If you have never experienced the joys of potty training, you may want to skip this post. For those of you who will be mamas in the future, start praying about this NOW. For those of you who have survived this section of mama hood and have lived to tell about it, I give you my praise and sincerest admiration.
I am in the throes of Round # 3 of heavy duty potty trainng.
I have researched, read books, read on-line self-help manuals, participated in "mom communities," and have asked countless friends their tips, advice, strategies and methodologies.
Based on everything I have learned, there is absolutely no reason why a 2 year cannot be potty trained. One book I read said that most 18 month olds are ready to potty train and EVERY 2 year old is ready by 30 months and that children who are still in diapers after 30 months are simply stubborn and have parents who will not take the time to work with them. The book said this, not me. I thought this was a bit harsh...but, I actually know someone who has a 4 year old still in diapers. That is unfathomable to me.
Why am I so anxious to have her potty trained? Because I know she can do it and pull-ups are 38 cents a piece...and this chick can blow through about 8 per day.
She is cognitively ready. She is physiologically ready. She exhibits every sign of readiness.
So, why is my kid outright refusing to use the toilet.
Is it really just about a battle of the wills?
Let me tell you what I've tried unsuccessfully:
Rewards (candy & stickers)
potty chairs (2 different types - 1 cute froggie and 1 "toilet-like")
toilet cushions (the ones with the handles that make sitting on the big toilet fun and comfy)
pull-ups
easy-ups
plastic pants (sloshing around while playing does not faze her)
plastic pants with padding ( being wet does not faze her)
cute toddler undies with her favorite characters
going without undies at all (puddle-machine)
putting the potty chair in the bathroom (could care less)
putting the potty chair in every room of the house (gets mad at it and closes the lid)
rushing her to the potty when she looks "concentrating" (she just holds it and then goes immediately after she gets off)
filling her up with fluids (resulting in puddles around the house)
letting her sit on the potty while watching her favorite show
I could go on and on.
If you have any tips or advice, please share...even if you have never commented before.
I need all the help I can get.
Sincerely,
Pee-Diddly Squat
3 comments:
I hated when people told me that when my child was ready, she'd go on the potty. I was ready!!! She needed to be porry trained to go to the school we wanted her in. She was sent home with notes about wearing pull ups to school. One day I asked big girl panties or a pull up? Panties she said, and she never looked back, she's had MAYBE 2 accidents. Sam is a whole different ballgame, we're in the naked puddle stage, which dosen't seem to phase her much. Good luck!! and it will happen!
--Kristi Stott
I don't have huge words of wisdom or any new ideas, but I do want to encourage you that it's worth it! The baby books in the 19th century said that babies should be trained by one year. Obviously they were talking about some form of elimination communication, but it helps me remember that 3 wasn't always considered the earliest possible age.
Zuzu is just over 2 years and what we're doing is putting her on the potty at every diaper change and after meals and naps. She has to sit there through the ABCs, counting to 10 and Jesus Loves Me before she can get up, even if it involves some discipline. Sometimes she turns around and goes in her diaper, but to me the point is the routine. I don't know if she'll be through with potty training next week or next month or longer, but I know that I won't regret starting early.
It took us a while to get completely trained, but she actually did better in public places, than at home sometimes! The final thing that worked for us was letting her be naked (which I noticed you said you tried) and then HUGE praises when she did something. Like jumping up and down and acting fools! I will say that praise did not work for #2, we had to resort to M&M's for that. But that did our trick too. We also put her potty in front of a TV (yes, I know, not the greatest idea) when she was naked...but it all seemed to work. Mine got bored just sitting on the potty and would not sit there long, so we had to figure out what would be easiest for her. I have another friend do the 3-day method with her kid...it worked, but I didn't care for that method personally. Good luck to you!
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