Owen's Potty Issues

So Owen Has been potty trained since just after he turned 2. The last month or so, he has been peeing in his pants. I know that toddlers sometimes do this when something new happens (McKenzie also did this after she was trained.) But it usually only lasts a short time. This has continued to go on and I was not sure what to do. We tried punishing, taking toys away, giving treats and high fives, but nothing has worked.

Well, I thought if only he could stay dry for a week I would get him something that he really likes as motivation. So I made a lame potty chart and made him go to the bathroom every hour/half hour. If there was any potty in his briefs he would not get a smiley face on his potty chart. Well, since he wasn't seeing any reward that didn't work either, but I decided that I should give him a small smiley face on the chart for everytime he was dry. Then if he was dry all day, then he would get a BIG smiley face. The big smiley faces are the ones that count.

The little smiley face worked wonders! He would get so excited everytime he got a small smiley face. Finally, yesterday, he stayed dry all day! Matt and I were a little scared to take him to the fair because we didn't want to have to deal with wet briefs. So I told him that he had to wear a diaper. Owen started screaming! He absolutley did not want to wear a diaper! I was really shocked, because to this day, McKenzie would like to wear diapers. I don't know why...

So, at the fair, Owen told us when he had to go and even stayed dry during the time we were at the fair! It has been such a relief, because I have know that he knows how to use the potty. Even during the time he would pee in his pants, he would NOT poop in his pants, he always did that in the toilet. Sorry if this is gross! As a mom, this is what our family is going through right now.

The potty chart is really wrinkled and beaten up. Owen is just so excited about his accomplishment that he carries it around like it's a toy. He even took it to bed with him. It's really lame, but it makes Owen excited!