Sunday, August 03, 2008

Day 4

We are potty training again. We have been potty training off and on for like 2 years now. Mostly off, by the way. I'm not that dedicated. But Kate is showing most of the 'signs' of being ready, so we are trying again. Also, I'm tired of changing diapers for 2 kids, and Kate is almost 3.

The first day was not so good. I think we had approximately 4 changes of underwear in a one hour period of time.

The second day was better, although we went to a First Friday event at Tim's squadron that afternoon, during which Kate wore a diaper.

Yesterday was also not so good. I questioned my ability to ascertain Kate's readiness, and my parenting skills in general. Kate spent the morning whining about how she didn't want to wear big girl underwear. Tim talked her down from the ledge (and me, as well, for that matter), and she ended up in undies for most of the day, with only one accident (I think). Yesterday afternoon I bought her some Dora and Tinkerbell underwear, which she loves. Bunny is wearing some Tink ones today, while Kate is sporting Dora. Another crowning achievement: Claire went pee on the potty yesterday for the first time. Oh, how wonderful it would be to have 2 children potty-trained this month! Ha.

My only major problem so far is that Kate will pee on the potty when I put her on it, but will not tell me when she has to go. When exactly is this skill acquired? Or, dear God, am I starting too soon? I HOPE NOT. Other minor problem: poo. But everyone says they have that problem, so I'm crossing that bridge when we have the pee part better mastered.

I re-ordered the book, Potty Power, which my friend Erika swears by, and am hopeful that when it shows up in my mailbox, we can use it as reinforcement. Until then, I will take any advice I can get.

6 comments:

joanna said...

Wow - potty training two at a time! I bet it can be done since I think my girls were ready at different ages. I was just going to say that for us, the announcing "I have to go" has come after 'being trained'. He would sometimes just go into the bathroom alone to do it, and then call out for help, but usually pee goes in the potty at our suggestion. Good luck! Wouldn't that be great to just be done... and I wonder if your girls are close enough in age that competition will work in your favor (not that I'm advocating starting a sibling rivalry or anything).

Jen said...

Joanna - I am totally for any means necessary to get them both trained at once! I have no problem with a little healthy competition to get that to work, if I can...so far I am doubtful, though.

Katie said...

Oh god. I have NO freaking CLUE what I'm doing over here either. We had major successes like two months ago--was basically trained except for number 2.... and now we're back to SCREAMING and holding crotches and doing pee pee dances and REFUSING TO PEE and HOLY SHIT I'm going to lose my mind over this crap. So, I'm NO help.

Some people say to set a timer for every 30 minutes but that almost killed me and just pissed Becca off. But, maybe it would work for Kate??

Anonymous said...

Hi jen,
I can't remember a ton of details about how we trained Katy but I'll tell you what I do remember. We tried before she was 3 and it didn't work. Started out ok but just kept getting worse as the days went on. So we put it on hold until she was just over 3. I had told her that when we moved to our new house that she wouldn't wear a diaper anymore and would go in the potty. At first it was good, then some resistance but I didn't give in- no diapers at all. I would remind her to go- she wouldn't tell me on her own. She wouldn't poop so I called our Dr. and he said she could go five days without pooping before it was a problem and to feed her high fiber foods to help her to go. She didn't poop for five days but then she had,had, had to so on the potty she went and then that was the end of it.

I never put her in pull-ups either. She had been waking up dry for a long time before we started training so I knew she wouldn't go in bed. I am sometimes amazed at her ability to hold it. I wish I was more like that. Best of luck- it is a challenge.

Steph

Andrea and Ben said...

I would be impressed even more by Claire if she potty trained already. You would be diaper free - can you even imagine! I won't get my hopes up too much on that one, but competition works with girls as close in age as yours. I started reading at 3 because my big sister was learning. Anything is possible!

Elizabeth said...

No advice here. As usual, I'll watch you do it and then copy what you do, one year later.

Is there ANYTHING Claire can't do? That kid is superbaby. Geesh.

Happy Painting!!! :)