Potty Training - Part 2, Phase 4

We moved on to Phase 4 of Will's potty training today. I call this phase "Choices".

Here are the choices.


I took all the junk out of the one of the dresser drawers (which is now on my kitchen counter) and filled the drawer with undergarment choices. There are:
- diapers
- pull-ups
- training underwear that I made (more on this below)
- training underwear
- waterproof training underwear
- big boy underwear

The plan is that he has the choice of what he wants to wear. If it gets wet, it either goes in the laundry or gets thrown away if it is disposable. I am really really hoping to never refill that drawer with pull-ups or diapers once they are gone.

Of course there is going to be certain situations where his choice might be slightly altered. Like if we are leaving the house. He might have to wear a pull-up over what he chooses just for the sanity of myself.

I really like the idea of training pants but was not at all excited about the price. So, I got creative and made some of my own that I just love. Will likes them too!

I based them off of a cloth diaper pattern I found online. I've made three pairs of them so far and each pair is slightly different as I messed around with the design. The pair Will is sporting in the picture above are more absorbent than the ones in the pictures below.


They do have a waterproof layer which is great for little trickle accidents but, as I discovered today, doesn't help all that much for a total bladder release. My favorite part is these little Velcro squares that are used to keep the scratchy part of the Velcro from damaging other items in the washing machine.

Best of all, they only take about an hour to make!

How's the plan going? Eh... we will see. Will has been excited about getting to make his undergarment choice today. First pick was waterproof training pants which he kept dry for from 7:30-10:15am. (I took him to the potty every 30 minutes.) I knew there would be trouble ahead because he had some milk around 9:30 followed by some water around 10:00. After the waterproof training pants went off to the laundry, he selected pull-ups. They went in the diaper pail shortly after that. Then he picked "dinosaur underwear", the ones that I made. About 15 minutes later they were wet, along with his pants and my pants too. Next he selected a diaper. It got a little wet but I left that on him and he can pick something else after nap. I am really thinking this is the way to go with my little stubborn guy. The choice is all his (with a little coercion by me that hopefully goes unnoticed by him) and hopefully over the next few weeks there will be some slow progress. And hopefully over the next few weeks I can keep my patience.

Mostly, I am just tired of diapers.