours later, I hear him yelling for me. He'd gone all by himself and didn't even bother to tell me.

Today he did great. At one point, he told me he just wanted to wear his diapers again. I knew what that meant, so I said "Nope, you'd better just go on the potty." And he did.

Yup, the personal motivation thing is the way to go. He's not totally set with potty training, but this is HIS idea now and he will be really soon.