Friday, April 04, 2008

Potty Training....maybe.

I have begun to think Bug is ready to potty train.
Actually, I need to mention that I totally don't want to do this. And not for the reasons that most people might think. It has nothing to do with the fact that I don't want him to grow up, because I really want him to, and LOVE seeing him do new things every single day. I love that he is 3 years old, talking, climbing and learning new things. I love this stage in his life more than where he was even a year ago, and I remember thinking back a year ago I loved the stage he was at then compaired to the crawling baby and even the newborn that I had. Everyday I love it more then the day before.
The real reason I don't want to do this is because I am fearful that I am going to fail. I feel like I don't know what I am doing, to help teach him how to go to the potty in the toilet. I just don't feel confident in how to do it, and I guess I am not looking forward to the accidents, that are going to happen. They will!
Even though I am fearful, I have taken a few steps to help this task happen. Bug picked out his own big boy underware last week, and got to wear them. I wanted him to pee in them so that he could feel how it felt, hoping that he would not like how it felt and maybe this would be a modivation. NOPE. He peed and then screamed at me when I tried to take off the wet underwear. So I realized he was not ready.
Then I did some more research on how to potty train..and found some information that I didn't know. I know most people recommend you change them only in the bathroom but our bathroom is really small, and the cat box is in there, and I just feel it is so dirty. No matter how many times I sweep there is litter on the floor. It is very difficult to change a poopie diaper with a child standing up.
What I didn't realize was that kids need to see their business going into the toilet, so that is what I have been doing this week. And when they do finally use the potty let them look at what they did. Don't be quick to get rid of it. Let them see it. I thought this was funny but very interesting. But the fact that Bug had yet to go pee in his potty I was not sure how to do this.
Today, before getting him dressed for the day Bug told me he wanted to run around naked. So I told him he could run around for 2 minutes but then we needed to get dressed because we didn't want to belate for the Birthday Party. He said "OK" and was off. The way our living room, dinning room and upstairs bedrooms are, they make a circle and when all the doors are open Bug can run in a circle and he does. Bug did this a couple times and then ran into the kitchen and I quickly told him not to run in the kitchen because the floor is slippery and I didn't want him to fall. He told me then, "I want to go potty." I said, "OH, lets go potty then." The bathroom is off the kitchen. I grabbed the timer and headed into the bathroom. Bug was trying to open the adult toilet. I reminded him that Mommy and Daddy had bought him his own toilet to learn how to go potty in and that he would be more comfortable sitting on that one. He sat down, and I told him that if he sat for 1 minute on the potty he would get a sticker, and if he also went pee at that time that he would get two stickers. I truly didn't think he would pee, but thought "Hey, it won't hurt to mention it, and let him know that either way, just sitting on the potty he would get a treat. I wanted to make it fun. Then I was shocked when he actually went pee!!!! I squeeled with delight!!! Scared Bug I think. I was so proud of him!!!! We did a happy dance afterwards and gave him his treats...2 stickers!!! He was so happy. And I was so proud.
So since tomorrow is Saturday and we have nothing planned we are going to set the timer every 10 minutes and have him sit on the potty and see if he will go pee in it again. Not sure if I am going to have him wear his big boy undies tomorrow or the diaper for the day, and then try the big boy undies on Sunday. Sunday is General Confrence- I just remembered so we can stay home on Sunday and watch Confrence from home! YEA! I will sleep on the idea of wearing the big boy undies tomorrow too and let you all know how it goes. I don't want to rush anything, but take things slowly, because I really am not sure if today was just a fluke.

OH and be sure to check out the 2 other posts I did today (Friday) LOOK BELOW!

2 jittering comments:

The CLAMShack: said...

hi. just thinking how we coped with the twins....you have to just do it. so when you decide to do the big boy undies.....you have to go all the way...no switching back and forth. it will make you crazy...but just know, he will get it. even if he hides under the table and poops in his pants occasionally. he will eventually get it! good luck! i will send you and Bug lots of happy thoughts!

Andrea said...

I was not ready for messes, so I went the pull up way. Worked for us.
Also, I never had a little potty just because I did not want to have to clean it- yuck. And wanted her to be able to go anywhere we were at.
Good luck with it all. Not fun, but really when they are ready they just get it and it's easy.

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