Now that the baby is sleeping well, I have no excuse. It’s time to redirect my attention to Linnea for some go-big-or-go-home potty training. She will turn three in a few weeks, and ditching the diapers by then would be a splendid gift for all involved. Considering how uptight I can be, I’ve been surprisingly nonchalant about this. Over the past year and a half, we’ve gone through a few false-start attempts at potty training, but the sticker charts, pull-up diapers, and big-girl underpants had little effect.
Last Monday, one of my coworkers reported that her daughter, who is younger than Linnea, had learned how to use the potty over the weekend. No problemo. Hearing this made me feel lazy. I suspect that if I put in the effort (like I did with Linus’ sleep training), Linnea would catch on quickly. She’s a smart girl. But I’ve had so much on my mind lately that it’s seemed easier to change a few diapers than to play mind games with a preschooler.
I had every intention to go for it this weekend, but it didn’t happen. Linnea woke up crabby on Saturday morning, so I chose the path of least resistance, which was delightful. By Sunday afternoon, however, I felt guilty that another weekend had come and gone with no progress. I encouraged Linnea to try, and she spent a good amount of time sitting (and singing) on the potty while I finished making dinner. “This isn’t so hard,” I thought. As soon as she crawled down from her porcelain throne (without any success), I suggested that she leave her pants off so we could get her on the potty again quickly. I went back to cooking, and minutes later, she came running into the kitchen yelling, “I peed!”
Naturally, she had peed on her bedroom floor and left a trail of urine-soaked footprints across most of the house. We have a ways to go, but as soon as I get in the game mentally, I’m sure our girl will take to the potty like a natural. But I wonder: Am I just putting this off because it’s a pain in the butt? Or, am I afraid that my baby is growing up?
*****
In other news, I spent my weekend running for Sherry, reading the quite entertaining comments on my recent Huffington Post pieces, going out for dinner with my man, and eating too many donuts.
I Want to Know
- Do you have any great potty-training tips or stories?
- Is there something that you’ve been putting off?
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I feel like we totally cheated with potty training. It essentially happened at daycare. The peer pressure there is so great it happened quite quickly. Belén benefited by being one of the youngest in her class so all of the other kids were going to the potty regularly so she just started doing it too. They have a good potty routine and she just started following it especially once she figured out she got a STICKER on her shirt each time she went. Can you enlist your childcare providers to help?
My friend Becca bought an online ebook that says you can potty-train in something like 48 hours but I think she tried it too young (2 years.) Everything I have heard is that they will do it when they are ready. I totally understand wanting to get the ball rolling though. Good luck! M&Ms are always a good motivator too.
I might need to look for a book. That seems to work for me. I will look for the 48-hour thing.
I know a few people whose kids figured it out at daycare. That’s awesome! We don’t have the built in peer pressure with our childcare situation, but I definitely think her caregivers will be able to help!
Em,
I am so saddened at the horrible thing that happened to Sherry. I am not a runner, but she is in my heart. Please, my darling, take some kind of awful noise maker with you, maybe a canned air horn. Oh my gosh.
As far as potty training, I think you should let her go bare bottom or use non absorbent panties where she will be uncomfortable. I don’t remember it being particularly hard. I had one kid that responded to praise and one we had to tell NOT to use the potty. Find the right bribe and reward dry pants or use of the potty. You also have a wonderful resource at your house 4 days a week, ask her in your nicest voice to help.
Am I putting anything off? I am putting EVERYTHING off, from emptying the dishwasher to tidying up my father’s estate. From dieting to cooking, to blogging, to putting my other blogs together in a manuscript to going to bed to getting out of bed.
You are loved,
Suta
Yes, the Sherry Arnold case is extremely sad. It happened not far from the small town where Josh’s parents grew up.
I think you’re right that different tactics work better with certain kids than others. The right bribe in Linnea’s case might be FRUIT SNACKS. We’ll see. And I will definitely be asking my “wonderful resource” (indeed!) for help.
As for putting things off, we are all constantly putting certain things off in favor of doing other things. As long as you feel good about what you’re choosing to do with your time instead, I think that’s okay!
See, I think potty training a child has to be one of the hardest things for a parent to teach their child…I am glad you are going into it with such ease, all things considered! I think it’ll make all the difference in Linnea learning sooner rather than later!
Call me lazy, too, but I’m ok with changing diapers for 7 yrs if needed. Potty training is for the birds! When they’re ready, they’ll potty. I’ve seen too many kids who are “potty trained” whose parents do a ton of laundry and wiping of floors. No thanks, I’ll stick to diapers over that nonsense!
Remind yourself: we all DO eventually learn.
Also: “potty training is stupid” is a hilarious and helpful read.
Good luck!!
Ha ha! Good visual of a seven-year-old kid in diapers.
Thanks for the book recommendation. I will check it out. A hilarious book may be exactly what I need.
Sorry, the book is “potty training sucks”.
As with most things, I think the good old reverse psychology strategy that Suta suggested is going to be most effective with Linnea. I hope that isn’t the primary teaching tool when she’s in high school….”You WILL get drunk at your friend’s party!”
You may be right. You seem to be better than I am at exercising the reverse psychology w/ her!
Josh,
We told her at 12 where the alcohol was kept. I offered to take her at 14 for birth control. At 16 her father offered to find acid for her (although he had no idea where to look). As a result, having the freedom to do everything, she did nothing, was a real goody two shoes. Why did we insist she do homework? We should have prohibited it. LOL.
Suta