Wow, I didn't think I would get so frustrated over potty training. My daughter is such a cooperative, helpful girl but when it comes to potty training apparently she doesn't want to have anything to do with it. We haven't tried potty training for a while because we didn't think she was ready. But over the last few weeks she has been showing lots of signs and she'll tell the nursery leaders that she has to go potty. So today I started. After zero successful "goes" in the potty and some not so fun clean-ups I gave Noelle a choice. Let me tell you how I got there. I was consistent at setting a timer and getting Noelle to sit on the potty every 15-20 minutes. I would get so excited about it and we even had an extra potty that she had her tickle me Elmo sit on. I had plenty of delicious candy and even toys as prizes if she went. I had stickers to put on a chart and she LOVED wearing her Elmo and flowery underpants. She even showed her Elmo that she was wearing them. While she was sitting on the potty she was insistent on me "going" as well, so I did. But then an accident came. Then I guess I didn't hear the timer while I was doing the dishes and guess what another accident came. And not even a minute after I changed her, here came another one. So the next time I heard the timer and told Noelle we needed to go sit on the potty. She refused. She was very upset about it. I told her she had two choices. If she wanted to wear her big girl underpants she had to try and go potty. If she didn't want to go potty she had to put on a diaper. She really wanted to wear her underpants so she hesitated a little. Then eventually she chose to wear a diaper. I'm not going to lie, I was a little relieved. Then I got more frustrated because I knew we'd have to get there eventually. And I really want to not have to change two sets of diapers when our baby boy gets here in the summer.
Then I took a step back and thought, it's really not that big of a deal. It's going to come. She was very stubborn when it came to walking. She took a little bit longer to do it, but when she decided she wanted to, she just did it and she was a natural. I have no doubt that she will get it. I think my frustration just came from her not being motivated at all and having no desire. I'm thinking to myself (like I wish I could explain this to her) "Can't you see how great it will be to not have wear diapers anymore?" I hope my mom doesn't hate me for saying this but she potty trained me early. I was 18 months. Let's just say it wasn't a good experience for either of us. I don't remember a thing, so this is coming from her. But it wasn't fun at all. And she says she wishes she would have waited until I was ready. So I don't want to push this on her. I don't want to get mad at her for doing something that she isn't ready for. She is a very, very smart girl and I know she'll get it. And I am learning some patience in the process from a very sweet Noelle.
My question to you is do I keep trying this every single day until one day she just picks it up? Should I try it for a week and see how it goes? Should I stop and wait until she is more ready? The little trickster is giving me signs like she is ready but I don't know. And what are your thoughts on pull-ups? Okay that's all. Thanks for letting me vent a little.
2 comments:
Obviously I have no experience with potty training. But I think maybe trying it a little (just a little) every day will be good for her. After so long, the idea won't be so scary. Then eventually she'll be bored of just doing a little every day and she'll want to know what comes next. Anyway, you can do whatever you want (duh). But that's what I think. She's so cute!
I am no expert, but just my thoughts...
I think pull-ups are a big waste of money. If you're going to potty train, go for it and don't look back. If you're going to wait a while, just go back to diapers. I think pull-ups are confusing for them. (Although having said that, Carson wears a pull-up at night. He's old enough that asking him to wear a diaper would be quite insulting, but he can't make it through the night dry yet.)
My biggest tip for potty training is to take 3 or 4 days and really dedicate yourself to it, which it sounds like you were doing with the timer and everything. And if Carson was refusing to go, I'd say something like, "Sure we can read that book (or play that game or whatever), AFTER you go potty!" Sounds like you're doing all of that, so maybe waiting a few more weeks is the right thing. Again, I'm not an expert... good luck!
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