Potty-training Ethan was possibly the most horrific experience ever. It took nearly a full calendar year for him to be completely trained- no more accidents, no more power struggles, etc. We started the process because his pediatrician basically shamed me into it; at his three-year check-up, she was shocked that he still wore diapers. It was close to Christmastime, so we used the lure of Santa Claus to entice him to sit on the potty. It worked a little bit. Then we made sticker charts and he would get a sticker every time he peed in the potty. That lost its appeal after a while, so we decided to offer a big reward if he could go for a pre-determined stretch of time without an accident. His big reward was a light-up lightsaber. He worked really hard and got it. We were so proud. He got pretty good at peeing on the potty. But if he got distracted (say, while watching a movie), he would forget he had to pee and wet his pants. Unfortunately, he absolutely refused to poop on the potty. I don't know if it was his way of rebelling against our authority, or if he was scared or what, but it was a major power struggle. We'd sit him down on the potty at the same time every night and he would just scream his lungs out. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. We tried everything to entice him but nothing worked. He would wait until he went to bed (in a diaper, as he wasn't nighttime-trained) to poop, which then caused a whole host of other problems. It wasn't until we moved to New Hampshire in August of '08 that he really started doing all his "business" on the potty. I don't know what happened to make him start using the potty, but he did. And there was much rejoicing!
Sadie is turning three next week (can you believe it??!?!) and is still in diapers. I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to potty-training (obviously). I have no idea what the "signs of readiness" are, and everything I read about them makes me think Sadie's not there yet. But I just think it's time. She is the only one in her dance class that still wears diapers. I had decided to start after her birthday because we're going to Disneyland next Saturday to celebrate and I didn't want to worry about her having a million accidents or rushing to find a bathroom every 20 seconds. For whatever reason, I started telling her about my plan this morning and showed her the Minnie Mouse panties she got for Christmas and the Pull-Ups I bought a few weeks ago. She was super excited to wear her big girl undies, so she demanded I put them on her right then and there. Not wanting to discourage her, I agreed to let her wear a Pull-Up. We ran to the grocery store and bought an enormous bag of M&M's and I told her she could have one every time she peed or pooped on the potty.
It's been about three hours now, and she is currently next to me on the couch, naked from the waist down after peeing in her Pull-Up, writhing around hysterically and having a crying screaming fit because I won't give her an M&M. Wow, this is going well...
3 comments:
go to the library and get get the book toilet training in a day. It totally works, maybe in not one day, but three. I told Taryn she could not turn 3 if she didn't learn how to use the potty. If you have a day where Paul can watch the other kids and you and Saddie just work on it, you could do it in one day. Let me know if you try it. Oh an who cares what the other kids are wearing. If Saddie needs to wear diapers longer, then she wears them. You are not a bad mom, the kid has to want to be potty trained to be potty trained.
Ugh, I have nothing for you. Potty training in a day works for some kids, not for others. Just keep at it and remind yourself that in a few months, it will all be over with. And who cares if she's the only one in diapers. She'll do it when she's ready. Hayden just potty trained and he was almost 4!
The most important thing is for calmness to prevail (as much as possible, anyway- this IS Sadie, after all). I know you have been through the potty wars with Ethan - don't sweat the timing. She is apparently at least interested and that's a plus. It WILL happen - hang in there, sweetie.
Post a Comment