Potty training is so rewarding and yet such a beating at the same time!
Emerson has been ready for potty training for months. We (I) have just been putting it off for various reasons, mainly the timing just hasn't been right for our family. For the past 4-6 months, Emerson has been going on the potty occasionally and interested in big girl panties.
We are finally home for the summer and it has become a top priority. Last Tuesday, when Emerson woke up in the morning I told her that "today you get to wear big girl panties and do all your poo poos and pee pees on the potty". She was elated!
I am so thankful that we waited until Emerson was ready and did not rush this earlier. It has been so easy. I prescribed to a very casual method of potty training. Every time she goes pee pee on the potty, she gets 2 skittles. If she goes poo poo on the potty she gets to pick a prize out of a bucket. This method has worked well for us to this point.
In the past 7 days, Emerson has only had 2 minor accidents. Although we have not messed with naptime or bedtime yet (she is still in diapers for sleeping) she has been waking up dry after nap and in the morning. It is just amazing how well she has taken to this whole thing!
Because not everything can be drama-free, we have had a minor-issue that has popped up during this training. Emerson claims she has to poo poo for hours before actually going on the potty. She will literally grab her hiney and walk up to us and say "I almost go poo poo". We will urgently run to the bathroom and she will either sit on the toilet for 2 seconds and then get off or she won't even get on the potty at all. It is so frustrating!
I know she is not trying to be annoying on purpose. I don't think she is constipated either because she ends up going everyday and with little effort. I think she might be misreading her body's signals or maybe there is a little fear involved. Whatever it is, I hope that it will get better everyday until she has the confidence to read her body and it won't be so much back and forth (This morning we did the back and forth thing about 20-25 times and she finally went after her nap at 4:30 pm). If you have any tips or stories here, I would love to hear them!
And because she looks so cute in her panties:)
3 comments:
I am so glad to hear your story! Noah is in the same boat as far as having been interested for a while, but the timing hasn't been right for our family, either. I'm going to start in a few weeks, probably, so I appreciate hearing how things have gone for you, since you've had a similar experience.
I am absolutely the wrong person to give advice about potty training since it took us 4 (count them...4!) years to get around to it with Jak. I will say this though, little bums in undies are the cutest thing ever!
Lorica went through the every 5 minute thing. Mereith never did.
Sometimes I think they just enjoy repeating theh process over and over again because they enjoy learning so much. Just like when they want the same book over and over again.
Sometimes I think they are testing to see just how important the rules are to you. Will Mommy always take me when I ask? Maybe I will get a skittle anyway?
Sometimes I think they just think its fun to make Mommy get up over and aver again...its a fun game for them. But sure enough, the one time you don't take her SHE WILL GO IN HER PANTS.
Just grin and bear it. The newness of it all will pass for her and she will figure it all out. Your patience and dilligence will pay off.
Also have patience when she may back track a bit. Sometimes when the fun of it all starts to wane and you begin to phase out the rewards system it can take a while for them to discover the joy of just doing because it feels good to be dry and clean. And then again some kids never skip a beat.
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