Daytime Urine Training Part 2
Focus On Initiation
When your child is usually dry for two hours at a time and often pees on the toilet when prompted to do so, you are ready to start the second part of the urine training.
During this second part, the child wears cotton underpants all through the day. The focus is on having her initiate her use of the toilet. These sessions should be done for four hours whenever you can be at home with your child for four hours at a time. During these four-hour blocks of time, your child is not prompted to request the toilet by you at all. In fact, the only difference between training sessions and the rest of the day is that during the training sessions don’t remind your child to use the toilet. Instead, wait for your child to either go into the bathroom by herself, or request the toilet with words or the toilet picture. If your child uses a picture to request the toilet, the picture should always be in a place that she can see and reach.
During the rest of the day, when you are not having your training sessions, continue to prompt your child to request the toilet every two hours, just as at the end of Part 1.
Whenever your child initiates on her own and pees in the toilet, make a big fuss. Give lots of praise, and a strong reinforcer. Of course, use your judgment. If your child doesn’t like a big fuss, then just praise her quietly. And be sure to give her a very special treat.
Your Child May Have More Accidents at First but Should Still Wear Cotton Underpants
Since you are not reminding your child to use the toilet, she may have more accidents during training sessions than at other times of the day. For this reason, it might be a good idea to keep your child off of furniture or rugs that cannot be easily cleaned. Some parents put waterproof plastic pants (“rubber pants”) over the child’s underpants when they begin Part 2. This is up to you. Either way, it is important that your child stay in her cotton underpants so that if she has an accident, she will feel it right away.
What To Do When Your Child Has An Accident During Part 2 of Daytime Urine Training
During Part 2, whenever the child has an accident, interrupt whatever she is doing and say, in a neutral tone of voice, “Pee-pee goes in the toilet.” (Of course, you should use whatever words you feel comfortable using.) When we suggest using a “neutral” tone of voice, we mean that you should not be at all angry or harsh in your tone. Don’t scold. And try not to say more than the brief statement we have suggested – “Pee-pee goes in the toilet.” Then, immediately, take your child to the bathroom. If your child protests, ignore the protest behavior and just continue on to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, remove the wet underpants, clean the child up, and change her into clean, dry clothes. Don’t give any praise or other reinforcement, but don’t show any disappointment, anger or scolding either; just remain neutral.
If there’s Little to No Progress Try Schedule Training for a While
If after eight weeks at Part 2, your child is still having accidents during the four hours you’re letting her initiate, try schedule training for a few months. Offer her a reward (praise and sometimes a treat) for peeing in the toilet. And give her a really big, special treat for initiating on her own. After a few months of schedule training on a two-hour schedule, you can try Part 2 again.
Increasing the Length of the Part 2 Training Sessions
If your child has no accidents for two days in a row during your training sessions, then increase the length of the training sessions by two hours at a time. So, if you were doing 4 hours of toilet training waiting for her to initiate, now go to 6 hours. After 2 more days of no accidents, increase to 8 hours. Keep doing this until you are no longer prompting at all, and your child is initiating her use of the toilet whenever she pees.
A month or two of successful Part 2 urine training means no more than two accidents in a months’ time. Then begin to give your child smaller rewards. But do this gradually and always praise her for peeing on the toilet and for doing it on her own. Even after your child is no longer receiving rewards for peeing on the toilet, it’s a good idea to give her a nice surprise reward now and then for success on the toilet.
Remember that ALL Children Have Accidents From Time to Time
Of course, ALL children have accidents from time to time when they are first learning to use the toilet. If your child is doing well, but has an accident every week or two, that’s fine. Just remember to remain neutral when you clean your child up and change her into clean clothes. Don’t scold. If your child is very upset about the accident, you can offer reassurance. Say something like, “That’s OK. Sometimes kids have accidents. Don’t worry.” However, just be careful not to be overly reassuring or to draw too much attention to the accident.
It’s A Good Idea to Use Frequent Reminders When You’re Away From Home
If you are going out for a few hours, remind your child to sit on the toilet and try to pee before you go out. Waterproof plastic pants might be a good idea if your child is going out. Remember – even when children are well-trained at home they may not have the same success in other places. So even when your child is using the toilet independently at home, bring her to the bathroom and put her on the toilet every hour or so, when you are away from home.