https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 23:34:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900482 Thu, 24 Oct 2019 11:56:53 +0000 KT326 2900482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JJ2626: for us, I've learned my kids signs for when they need to use the bathroom before it becomes an emergency. My oldest will do this side to side sway and my youngest just grabs at himself hahaha. Plus most of the places we go, we know where the bathrooms are. And if it's a new place, the first thing I look for is the bathroom!</p> <p>My 2.5 year old pretty much potty trained himself. It's been a month and we've only had a handful of accidents (mostly right after nap at daycare. He can't get to the bathroom fast enough!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900425 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 21:13:40 +0000 JJ2626 2900425@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you everyone! It’s great to hear there are different options and it’s not really as bad as it seems to me. For some reason, it’s the parenting related thing I’ve dreaded most so far. Diapers are just so easy! I hate the idea of being out and having to frantically search for a bathroom. I think we may get a potty and just be relaxed for now since she’s so young and then maybe buckle down once she’s 2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900391 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 14:41:14 +0000 SweetiePie 2900391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’m personally opposed to Oh Crap so we were very gradual and relaxed with my 1st. It was just about the only thing we were relaxed and gentle about, haha. Will do it again for our 20 month old.<br /> My ped said many aren’t truly ready till 3 and that was true for ours. But once he was trained there was ZERO regression or accidents and I think that’s because he was actually ready and we didn’t force him before he was.<br /> You can always try just letting her sit in the potty and see what happens. She may see that it’s easy and prefer it to a diaper or it may be sporadic that sometimes she does sometimes she doesn’t, or she may freak out. Whatever does happen it’s ok. Just follow her lead.<br /> FWIW my older son seemed ready a few times but then he just would freak out or change his mind. Poop took the longest (he was pee trained for 6 months before poop). We just kept gently trying and suggesting and then one day at 3 he was cool with undies and peeing in the potty, asked for a diaper for poop. Which, who cares? Then at 3.5 he pooped in the potty and never looked back. Zero poop accidents. Nada. And pee is like maybe a little drip because he’s playing and then he rushes. Like not even enough to change underwear.<br /> My ped said that the window for potty training thing is bullshit, FYI. Kids are just ready at different ages, period. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900389 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 14:22:56 +0000 msredbeansandrice 2900389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an opposite experience. At about 2.5 my daughter was showing all signs of readiness, so we did a version of Oh Crap. I basically used the Busy Toddler method, which is similar and involves staying at home for a couple days. My daughter had no home accidents after 1.5 days and was fully and reliably night trained in two weeks (at her request). After the initial 3 days, she’s only had 3-4 accidents ever. She might be a unicorn but I’m a big fan of doing whatever method you choose once they show readiness. Not saying the 3 day method is what you have to do, but I do believe in letting them be the guide! Good luck. Potty training was honestly one of the easiest things I’ve done as a parent. Ha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900387 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 13:46:54 +0000 bhbee 2900387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@graceandjoy: I did the waiting method with my first two who are January bdays so didn’t have to be trained until 3.5 for preschool. It was great for my lazy self :silly: Definite downside to having an August bday now so I’ll have to do it before she’s 3! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900366 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 11:00:12 +0000 LCTBQE 2900366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@graceandjoy: we're going to go your way with our daughter (baby #2) for sure. We implemented OCPT with my son when he was 27 months and semi-interested, and it took SIX MONTHS before he was truly reliably trained. Literally we started Thanksgiving weekend and it was Memorial Day weekend when we were really done. Not. doing. that. again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900363 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 10:43:34 +0000 kayla0416 2900363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first, we did all-in OCPT by the book at 21 months and it was a bit of a struggle. For us it was definitely not the magic solution like the book makes it out to be, although I know it works for a lot of people. Our second is now 22 months and we've been taking a more gradual approach. For the last 6 months she's been super interested in the potty on and off, so we set up our little potty again and have her try before bath time and any other time she asks - this ranges anywhere from 10 times a day down to never for 2 weeks straight, just depends on her mood, haha. We're planning on doing the OCPT "bootcamp" type weekend over New Year's and go with undies after that! I'm considering going away from the book a little and doing small rewards like a sticker or gummy bear. My girls both respond well to rewards. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900358 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 10:17:29 +0000 MrsSCB 2900358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just let my son take the lead rather than doing any kind of intense training session, and it worked well for us. He's pretty stubborn, so if we had tried to say, "We're gonna stay home and just run around naked," he would not have been into it. We'd offer to let him sit on the potty, but if he said no, we didn't push it. Things really clicked just after three, and he started wanting to more. Then suddenly he'd just go to the potty by himself when he needed to go. We introduced underwear, and I'd say he's only had a handful of accidents. We went on an eight-hour car trip, and zero accidents. I feel like it was much easier and less traumatic to do it gradually than it would have been otherwise! Also, my husband said that in the Cribsheet book, Emily Oster notes that if you start training earlier, it typically takes longer. So you might be done at an earlier age, but the length of time you spend training is longer, if that makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900356 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 10:07:07 +0000 Alba4 2900356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn’t follow any guidelines or methods in potty training. We started both our boys around 3 years old though. They were fully able to take on and off their clothing and articulate their needs. We went cold turkey into underwear (or just pants). My kids also love peeing outside so that was helpful.</p> <p>For my first, it took him a long time to get pooping and there were many many accidents. For DS2, it was so freakin easy! He woke up dry overnight very quickly too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900349 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 09:11:57 +0000 kiddosc 2900349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just did a gradual method. Started by getting a small potty and putting them on before bath or whenever they would ask. Then I switched to setting a timer for 30 minutes whenever we were home (they were in daycare during the day) and taking them when the timer went off and using a sticker chart. But I didn't worry about it when we went out unless they asked. Both of my kids gradually transitioned to just going when they had to. Daycare helped with the transition at some point by taking them every hour. We switched to pull-ups during the timer stages and then to underwear once it clicked. Potty training was so low stress for both of my kids... (well pee training, they both withheld poop, but that's a different issue.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900348 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:58:25 +0000 hitchhiker 2900348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@graceandjoy: Co-sign this. We did the "wait until they are ready" approach with both of our kids and it was very painless. </p> <p>There is no way I could stay home with my kid (or even by myself) for even 24 hours straight, so I never considered doing Oh Crap.</p> <p>ETA: My first was 2.75 when she was "ready," and my second was more like 3.25. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900344 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:36:58 +0000 jhd 2900344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@graceandjoy: we did the same with our first. I tried Oh Crap when he was around two and he just was not ready at all. Waiting until he was ready and initiated it went so much better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900339 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:27:44 +0000 graceandjoy 2900339@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did the "wait till they are 100% ready" aka no training with my first, and currently doing that with my second as well. DD1 was also interested by 20-24 months, but went back &amp; forth with the interest/willingness. We always model &amp; encourage, plus she had always been in daycare so they also helped there. But she didn't do it till she was 3.5. Yet it was so easy! One day she decided she was ready for underwear, and that was it! She's almost 5 now and had less than 5 accidents ever, all more-so related to being in new environments/not remember to ask to go. Same thing with night training. She did it herself some time around 4, just decided she was done with pull-ups at night, wet the bed maybe 2-3 times, and that was it. </p> <p>My second is almost 3 now and we're taking the same approach! So to answer your 2nd question, I don't think there is a window to be missed :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900338 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:06:10 +0000 Anagram 2900338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A lot of people do a gradual method---I've had friends whose kids took a year to fully potty train. I think the Oh Crap method is kind of just a guideline for people like me, who want a "method" to follow and who want to get it over with as quickly as possible.</p> <p>I didn't stay home for 3 days with either of my kids. But I did stay home for the first 24 hours fully...then kept outings to a small minimum (like just to the park or we even went and took Santa pictures on day 2 with my oldest. With my 2nd, we had a play date). By day 3 we were kind of back to our normal schedule, but the kids were going commando.</p> <p>The basic principles of the Oh Crap method are the blocks: Block 1: naked on bottom so they learn what it feels like to pee into open air, and not into a diaper. BLock 2: Commando: kids wear loose pants or skirt/dress with no undies to reinforce their new understanding that a close-fitting diaper is not there anymore and they can't just pee whenever. Block 3: life continues as normal but parent prompts the kid to potty at reasonable time frams (every hour, or every 2 hours). BLock 4: kid prompts their own pottying--this can be months later in some cases. So the kid may be in Block 3, where the parent prompts the potty breaks, for a long time. I think with my oldest, we just took her to the potty every 2 hours by the clock for about a year. The days we would forget and go 4 hours, she'd be likely to have an accident. My 2nd moved through all the blocks very quickly and was in total control of her own pottying before a week was up. And she only needed 1 day at home in Block 1 before she understood the idea of not peeing in a diaper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900332 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 06:23:45 +0000 pachamama 2900332@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did oh crap at 25 months with my son successfully, but definitely didn't keep him inside. It was a modified oh crap method- I would say he was just bottomless most of the time. We actually were on a beach vacation! I sort of do believe in the window but your DD is showing great signs and she's only 20 months! Maybe go for it pretty soon?<br /> ETA: a lot of my friends trained their kids more gradually when they thought they were ready. My godson refused til he was like 3.5 but it went pretty well actually, it just took weeks and weeks. His sister trained in 2 weeks when she was 3 with no problem. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900328 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 00:10:04 +0000 skiierchck99 2900328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice but following! In the same boat. I want to wait till January but I’m worried about missing her readiness. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-alternative-to-oh-crap-method#post-2900327 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 23:41:46 +0000 JJ2626 2900327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So my daughter is 20 months old and has started telling us when she poops and pees and always wants to come in the bathroom with me. She’s not clingy at all and it’s clearly because she interested in the toilet. This makes me think we should start potty training but the OCPT method really freaks me out! It seems like all my friends did it but I just don’t think DD will tolerate being inside for 3 days and I don’t want to be either! Plus it seems gross. Is there any other, more gradual way to do it that works? </p> <p>Also-is there any truth to “missing the window”? Like if we ignore it now and try when she’s a little over 2, is that fine? I am really dreading it for some reason!</p> <p>Thanks all! </p>