Monday, May 19, 2008

You're invited...

to my pity party...Yeah, I'm feeling a little blue about potty training this evening. Elsie has yet to go in the big girl potty even one single time in her 3+ years of life. She first showed some interest when she was about 18 months old, and I bought her panties and a little potty chair. She liked to play on it, but never went. So, I backed off and we gave it another try after she turned 2. We bought a little seat that sits on the regular toilet. Still no luck. Since then, she goes through periods of time where she really wants to sit on the potty (but nothing happens) or she's absolutely against it and wants her diapers. Either way, I really haven't pushed it. I wanted to get it done last summer before Claira arrived, but when I realized that wasn't going to happen, I've been pretty relaxed about the entire thing. But, I'd really like to have her potty trained before the end of the summer.
Anyway, we spent this last week planning a "Potty Party." We talked about it with Elsie and got her excited all week long. Yesterday, we went on a shopping trip and picked out new big girl panties, special soap for handwashing after using the potty and a new *purple* towel to dry her hands with, and a new water bottle to drink out of while she's trying to go potty. We bought stickers to mark her success with. Tonight, we made brownies to celebrate. All this in anticipation that tomorrow she's going to wear big girl panties and potty on the big girl potty. Rrriiiiggghhhttt. Well, we did succeed in the enthusiasm portion of the event. Elsie wanted her big girl panties on right away, and she wanted to sit on the potty. Of course, I gave in. So, we filled up her water bottle, grabbed some books, and settled in on the potty. We read 3 books, got a water refill, counted and drank some more. We read some more. We counted more. She did not potty. There were a couple of times she got really fidgety, and I knew that she needed to go so we distracted her. She sat on the potty for a good 30-40 minutes and peed on the floor within a minute of getting off the potty.
How do you talk a kid into peeing in the potty?
Elsie's best friend, Lydia, is not potty-trained yet either. She will actually go on the potty, but she has accidents if Stef doesn't take her in time. Lydia won't initiate it. I say they're a lot farther along than we are! Anyway, I'm going to be praying extra hard that Lydia will potty train soon. Hopefully some of my prayers to bless others will pay themselves back to us quickly!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hang in there. We used some potty stickers on a paper chart. It showed her progress and encouraged her without putting too much pressure on her. We also went shopping with her and let her pick out her own underwear.

Anonymous said...

You'll get there for sure. It just takes time for it to "click" for our kids. Lainey literally went from not going at all to totally daytime tinkle trained in two days - and daytime completely trained in about two weeks. You are not alone - just be patient. She'll make that connection soon! Sending you positive potty vibes!!! Jen