We decided, on Sunday, to follow a certain set of fellow parents in our quest to toilet train Miranda. Simon’s boss and his wife have a daughter who’s about a month older. 3 weeks ago they went cold turkey – that is no diapers or pull-ups except for naps and bedtime – in hopes of kickstarting toilet training. (They’re into week 4 with the odd mistake, even on trips to the store.) We followed suit.
We rolled up our living room carpet and gated off at the entrance to the kitchen. This kitchen-dining room-living room area is our largest space of laminate flooring. It’s an easy clean up. I would let her run around outside, but they’re digging up next door for the sewer and it looks like we might have ours started tomorrow. It’s a little too dangerous and dirty right now.
Sunday was a mess in every sense of the word. She went through so many pairs of pants and cloth undies. The windex was constantly being sprayed. Not to mention we had company over. However, we were lucky in that the company consisted of Katya and her family. She’s younger than Miranda, but is well on the well to being trained. She too was wearing real underwear. It was a good influence on Miranda to see someone she calls “baby” peeing on the potty/toilet. Peer “pressure” is a key.
Monday was a little more relaxed. I didn’t have to tutor, so she had my full attention. I tell you, it was spent living on the pot. She still kept going through pants like crazy. She’d say pee as she was going. I asked Simon to get some lick ‘n’ stick stars like we had in elementary school for progress charts. The idea came to me Sunday night. Maybe seeing her successes would help. I made a little chart with a pic of a little girl sitting on a potty, followed by a days of the week grid to put stars. Before bed she managed to pee a little in the toilet, got a star, peed a bit more in the potty, and got a star.
Today we managed to have more success still. She woke up dry in the morning and dry after her nap too. She said pee just before she went. The day started with many changes of pants, but she gradually got the idea of peeing in the pot. She would say pee and I would say, quick hurry to the potty. Most times she’d dribble then hold it until she got to the potty. Sometimes it she realized too late, or she was in a position that required too much moving to hold the bladder…I wasn’t watching for the signs closely enough. Every time she went/half went on the potty she chose a star and put it on her chart.
Maybe tomorrow will bring continued success. Hopefully I haven’t jinxed it with this posting. We’ve come close before only to not succeed. I know this’ll be a long and arduous journey with periodic setbacks.
I’m glad that it seems to be moving forward. She’s a smart girl, and she understands enough. The stickers were a great idea.
*fingers crossed*
At least you have hardwood floors to do that. We tried that with Zach but, he just went anyways….So this summer will be spent outside to try and finish the potty training. He’s doing excellent just, still pees himself from time to time…..
Good luck….
It’s little different from last time. we intended for her to soak herself this time. The squelching around is supposed to work for girls. Now it’s funny. She runs to the potty when she really has to go, but doesn’t do anything. She holds herself and runs back and forth from the potty 50 times, but doesn’t go. It’s funny and frustrating. We spent half the day on the potty waiting.