For Shits and Giggles

I’m sort of afraid to post this because I might jinx it… but I can’t keep it in any longer – I think we made a breakthrough on the potty front!!  After quite a few days of urine soaked pants, one after the other, spending WAY too much time in the bathroom hoping to catch an inadvertent drip or two to bolster confidence about this whole potty training business, and more than a few frayed nerves… something clicked. I think it was a combination of Chance figuring out when exactly he had to pee (step 1) and knowing how to hold his bladder (step 2). Hey, you try wearing a diaper for 2+ years… you won’t notice when you’re going either.

Anyway, Tuesday Chance managed to whiz a few times out of the many, many trips we’d taken to visit the potty. We’d been “potty training” (if you could call it that) since the previous Thursday. I know no one goes to college in pull-ups but you sort of start to freak out anyway.  I just wanted him to make it a couple of times in the pot, even by accidental pissing, so he would start to “get it”, you know?  (Don’t laugh but one time previous to Tuesday I’d actually even tried sticking his hand in warm water in hopes it would make him pee. (It didn’t work, but he found it quite amusing.))

Wednesday – almost all day successful tinkling in the pot when I took him in.  I think there was a turning point when, at one point, he started to go on the floor and he shut that valve off and walked to the potty instead! Yeah, baby!  However, I did/do have to remind him to go.  He wouldn’t tell me when he had to pee.

Thursday – first day back at preschool and no accidents! And then best of all, the last two potty trips of the day… he actually told me he had to pee. (Step three!)

*sniff* I’m so proud!

Prizes, man. That is key. And, of course, much discourse on how cool it is to be a “big boy”.  And screaming excitedly (that one is always a plus for our kid). But the prizes went over big. I know this sounds excessive but every time Chance made it in the potty he got five M&Ms, a sticker to place on an ultra-cool “Cars” poster (conveniently placed where he could stare at it while on the john), and a prize of his choice. The prizes were mini Play-doh tubs, stickers, stamps, left over Halloween toys, whatever. (Play-doh is huge. I’ve got to restock.) I think the coolest thing to him was the aspect of choice. I put all the prizes on a shelf and he could check them out and pick whatever he wanted each time. I knew it was working when I could see his little brain planning the order of toys he was going to pick out ahead of time. That’s planned pissing, my friends! You can’t do that without being potty trained!

Of course, he hasn’t eaten much over the last couple of days except for M&Ms and juice… but well worth the hyperactivity!  Bravo, little man! Bravo!

Pooping, on the other hand, is another matter. We still have some muddy pants around here. I figure that’s the step four hurdle.

I know it’s not over yet but I’m very relieved. And even though everyone is totally sick of diaper stories, I had to share... just a little.  (I promise I won’t give you a play-by-play of the poop progress.)

- wg

Comments

[Lisa]

Yay Chance!! Keep it up!!!

[KC]

Bravo, Chance! And bravo to Mamma, too, for having such an imaginative way to reward his good-potty-behavior. You're so cool!

[TisDone]

Over bribery definitely sounds like the way to go. I'm sure a kid won't be spoiled for life if you overindulge for the potty training process. My other thought is to wait until the kid seems ready ... changing diapers really isn't that bad ... tearing both parents and kid's hair out forcing it just doesn't seem like a productive use of hair!

And feel free to share whatever poop stories you feel are necessary ... its all part of the process. (says the SAHD of a 2.5 yo girl who is no where near potty training).

[cube]

I don't want to jinx it. I'll just say a quiet bravo.

Your post brings back memories of when my girls were going through the potty times. Thank goodness we survived those years. Now we're into worrying about the pets and their pooping mishaps. I guess humans never stop worrying about inappropriate pooping
;-)

[the weirdgirl]

Lisa & KC, thanks you two! I know you both have been through it yourselves.

TisDone, the bribes do seem a big incentive. And you're right, I'm trying not to push it either. You'll know when your daughter is ready. We tried, very briefly, when my son was about 2 1/2 and he just wasn't ready, but now that he's two months shy of his 3rd birthday he's much more interested. He just has these days where he doesn't want to cooperate... ON ANYTHING! Prizes notwithstanding. That slows down the process.

Hi Cube, thanks! I hear you... the worst for me is when you start walking around the house going, "Do you smell that? Is that poop?" Poop hunts suck. Whether from pets or children.

[red pen mama]

We are on the opposite track here at Casa di RPM. Monkey's got the poop thing down cold (so to speak), but she still doesn't seem to get when she has to pee.

The other night, as she played with her LeapPad at the kitchen table, she calmly informed me she had peed. In her pajamas. My mature response: I burst into tears. It had been a bad day.

Anyway, rewards are the way to go. I haven't worked up to toys yet, but M&M are key. I feel bad when I forget to reward her (easy to do when there's a younger sister in the mix).

Bravo, Chance & WG. It gets better from here...

ciao,
rpm

[the weirdgirl]

Oh RPM! I'm sorry. I've had days like those, too. Especially those moments where you've JUST gotten them cleaned up when another mess happens! Argh!

Sometimes I forget to give him his M&Ms, too, but then that just means he's that much less hyper (so I don't feel TOO bad). The toys I like best are the play-doh and stickers... they're totally consumable (as in, used up quickly, not eaten) so they don't multiply into more plastic toys all over the house. I'm thinking of introducing sparkly crayons as prizes next.

[Chag]

Congratulations! We used M&Ms for our daughter, too. But we gave her 1 M&M for Number One, and two M&Ms for... you get the picture. I'm dreading training our son.

[Charlie]

Congrats!! We are just starting and it's the toughest thing we've had to teach so far.