Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Potty Tales

Wow! This potty training thing is tough. It's been happening gradually for several months. My goal is to have A trained before the baby comes. Also, she is starting preschool in September and must be trained by then or she won't be able to start.

I don't know why I wasn't expecting it to be hard. I guess because several months ago she sat on the potty and went #1 and #2 without batting an eye. It gave me a false sense of security. Then there was the whole breaking my ankle thing. Potty training during that time was pretty much not happening. So now we've been back on track. We've tried just switching to big girl panties but... the laundry... with the still sore ankle... was too much. So we're doing the pull ups thing. Which sometimes seems pointless sometimes. I try to talk to her and explain that she needs to tell me when she needs to go. When I ask her if she needs to go she won't. And I don't want to make her. We have good treats for when she does go and when she does go she seems very excited and proud of herself.

So. Maybe I'm just impatient. It's happening. Just not as easily as I hoped. What else is new? Really.

7 comments:

Lynanne said...

I gave up on potty training. It was becoming a battle of wits and I was losing. Suddenly (or so it felt - it probably was weeks later) my daughter finally got it. It's like crawling or walking. Something just finally clicks and off they go.

A preschool's definition of potty training is usually a bit lax. Children have accidents and can regress under stressful situations (starting preschool). Any good early childhood educator knows this. Sometimes being around other children who use the potty is a great motivator.

I wouldn't even stress about having her trained before the baby arrives. I found it was much easier having both in diapers during the early weeks when I was so exhausted. You can also use the baby to help - "your baby sister/brother wears a diaper but big sisters wear underpants"

bon said...

BIG sympathies! And a big HOLY CRUD! Because I'm gonna be right there with you pretty soon!

So far neither of the two older girls PTed before age three. And LaLa started having accidents again at school around the first of this year, bit it was not until she had had oopsies at least every other school day for three weeks that her teacher started mentioning that she wouldn't be able to come back if she didn't start asking to go to the potty. We seem to be past the worst of it now. I hope.

And "Pull Up's" Grrr! Just really expensive diapers as far as my kids care!

Jenn said...

Little Miss A is going to pre-school?? Seriously? How can she be old enough for that? Wow do they ever grow up fast. E-mail me, where is she going to be going?
I hope potty escapades improve. She'll figure it out when she's ready, she's a smart girl.

elizasmom said...

Eliza will be attending college in diapers, at this rate, so I am SO understanding how you're feeling. Suuuuuuuuuck.

Sugarmama said...

Potty training was super easy for my first and not so much for the second. By the time the 3rd was born, I was in no hurry to potty train the second because she was in no hurry and frankly it was easier NOT to. That is, til the day she pooped in her diaper and it erupted EVERYWHERE. All over my arms, up her back, down her legs, and onto the floor. It was nas-ty! I told her right then and there that she made too much poop for a diaper anymore and had to use the potty from then on. This seemed to make sense to her so that's what she did.

No moral here, I guess, because I certainly wouldn't recommend waiting til your daughter produces THAT much poop. But I do recommend keeping the pressure off. I don't know why it's one of those things that kids balk at if they sense pressure, but they do seem to have more problems if it matters a lot to you.

Anonymous said...

in exactly the same spot as you... wee snapper mcgee will repeat after me "no go peepee or poopoo in thomas undies" ... "and where do you go"... to which he replies "toot (toilet)".... then he proceeds to drop a huge load in pullups.... he'll pee into the toilet when i lead him in there... and he's pooped a couple of times but yeah i figure this one (and maybe your one) are just taking there sweet bloody time.. but it all does click i suppose ... eventually... i'd like to not be spending money on nappies anymore though... i've figured out that certain brands of pull-ups are more expensive per nappy than undies!

PLANTAIN

Anonymous said...

Sam was the same way. When we first got the potty he was into it and went a few times. I got overly confident and decided it wasn't going to be a big deal at all and to just go with it. Now, MONTHS later, he has decided he is definitely not interested in going on it EVER AGAIN. And he has to be trained for school by September as well. I'm trying to be patient but it's really hard to have a deadline like that. Good luck to both of us.