Step Five - Get Smart about it

So, after the 1st time Millie was pretty happy, but she still didn't know that she could control the release of the pee. It took about 5 days before she finally realised that if she thought about it, she could go pee on the potty. It was so exciting!

When this break-through happened we all celebrated even more. She had figured it out! At this point, she started asking to go peepee. She would say "peepee", we put her on the potty and within a minute or so, she would go.

Now, she started to realise that if she said "peepee" we would jump up, stop everything we were doing and get her on the potty. It became a game for her, but we played it anyway. Sometimes she would go, sometimes she wouldn't. It only lasted a couple of days before she became bored of the game and only asked for peepee when she really needed to go.

At this point, she also learned to "hold it". Now, we had to start watching her and making her stop to go pee every 2 hour or so. She got so good at holding it, she would go hours without going.

Millie's first poo in the potty came one evening when she was supposed to be in bed. She had not poo'd all day, and she asked from her bed to go peepee. We put her potty in her dark room (so she still knew it was not play time, but bedtime) and sat her down as we usually do at night. We left the room for 2 minutes (keeping 1 eye on her through a crack to make sure she stayed sitting and did not get up to play). During this private time, she did her poo in the potty. What a celebration after!!!

Now, she still will not poo in front of us, but will go if she is given privacy. Not sure why, but she likes it this way.

In the last couple of days, it has not been necessary to give her stickers anymore. She doesn't look for the celebration after her pees either. It has just become a part of her day...time for peepees on the potty.

Step Six - Outside the home