Yup, you guessed it. This post addresses one of my all-time favorite featurettes in the story of motherhood: potty training. I'm writing with sort of a guilty, nagging sense of shame. You see, Jack is nearly 3, and is dead set on NOT becoming toilet trained. By writing this, I am allowing myself to become quite vulnerable and open to mocking and jeering by all you fabulous moms who wiped your hands of the process (literally!) in a matter of days when your kids were, oh, maybe 15 months...
But now in my utter meekness, I am seeking your advice. I've tried bribes. I've made the chart with the most amazing stickers as a reward (that's what did it for Grant.) I've bought the cool underwear. I've begged, praised, cajoled, and the other day declared with gusto that our house was going to become a "poop free zone!" (Grant was slightly concerned about that, but really I meant "poop-in-the-diaper" free zone.) We've practiced sword fighting (well, I haven't. But we've watched Grant demonstrate.) We've read books and watched movies. What am I missing here?
Lately, Jack will say, "Mom, don't worry, I'll go on Thursday." "Saturday." "Tuesday." But, to no avail. The problem is, the kid is 40 lbs. He looks like he's 4. He doesn't FIT in diapers, and good heavens, he poops man-poops! (Sorry for the frank language.) I took him to Target and had him try all the little potty seats, and his cute, big bum can't even squeeze on any of them! We've got a little seat that fits over the big toilet, and that's going to have to cut it.
Should I just drop it and leave the poor guy alone, or can anyone give me some pointers?
12 comments:
I wish that I could help but Hailey has no interest what so ever. And I thought girls were supposed to be the easy ones with potty training (I better not ever have a boy)! Someone once told me never to force them that they will do it when they are ready; but I am afraid that she will never be ready. I have no idea; it seems like everything always contradicts itself. So just know that you are not alone in this dilemma. Good Luck! Pass on any amazing advice.
No advice, but I feel your pain. Anything he really wants to do? A friend told me her son wanted to go to a rodeo and she promised that when he was potty trained she'd take him. She said it worked immediately -- when she found the right incentive.
Nate! Nate! Nate! Whatever is he doing lately? Doesn't he want a new project? :) Truthfully, Loren would not do anything for me but after a weekend with Devin (I went on a trip) he was completely trained.
I'm trying to figure out when to take me next trip so that Devin can do the same for Adelle! Do you want to join me? It can be "Girls Weekend Out While the Men Potty Train at Home!"
Jenny it sounds like you have tried it all!! Marlee was the same way... I'm not kidding either. Her birthday was the end of August & I told her she couldn't go trick-or -treating in her fairy costume if she didn't use the "big" girl potty! Voila.. she finally did it! She wanted that candy!!! :)
I know it's not that easy but, I tell ya they finally figure it out when there stubborn little brains tell them too!!!
Good luck sista I know it's a pain & I will be asking you the same thing in about 2 years for Garrett!!! :)
Love ya
I have no advice... I just wanted to tell you how hilarious your post was!!! Kyle and I were laughing so hard. It sounds like you guys are doing great, and you have the cutest family ever. I found your blog through Elise and thought that I would say Hi! Good luck with the potty training, I'm glad that it is not on my to do list!!! Kyle and Teresa Gardner
Jenny, I wish I had advice, but my 5 YEAR OLDS STILL HAVE ACCIDENTS!!
I am a horrible potty trainer. I have no advice, just sympathy. GOOD LUCK. My method of just going strait to underwear gave me months of accident clean up duty. I threw away several pairs of underwear because I couldn't deal with cleaning an especially nasty mess. Do they have Big Lots out there? I just saw underwear there for really cheap, 2.99 for a pack of three.
(P.S. Nate sure is lucky to have a wife with such marketable skills. Seriously, how do they expect us to live on so little? Reading your little blurb on my financial post made me realize I have no excuses to complain. We luckily were able to put Andy's "mom money"(from her death) into the house, so our house payment is only $1100 per month. I don't know how you do it!! I swear we eat at least $600 in groceries per month.)
Oh girl...this post ain't pretty. I wish I could give you the cure! For our Jack we basically had "potty parties" where we'd wear big boy briefs (or no briefs) and just hang out at home all day long. Every 30 min we'd go sit on the potty and if he went he'd get to choose a treat/toy out of a bag. We had lots of salty snacks to make him drink more liquids. We did this for about 2 days. And it pretty much worked. But for the next few weeks I still had to put him on the toilet every hour or so. I wouldn't ask him, I'd just take him there and make him try. I'm sure you've heard of this theory before, but this is what we did and it worked. GOOD LUCK TO YA!
With Chase, the more I tried, the more he resisted. So I backed off. I still asked every onec in a while if he needed to go, or when that "golden bribe" came along, we used it. He woud go every once in a while, but not consistently. After a few weeks of letting it ride, he started to go on his own. The appeal of NOT going to push Mom's buttons wore off and he didn't like being in a diaper anymore. I dont know if that will help or not. I know it feels like we try EVERYTHING!! Hang in there! Love you!
Sorry to leave two comments, but I just remembered...Cheerios!! Put a cheerio in the toilet and have him "drown" it! Games always make things easier...right?? It's worth a try, and then you have an alternative to sword fighting when it's just you and him!
Oh, Jenny... this is funny in a frustrating way. Just remember that it will happen eventually. You've done so much already... take a break and revisit it later... for everyone's sanity!
Honestly, my opinion is to just wait until they are ready. I tried with Sam about 3 times (just the basic beginnings) and as soon as I could see he was not interested anymore I let it go. Just after he turned 3 I tried again and had him trained (only 2 accidents) in 2 days. I think that it is not worth all the stress and it will click when they are ready.
Plus, my Pediatrician told me not to even think about it with a boy until they turned 3. So, there's just another opinion : )
I loved your comment on my post on resident wife. It is so refreshing to hear someone else knows what it's like to have a husband who is literally in survival mode most of the time. Most people cannot relate to that. Not even most resident wives!
Your blog is hilarious! I came over here to check it out a while back and got sidetracked from making a comment b/c I saw that you have Molly on your friend list. How do you know her?? She was a friend of mine in college. Loved her! Wait! Are you sis-in-laws?? Small world.
About this post! I feel your pain. Sam was 3 1/2 until he was potty trained. We still have size 6 diapers kicking around!! I should mail them to ya! :) I finally came up with the perfect incentive for him... A big ol' marble run. The condition was that he had to throw away all his diapers. Never to be seen again. (We did use "G'Nites" for bed time. I just told him they weren't diapers. Just a special nighttime pull-up.) It totally worked. We only had a few accidents which were not too big of a deal. I think it's the accidents that help them to learn. But all of this only works if you catch them at the right time!! So trust your gut!
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