potty training, 3 years old

Photo by Cafe Sheri

My little coming-up-on-three-year old son Leo peed in the toilet! Two mornings in a row!

Okay, okay, I'm not getting overly excited (but secretly I am...shhhh...). I know this little burst of potty training may not stick. His brother had at least one relapse. But I'll take it.

You see, Leo is a Scorpio, just like his mom, and let's just say he'll decide when the time is right. No one else. And so far, he has all but stuck his fingers in his ears and sang "la la la" when we bring up the notion of actually using the potty.

While writing the post on the diaper-free movement, I got a little inspired (by those super-talented infants more than their oh-so-patient moms), and one article I read reminded me that babies and toddlers pee right when they wake up, just like older kids and adults. Oh yeah...I forgot...

So first thing the past three mornings, we've plopped Leo on the toilet. And two out of three of those mornings, he peed! He has never, not even just for fun, actually peed on the toilet before now, so I was thrilled. All of us danced and screamed and sang for him, and he smiled (Scorpios love this stuff).

Then we started a sticker book for him. As a potty training reward, he gets to put a sticker in the book every time he has success on the potty (or makes a full-fledged attempt to get there in time). We used the sticker book idea with his older brother Clyde. Clyde liked it, but then again, he's a Capricorn (they like to have a defined purpose).

I'm trying to get Leo's preschool teachers to try for an after-nap pee on the toilet too. Baby steps, I figure. From there, who knows where it will go? I cannot even fathom a fully potty-trained household!!! Okay, calming down now...bracing for disappointment...

How did potty training start in your house? Baby steps or all at once?