Pottytraining: And What A Year It Has Been

I have been potty training for a year.  A year.  One can say I'm a little bit bitter.  But when I saw that Parent Bloggers Network and The Potty Project were having a blog blast I knew I had to participate.  But what could I say?

I'm re-posting two of my favorite posts on the subject, both were previously posted on DC Metro Moms.  (I'm over there today talking about moving.  We meet with the Realtor to list the house today.  I'm totally not going to vomit.)   

Potty Wars, originally posted June 22, 2008

 I've just spent 4 days, hunkered down in my house, waging a war.  A war that I had to win.  A war of epic proportions.

A war against diapers.

Yes, I've just spent the last 4 days potty training.  Actually, I've spent the last couple of weeks potty training, but the last 4 days have been potty training boot camp.  Not leaving the house, naked child, go to the potty every 20 minutes, potty training boot camp.

I have found potty training to be the hardest thing I have done in my little over 3 years as a parent.  At first, I didn't really care about it.  I was in the "he'll do it when he is ready camp.  And he is clearly not ready yet."  My pediatrician told me you need three things, verbal skills, sensation, and desire.  Michael clearly had the verbal skills, we didn't know if he had the sensation, but he definitely did not have the desire.

And then it became clear that if I waited for him to want to do it, he was never going to do it.  Because he simply didn't care.  It was not an issue that was important to him.  Not like Steve finding the last clue on Blue Clues, or how much milk he had to drink before he could have some juice.  But more and more, he wanted to be a big boy.  And the more I told him he wasn't a big boy until he wore underwear, the madder at me he got.  And I knew I had my strategy.  Big boy=underwear, baby=diapers.

So we went to he store and bought underwear, and a week later he started wearing them around the house.  And then to daycare.  And then 4 days of intensive nothing but going to the potty boot camp.  And some of the worst temper tantrums I have ever seen.

I wish I could say it was easy.  I tried a lot of different methods.  The timer, being naked, m & m bribes.  But really, it just took time and patience.  And being patient is not something I'm good at.

And I think we may be there.  I think we may have cleared my biggest parenting hurdle to date.  But I'm sure the next one is right around the corner.

After 9 Months, All It Took Was Mickey, originally posted February 10, 2009

Potty training my son has been really, really hard.  We have been at it for 9 months.  Yes, you read that right, 9 months.  And some weeks are good, no accidents.  And some weeks are not so good, lots of accidents.  And the accidents are all the same, poop.  Because he is holding it and can't hold it any longer.

I would give my son a pull up to poop in, if he would just ask for one.  But he won't.  Because it is not that he doesn't want to poop in the potty, it is that he doesn't want to poop, at all.  We tried everything.  Begging, pleading, bribery, miralax, enemas.

And then we started to have a very serious problem.  We leave for the vacation of a lifetime this week.  Disney World and the Disney Cruise.  And in order to go into the Kids Club on the Disney Cruise you have to be potty trained.  And I want a vacation too.

And then I remembered what the pediatrician told me.  The most stubborn kids are also very, very smart.  And I told her I didn't need a noble prize winning physicist, I needed the kid to poop.  But I decided to play to Michael's strengths.  I sat him down, and calmly showed him pictures of Disney World, the cruise, Mickey Mouse, and T-Rexs.  "Michael do want to meet Mickey and the big Dinosaur?" 

"YES!"

"Then you have to poop in the potty.  Because only kids who poop in the potty meet Mickey and eat in the dinosaur restaurant.  Everyone in the family, your cousin, your grandparents, and your aunt and uncle will meet Mickey and eat at the dinosaur restaurant but Mommy and Daddy and Michael will have to stay home.

And he considered what I was saying, asked to see some more pictures of the cruise ship and Disney World and a millions shots of the dinosaur restaurant and I found video on youtube because dinosaurs OH MY and walked over to the bathroom and pooped in the potty. 

"Now can I see Mickey?" 

"Michael, you have 8 sleeps."

"No, Mommy, 8 poops."

And if I knew all it took was a a ridiculously expensive vacation, I would have signed us up eons ago.  I'm just praying this holds long after we get back.

I'm wondering what one gets for your year anniversary of potty training?  I'm thinking lots of wine.

 I've just spent 4 days, hunkered down in my house, waging a war.  A war that I had to win.  A war of epic proportions.

A war against diapers.

Yes, I've just spent the last 4 days potty training.  Actually, I've spent the last couple of weeks potty training, but the last 4 days have been potty training boot camp.  Not leaving the house, naked child, go to the potty every 20 minutes, potty training boot camp.

I have found potty training to be the hardest thing I have done in my little over 3 years as a parent.  At first, I didn't really care about it.  I was in the "he'll do it when he is ready camp.  And he is clearly not ready yet."  My pediatrician told me you need three things, verbal skills, sensation, and desire.  Michael clearly had the verbal skills, we didn't know if he had the sensation, but he definitely did not have the desire.

Potty training my son has been really, really hard.  We have been at it for 9 months.  Yes, you read that right, 9 months.  And some weeks are good, no accidents.  And some weeks are not so good, lots of accidents.  And the accidents are all the same, poop.  Because he is holding it and can't hold it any longer.

I would give my son a pull up to poop in, if he would just ask for one.  But he won't.  Because it is not that he doesn't want to poop in the potty, it is that he doesn't want to poop, at all.  We tried everything.  Begging, pleading, bribery, miralax, enemas.

And then we started to have a very serious problem.  We leave for the vacation of a lifetime this week.  Disney World and the Disney Cruise.  And in order to go into the Kids Club on the Disney Cruise you have to be potty trained.  And I want a vacation too.

Comments

[stephanie]

Is Michael still keeping up the potty-trained thing, post-Disney?

[The Gonzo Mama]

I currently have two girls in diapers. One will be four in August and one will be three in September. Both have Sensory Integration Dysfunction and, because they are sensory-seeking, refuse to potty train.

I have two brand-new tricycles and two Cabbage Patch dolls, all still in the box, waiting for two big girls who don't go potty in their pants...

...but bribery can't compare to the AWESOME sensation of having a wet or gooey mess in one's pants!

*sigh*