Literally. I've put off potty training Ben for as long as possible, but yesterday at our annual pediatrician visit, she told me that I have to bite the bullet and do it. Now. No excuses. He's over three years old and starts preschool in a month. If I'm really honest, I've been waiting for Ben to magically potty train himself. My dream is that he wakes up one morning and has it all figured out. I have a friend whose son really did that, so it's not out of the realm of possibility, right?
I've been very halfhearted up to this point because he won't sit on the pot. Inherent in the potty training deal is that the kid will agree to sit. If the kid doesn't sit, then it's basically just the parent banging their head against the wall. His other problem is that if we can get him to sit on the pot, he holds it until he's done sittting and then lets it fly as soon as he leaves the bathroom. This has happened every time I've tried. We have yet to have any actual pee in the pot. Sigh... This morning I was on the phone in the kitchen and Ben opened the fridge door. I was on the other side of the door and couldn't see anything, but heard what I thought was him getting a drink from the water dispenser. Alas, I turned around to find that he'd peed in the fridge instead. So for six tries of sitting on the toilet today, we've come up empty four times and had two wet pants on the ground afterwards. Double sigh........ I feel like I'm swimming in urine.
I promise, that's the only gory story you'll hear from me. No list of how many times he poops (or does BMs, for those of you who prefer a more sanitary euphemism). I personally hate that phrase. So we're armed with a load of Thomas underwear and tomorrow we're off to the library to check out lots of books and movies to entertain him while practicing, to the grocery store to buy lots of juice to get the juices flowing and for other goodies to "incentivize" (read - Bribe) him to go.
Send all your positive karma our way and I'd love to hear any and all pearls of potty training wisdom.
14 comments:
we'll pray for you. haha!:) no really, good luck...potty training is always harder on the parent than the child!:) let me know if you need anything!
I recently heard a new idea for going #2. First you have them sit and go with the diaper on, after success, a diaper with a hole, then no diaper. Not sure if it will really work but BMs (sorry, it's a medical abbreviation and that is my profession) were my major hurdle with Belen. The icky feel of wet and soiled underwear helped too (and I'm so glad we have lots of tile!). Sorry about your fridge but what a funny story for down later.
No pearls of wisdom here, but just a hearty good luck. We are obsessed by the bodily functions of our child too. Just for different reasons. I told Aaron it's apart of the circle of life. People obsess about it through all stages of life. ;)
This is Jansen's exact situation pretty much. And mine. I just keep waiting...and have been looking at the weather to choose a rainy or hot week to REALLY try, but it's so hard. He just isn't getting it. Jansen is also obsessed with those $3.50 Cars characters. He gets Chick when he goes poop. Whenever that happens. I'll have to call you and see how this all went.
I have also heard that a kid getting a call from there favorite character such as Thomas the Train (ie dad at work/grandpa) after they go on the toliet is a big motivator
So funny. I feel for you and wish you a big good luck. We miss you guys!
Katie
HE'D PEED IN THE FRIDGE!!! Classic. Yes, after we potty trained Taylor and realized that yes, we wanted to have more than just 1 child in our family, I honestly felt that since I had successfully potty trained one child I should have a free pass with all the others. You know, like doing med school. You officially become a doctor (or a mom-of-potty-trained-child), and NEVER have to do the training ever again. Good luck! Do it for preschool!
I love that he peed the fridge. I urge you to continue the bribery. Candy every time there is a success, favorite videos at the end of a sticker chart. It got Evan there, and I hope it gets Ben there.
Um, I'm a blog hopper, but thought I'd post my 2 cents. Get character underwear and tell them that Mater doesn't like to get wet, therefore, pee in the toilet. We layered underwear, training pants, and then plastic underwear (found at WalMart and totally worth every penny). So that when they wet, they feel it, but it stays in the plastic underwear and you don't have to clean it up! Make it a huge party, have them call and tell everyone they know that they went in the toilet when you have success. It's so funny what people say, but mine loved it!
Most of all, stick to it! You CAN do it! :) Good luck!!
I am now in search of plastic underwear. Ben insists on wearing not only underwear but also shorts on top so I have even MORE laundry to do. We've managed to have accidents at both the public library and the Columbus Art Museum, and I feel really torn about whether to put him in Pull-Ups or just keep with straight underwear since for him, Pull-Ups and diapers are the same, but it saves me the hassle.
On our potty treats outing I bought one of those $3.50 Cars toys as a big reward. He is now obsessed with and carries it around in its box (we've had to retape it closed once) and stares at it constantly, but I told him he has to have a day staying clean and dry in order to get it. Is that asking too much?
It seems like all of my friends are going through this right now. I am waiting to try with Bella after a summer of traveling. And if you guys are looking for some good BBQ, you just need to come down to North Carolina for a visit!
Oh man, it gives me shivers just thinking about potty training. It was a long, arduous process for us. I'm dreading even more potty-training Max- I've heard boys are way harder than girls.
How late am I in reading this? Did you just start? One book I started reading (ie: skimmed over most of it, but read the first couple chapters) was one of the Potty Training in a Day books (Yeah, right). There was one thing I thought was good, though. They said to teach the kid with a doll first. Go through all the motions with the doll first, then let the kid try everything with the doll (ie: put it on the potty, wipe it, flush the toilet, reward the doll, etc...). I tried it with Madi and she loved it.
I also totally used treats to reward- which I thankfully don't have to use anymore. But we were up to 2 packs of fruit snacks per poopy for a while. :) She just did not understand how to poop sitting down. It took some adjusting.
Good Luck, Nollie... it will be so worth it when it's all over!!
We did this http://www.3daypottytraining.com/
Which worked, but Ben may be past it?...it's basically letting them run around in their undies, keeping a close watch on them, and putting them on the pot as soon as you see them get ready to go. Then praising them tons. Messy at first, but ultimately effective.
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