potty training update 2...

Since keeping William in his underwear only during the day, he has quite successfully learned to let us know when he needs to use the potty. Woohoo! He can do it now without us having to ask anymore, which is great progress, with the rare occasion that he may pee a little in his underwear like he used to. He almost always will just tell us when he has to use the potty. Yay!! (And I can't remember the last time he pooped in his pull-up.) And he can use it all by himself now without either Bill or I having to be there with him. Way to go, William! We have been very pleased with how he has been doing at home.

After having had gotten some counsel, it was very freeing to learn that this whole potty training business could take up to a year, maybe more depending on the child. For some reason, I had it in my head that it should just take a week (on average) and then he'd be all potty-trained. But I discovered that a few kids are like that, but not the majority. Good to know!!! That really helped to relieve the frustration I had been feeling with William for taking longer than I expected. Now that we realize that there's not really a time limit, it's been much easier just going with the flow. =) (I know... sometimes I just really need things spelled out for me.)

So we began the next phase of putting pants on him. Finally! =) (He's actually been in pants now for a while.) He did the same thing that he did with his underwear initially... peeing a little and then telling us he had to use the potty. But learned more quickly this time how to discern when he needed to use the potty. He has been doing great being in his underwear and pants, but on occasion will pee a little through both. So we'll hang tight in this phase for a while before attempting to take him out in his underwear.... which we know he's not ready for yet b/c I forgot to change him into his pull-up this afternoon and he pee-ed in his car seat. Man! =) Overall, William has been doing great with using the potty on his own at home. We are grateful for God's grace in this and that we haven't needed to use rewards or anything.