*
Mommy disclaimer: I believe potty training stories fall into the realm of “things other people don’t want to hear about unless they are going through it or just did”. Other things that potentially fall into this category: fishing stories, golf game reports, fantasy football records and yes, this is going to be controversial here, but birth stories *gasp*.
But if you are in the process of
potty training or have thought of
potty training in the future, this may or may not be helpful information. But it could scare you really badly and bring you to my thought that we should all
just say no to potty training!
My Potty Training Journey as a Mom
About 3 years ago the following scene happened in an Ultrasound room at a local hospital:
US Tech: So, you have two boys, huh?
Me and my husband: uh, huh.
US Tech: *pointing to screen* Do you see that right there?
Me: Oh Lord…I have to potty train THREE BOYS?
Let me clarify that I was excited about having another boy because realistically, I have all the stuff and I am getting into the groove of this, but the horror that is potty training overwhelmed me at that moment and has come back to haunt me now. I figure that God sent me this last boy to potty train to entertain Himself. I can hear the heavenly
mocking laughter now.
Let’s have a potty training review–
BOY #1: I read ever article, book, pamphlet, Internet advice and watched the Dr. Phil potty train in one day show. I got all the stuff recommended. I started just after Ryan turned 2 in hopes that he would be potty trained by the time his brother was born. I followed the Dr. Phil plan to the letter. Throwing massive pee parties complete with favors and noise makers. By day three I was a huddled mass on the bathroom floor yearning to be free. Free from the hell of potty training. Free from the restraints of living in the bathroom. Free from the FAILURE. I made an executive decision to stop the hemorrhaging. We discontinued the potty training. Didn’t mention it until well after the baby was born. Didn’t do anything else until Ryan was 3. Didn’t do anything but write a scathing email to Dr. Phil.
BOY #1 Round Two: Ryan has always been smart. Too smart. He has always been conniving. Too conniving. Waiting to potty train a child until after 3 who is smart and conniving is a recipe for disaster. Overall, it was easier to get him to go on the potty and complete the necessary tasks, BUT then the bargaining began. He started holding his poop and pee hostage for ever escalating demands. “I will go pee on the potty if you give me this”. “I will go poop on the potty if you will give me that”.
Lord help me. I made an executive decision to stop all rewards and then suffered the consequences. But finally well after mommy exhaustion had set in, BOY #1 was FINALLY potty trained *
insert angel choir singing here*.
BOY #2: I can sometimes learn from my mistakes. I didn’t even think potty training with Boy #2 until age 3. I set aside 2 weeks to vegetate on the bathroom floor and we began. Boy #2 is a very different soul from his older brother. Boy #2 has no interest in rewards or winning. Boy #2 lives in a different world. I often describe Reid as being “on island time”. So, for 2 straight weeks of me obsessing about the potty, Reid did not go on the potty. Not. one. time. Then on day 10 he suddenly went pee while standing and afterward never had an accident. The switch had been flipped. Hallelujah, except for one tiny issue: poop. Yes, my dear island boy hadn’t pooped on the potty. Not. one. time. He stood to pee and then would go poop in his underwear. This went on and on for NINE MONTHS. Nine months. Nine months. Yep, you read that correctly, nine months. Then he decided to poop on the potty and hasn’t had an accident. Boy #2 was FINALLY potty trained *insert angel choir singing here*.
BOY #3: My
crazy baby turned 2 in December. He believes he is 5 and because he follows his brothers around all day is a bit advanced in some areas. He has shunned all things baby for awhile and now is shunning the diaper. He is obsessed with the potty. When we are out shopping he will ask to go to the potty. I politely tell him that he isn’t potty trained and I am not going into a disgusting public restroom with him for that purpose until he is. He is showing ALL the signs of potty readiness. ALL THE SIGNS. Yet, I do nothing. Don’t get me wrong, if we are HOME and he wants to go potty, I oblige. BUT I am not doing anything extra to encourage it. WHY? Because I am tired. Because I am terrified. Because I hear heavenly mocking in my head. Because I am lazy. Because I know my life will never be the same once we start. Because, because, because…
What would happen if I just said no to potty training?
Would that be so wrong?
UPDATE: I believe my
Just Say No to Potty Training Method will be the wave of the future. I just kept telling #3 no until he insisted. And then I said no again. He begged! He pleaded. He kept at it and finally convinced me to potty train him. We started one morning at around 7 am. He was fully potty trained by 7:15. The key was HE was in charge and HE was motivated.
Whew!
ps… If you want to
potty train in three days,
try this!
Please stop by
our FB page and tell us your potty training tale!
He WANTS to go potty? I’m at a loss. I cannot comprehend it. Mine shrieks when I even mention potty. I’m convinced I’ll get called to 8th grade to clean his poop covered butt.
I was never in a rush about potty training, but then I’m kind of lazy. Maybe not actually lazy, but in the they’ll-get-there-when-they-get-there club.
My girl did what your Boy #2 did. Re: #2. I thought we would never emerge from that barren…er…wasteland.
Just think ahead a year or two and know that you’ll be free of the training. And, since you have boys, you can make Mr. HRH take them to the bathroom when he’s with you.
I’m snickering over here. I just had a long discussion on potty training with the royal judith shakespeare 🙂 LOL.
I tried for 2 days to ‘train’ princess. Yeah. that worked. Waited until she was ready and one day at about 2 1/2 she just went into the bathroom and went. Done. That was it.
I’m so letting the boy learn on his own too. There’s no point stressing over it, IMO. I will be coming to you for advice… seeing as he’s a boy and all 🙂
Well, you know all about my challenges. And, if you hadn’t already guessed, my theory on the whole subject of blogging about stuff other people might not want to hear about is, DON’T FREAKIN READ IT if you don’t want to.
We definitely had our own challenges around here when both kids hit three and refused to use the potty for any sort of solid voiding…nine months in underwear, I can relate.
But all that’s just a distant memory now. Six and eight and fully in charge of their own bodily functions. But then there’s the issue of wiping. When does a mother’s job end?
My 2 1/2 year old is always asking to sit on the potty too especially when we are out and about and one of the other two start doing the dance and I send them into the bathroom. I always have to explain to him that he is wearing diaper and he can just do it there. I almost laugh at myself sometimes because I don’t want to potty train him yet. I like him in diapers because then I don’t have to worry about finding a decent restroom in every store we go to. Even though I am well acquainted with all of them anyway.
My first daughter was very hard to train–I went crazy like you did with your first. My second daughter literally took off her diaper after her second birthday, said no more, got in big girl panties and that was that.
Now boy#1 here has been oh so fun! I wish we could say no to potty training but his diapers had an odor that would choke a skunk in a junkyard!
Fun, fun.
Good luck with that. We just started potty training callee and now there are some changes going on so I’m not sure how that will go.
Is it possible that the spirits of all three of your boys are residing in my one child? She who cannot be bribed, but heck, if you’re going to bribe her, she sure will hold out until you go for the good stuff. She who asks to go potty all.the.time but doesn’t ever actually go potty. She who is going to make me rip every little hair out of my head because she’s ready for some serious potty training but I just can’t handle it?
Um, yeah, I feel your pain. Every day.