The Potty Training Bible

The book "3 Day Potty Training" should be called the "Potty Training Bible" if you ask me.  I have no idea why anyone would do anything else other than this method.  I understand that this book may not work again for me (which would require me to have more children to even find that out) or work so well for others but this go around it was magical for us.  In short the book's principles are going cold turkey on the diapers, repetition and positive reinforcement. 
We started Day 1 on Saturday the 2nd.  Thatcher seemed to be ready to tackle the potty and he has such severe diaper rash that we really need to get him out of diapers.  This kid seriously has had a diaper rash pretty much every day of his short little life.  When I tried to introduce undies to him he was less that impressed.  He didn't want to put them on, cried because he wanted his diapers but I remained calm and cool just like the book said and gently pushed him towards the undies.  I showed him the potty, explained to him what it was for and then I started the endless phrases of "tell mommy when you have to go potty, and keep your pants dry."  Those words just run over and over in my head now because I have repeated them so much. 

He had a couple accidents right away.  One was outside, and one was in the kitchen so I really lucked out on the cleaning- or should I say my carpet lucked out?  Around 11 on Saturday I was cleaning up the kitchen with T and he runs off to the potty- yelling potty the whole way.  It took us 3 hours of endless running to the potty after each accident, and reminding him a million times to tell me if he had to potty for it to click with him.  After that point he got it.  I don't think he had an accident the rest of Saturday.  The book says to give lots of praise and treats.  While I didn't give him a treat every time but I did praise him up and down all day.  He was a super kid that day, not only with the potty but his behavior.  I told Mike later that night that we must be really mean parents if he does that well off only positive reinforcement. 

Sunday was pretty much the same of endless remind me if you have to potty, are your pants dry, etc.  He had one accident that day and that was it.  He even went number 2 in the potty all three days we were home.  Monday the only accident he had was when he fell into the toilet.  We were even outside swimming in my "heck of a bargain" pool and he would tell us when he had to potty.  If you think that is shocking, look at this picture- Mike is in the pool.  Shocking!  Now look at them. Both have hats on, both have a shirt on.  Sigh!!!  I try.

I will say I understand this is a stroke of good luck for us.  I am in shock that it went this well and I am waiting for him to start fighting with the potty.  So far he has even done well at daycare.  I will admit I am petrified to take him out in public now that I don't have a diaper to rely on but I will have to face that demon when we go home this weekend.  I will also say that we did not follow the "bible" exactly and T is wearing pull ups at night.  I will probably keep this up until September when we don't have any overnight trips planned.  I just didn't want him soiling the property of others!