https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 06:26:11 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842403 Wed, 29 Aug 2018 13:36:42 +0000 Foodnerd81 2842403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sweetpea87: wow- at 20 months my kids had no concept at all! </p> <p>So we are on day 4 and she hasn’t had an accident since yesterday morning- during our first outing so not that surprising. I have to prompt her and pay close attention to when she seems like she has to go but I’m so proud! And she got new character undies that she is SO excited about so she’s already wearing them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842324 Wed, 29 Aug 2018 10:07:50 +0000 Sweetpea87 2842324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did my son kinda split like some people have mentioned. At 20 months, I started sitting him on the potty to pee, so at 21 months, he knew to pee when put on the potty. At 26 months, we did OCPT (ish), and since he already knew the basics, he picked up self-initiation in a day. I imagine it would be much more stressful trying to teach how to use the potty at the same time as when to use it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842082 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 20:13:55 +0000 ineebee 2842082@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS was very resistant to the idea, so we started super gradually when he was a few months shy of 3yo. Like, sitting on the potty chair with clothes on was a huge step 1 lol. A few weeks later, he was ready for sitting on it with no pants/diaper. Then a few more weeks and we got something in the potty. We realized that he was ready to be pushed a bit, so we decided to ditch diapers during awake time on the weekends, and after a few weeks of that, we ditched diapers for all awake times (3y5m). We might’ve pushed things earlier on, but during that time DD was born and I’m a SAHM and didn’t have the hands to help him. I’m glad we did it the way we did because it was right for DS’s personality.</p> <p>Good luck to you!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842067 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 15:42:21 +0000 SupernovaJ 2842067@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So appreciating these posts on potty training as I REALLY need to get DS out of his diapers, he is 2.5 and showing he's ready (but only thanks to day care, see more on that below).</p> <p>With DD, we did a more gradual approach at 2.5 as she was very resistant to going anywhere near the potty. We tried everything, yet weren't committed enough to do it boot camp style (everyone including my ped swears it's much quicker overall if you try boot camp). It was a long and difficult process as we let her readiness determine how we approached it. She wet her undies SO. MANY. TIMES, yet with poop she mastered it right away. Even at four years old, every now and then she will wet her undies a little because she holds it in for so long and then it's too late, like when she's having fun or doesn't want to be bothered. Other times she's super proactive about going to the potty.</p> <p>My son was also initially resistant to going to the potty. But he just started the school year and they help facilitate potty training which is great and even after the first day, he came home and ran to the potty (naked after a bath) and attempted using it, but of course completely missed the actual toilet bowl and got it everywhere (he was also holding his wee wee SO tight, I guess they taught him at school, I couldn't stop laughing). Our school asks parents to help with the training by taking them every 15 minutes at home but just the thought of that. I swear, I really hate potting training. :meh: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842017 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 12:49:15 +0000 Foodnerd81 2842017@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jape14: I followed the basics of Oh Crap but absolutely use rewards! Even my 5 year old is getting M&amp;Ms for “helping” when her sister uses the potty. But I find bottomless easier for me and my kids are fine with it. Undies will be the big reward tomorrow I think. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842016 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 12:44:06 +0000 Lindsay05 2842016@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What worked for one kid didn’t work for the other. Depends on the child. Have to work with their personality. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842014 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 12:38:04 +0000 Silva 2842014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So far we have done gradual. My daughter was potty trained by 20 months. My son is two and just peed on the potty for the first time yesterday.</p> <p>That said- he has to be potty trained to go to preschool next fall, so if he isn’t by June we plan to try one of the methods 🤷‍♀️. I like letting the kid take the lead but sometimes there have to be other considerations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842013 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 12:34:42 +0000 jape14 2842013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted "in between." We started with gradual - he peed on the potty every night before bed (and often other times at his request) for a good 8+ months before we trained. (We knew we wouldn't train him before ~3 unless he was showing major signs or asked directly.) Then we did more of an intensive 2 days to start things off for real, but definitely not OCPT.</p> <p>To be honest I find OCPT to be pretty rigid and counter to lots of psychological research on conditioning, recommendations from pediatricians, and the like. I haven't read the book but my impression from lots of interpretations/blogs and the like is that it's much more of a one-size-fits-all approach and some "know your kid" can be lost in those details. DS refused the bottomless approach but was super motivated by wearing character underwear, a sticker chart of sorts, and hot wheels cars. The reward phase was short-lived but training definitely would have been more challenging without it, and he's not still holding us hostage for dinosaur stickers. I'm also skeptical of the very early training - there's at least one large-scale scientific study that shows early training (defined as &lt;27 months) is associated with training taking longer (see here: <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/111/4/810)" rel="nofollow">http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/111/4/810)</a>. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842005 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 12:05:35 +0000 Foodnerd81 2842005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bluemasonjar: good luck! Hopefully him being a little older helps it click faster! We had a similar experience with my younger one where she was happy to try sitting on the potty but suddenly refused to, but also refused to put a diaper on, so I think it was just confusing for her. I dropped it for a week and we did full on bottomless yesterday. So far so good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2842000 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 11:41:15 +0000 Bluemasonjar 2842000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Such a timely post! We are planning to do a loose version of the Oh Crap method over the upcoming holiday weekend. We introduced the potty months ago and DS would sit on it before his bath and occasionally at school but became pretty resistant to it so we stopped pushing it. We talk about going potty and he is familiar but shows no interest. </p> <p>He is 37 months and I feel like a big push might be the thing he needs for it to click so going commando Friday morning and picked up big boy undies with all his favorite characters. We'll see how it goes over the weekend and adjust as needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841992 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 11:13:00 +0000 Mrsbells 2841992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do it gradually but not letting the child take yhe lead. We introduce the potty seat as well as potty books and terminology and start seating them in thr potty regularly. Each child takes to it differently. My daughter got it really quickly. My son on the other hand loves the potty routine but hardly actually goes on the potty. He turns 2 next month and we are hopefully that he starts to go more consistently soon </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841989 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 10:55:48 +0000 Foodnerd81 2841989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: it’s a lot like sleep training- one method might work great for one kid/ parent, but be a disaster for another pair. My kids sleep SO differently and I have to deal with them very differently as a result. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841988 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 10:46:26 +0000 snowjewelz 2841988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: It really depends... I know some people have to potty train b/c of school, etc. And I think since you had success with potty training you're probably hoping it can just go the same way this time! While I had such a great time NOT potty training, I can't imagine having to do it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841987 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 10:42:58 +0000 Foodnerd81 2841987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: I remember that post, and my friends experience was really similar- which prompted me to think about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841985 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 10:39:20 +0000 Foodnerd81 2841985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: i definitely think it is not one size fits all- I think a lot depends on both the kid AND the parents. For me personally, I’d be too stressed for too long thinking about it and would prefer just a couple of semi painful, messy, boring days. As it turns out both my kids were just about 2 years 9 months when they seemed ready and I felt ready. It clicked so fast with my older one that I definitely wanted to try the same method with my younger one. So far it seems to be working out again but we are on morning 2 so it might be a bit early to say that! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841981 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 10:14:25 +0000 Mamatimes3 2841981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We tried a few times but never pushed hard if they weren’t interested. It just became a battle. So they were older when it finally clicked (3 years 2 months and 3.5 years). But when it did, there was only 1-2 accidents the first day and that was it. They were also night trained from day one. It was super easy since they were older. Physically they were ready way before but mentally it had to be their choice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841979 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 10:07:18 +0000 looch 2841979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it somewhat depends on how the child responds. If you see that you're doing it one way and they are just not getting it, it's okay to change course.</p> <p>I tend not to believe in any method that dictates that it's the only/best way. My experience tells me otherwise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841975 Mon, 27 Aug 2018 10:03:16 +0000 snowjewelz 2841975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Gradual/child-led hands down. I wrote a post about this but letting DD1 take the lead was life transforming! We never had to potty train/bribe/lock ourselves at home/clean up anything. Once she was ready, she never had an accident. Currently we're also letting night training happen naturally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841867 Sun, 26 Aug 2018 15:54:31 +0000 erinbaderin 2841867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just did it really gradually - we bought a potty and started asking before bath, then we started asking more often. At a certain point we tried sitting on the potty every hour but it didn’t really last because we kept forgetting. We put a potty in the living room and would ask occasionally, but basically B potty trained himself - he started saying he had to poo, we’d ask if he wanted to use the potty, and he did, and then he started saying he had to pee and same story. It cost us a fortune, though, because we were foolish and went too high-value on the rewards. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841864 Sun, 26 Aug 2018 14:25:45 +0000 DesertDreams88 2841864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: 26 months when starting, he is 31 months (2.5y) now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841861 Sun, 26 Aug 2018 14:15:14 +0000 Foodnerd81 2841861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: how old was he at the time? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841860 Sun, 26 Aug 2018 14:10:54 +0000 DesertDreams88 2841860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did 3 days of in-house training and day 4-5 outside the house but in the yard or nearby park. That was March. Tons of accidents and no self-iniation. OCPT style generally. I think it was a good start and "push."</p> <p>From there on it was undies at home, pull-ups when out, and potty every 2 hours or transition times. He was great at peeing on command, not so great at telling is when he had to go. He was 50/50 on poop and we learned his signs and timing. </p> <p>After about 4 months of this transition, he is now in daytime undies fulltime finally unless it's a long car ride. He has started to tell us when he has to go and it's great. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841857 Sun, 26 Aug 2018 13:19:32 +0000 lady baltimore 2841857@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did super gradual, mostly because I am not really the type to read a book and follow a specific method (for anything). I am generally a "wing it" person. I think we ordered a little training potty about a year ago, and have only had DD in full-time underwear (except for sleep) for about six weeks now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841845 Sun, 26 Aug 2018 11:12:56 +0000 Pollywog 2841845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I introduced the potty months before we started. For about 6 months he'd pee in the potty when he woke up and before bed. Probably about 90% of his poops too. Then once spring came we did the boot camp method. It worked really well because he totally understood the concept. I just broke the laziness </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-3-day-method-or-gradual#post-2841842 Sun, 26 Aug 2018 10:32:26 +0000 Foodnerd81 2841842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did you do some sort of potty training boot camp/ three day method/ Oh Crap potty training, or just let it happen very gradually? Or something in between? </p> <p>It seems like most people are strongly one or the other, at least among my friends. We did the Oh Crap Potty Training method, roughly, with my first and it was great. 1-2 tough days then it was mostly done. I can’t picture doing it slowly and letting it go for months, but my best friend swears by that. We are on day 1 of training my younger daughter so it’s on my mind! </p>