This post is really for myself. I want to remember this past few days. I am generally a very motivated person, and when I make a decision, or put my mind to something, it WILL happen.
Luke has shown signs of potty training readiness for quite some time. He tells us when he is going poop or pee, he wants to be changed immediately after doing either. He hides while he is doing his business. He will sit on the potty with excitement. After he has done his poop business, he wants to be changed pronto, and he won't let his bum touch the floor while changing. He wants his bum as far away from the poop as possible. All these signs made me think he was ready. So I decided, it was time, time to potty train.
I tried to set myself up for success as much as possible. I read a book on potty training, I read lots of online forums and helpful hints. I consulted many neighbors and their experiences helped me think I could totally do this. I was ready, and Luke seemed ready.
We went to the store, bought a big prize. We bought some stickers and Luke picked out some cho-cho train underwear. He was excited to wear his big boy underwear. This was going to happen!
5 am- Luke woke up on our potty training party day.
We immediately broke out the big boy underwear.
We set a timer, for every 15 minutes.
We got out our prize, and we made our sticker chart.
The timer went off, and I told Luke it was time to use the potty.
He was excited! He immediately ran upstairs and sat on the potty.
He was ALL about this potty business.
So we did this, every 15 minutes, without fail.
Every time the timer went off, Luke knew it was time to sit on the potty.
It was a race to get to the bathroom.
He just kept running to the bathroom with such excitement.
10 am- our first success.
Luke went poop in the potty!!!
I couldn't have been more happy,
I was so excited, and at that moment I thought to myself, this isn't that hard,
we can totally do this!!!
So we went to our sticker chart, and put a sticker up.
He only needed 5 stickers to get his big prize.
We were off to a great start!
Luke was loving that he got our full attention every 15 minutes.
Again, the excitement every time the timer went off continued.
By afternoon, we started having accidents.
Luke would gladly go sit on the potty, but with in 1-2 minutes of getting off the potty,
he would have an accident in his underwear.
The frustration began.
By evening I was wondering if this was ever going to work.
I knew Luke couldn't hold it over night, so I put a diaper over his underwear for the night.
The next morning, I woke up thinking to myself, that I could still accomplish this.
I told myself that this was possible, with enough patience and perseverance, we could over come this.
By mid-morning, we had already had a few accidents. I realized that maybe Luke needed a more immediate reward. Luke LOVES baths. Lives for them and takes 2 a day. He was begging for a bath, so I told him he had to go potty before we could take a bath. So after a few minutes, Luke went in, sat on the potty and he did it! Again, my excitement was renewed, and I was mad at myself for doubting. The afternoon brought more disappointment. We kept the timer for every 15 minutes again. Without fail, Luke would have an "accident" within a minute of taking him off the potty.
I realized this was not an "accident" this was Luke's personality. I didn't understand it, he was excited to sit on the potty, he loved his underwear, yet he was now refusing to actually use the potty.
By day 3, I woke up frustrated. I decided my child was just stubborn, and I was starting to see that this just wasn't going to work at this time. This was difficult for me, because I do not like to fail. Just like we can't force Luke to sleep in, or force him to eat, I can not force him to actually use the potty. So we have FAILED!
For now, I have given up on potty training. This kid is just pure stubborn, and I am just going to have to wait for him to decide to use the potty on his own, even though he seemed so ready. He only has until September, because I already signed him up for preschool, and he has to be potty trained for preschool!
How old is he again? Don't you feel bad one bit! I know that my Blake is super stubborn, so I'm not rushing a thing. He was 3 in November. We will start next month (which is just how old Carson was and he potty trained in a day). We waited until the weather was nice and he hungout in his new undies all day playing outside, eating fruit snacks and other treats, drinking juice boxes, etc. If he had an accident, we'd talk about doing better next time, hose him off, and put on a new pair of undies. Yes, I hosed him off outside. I'm such a great mom, right. :) Good luck! It will happen.
ReplyDelete