Potty Training Sucks: 101
Learn what my littlest is now doing that’s making me cringe...
I promise I’ve learned a lot and have some serious tips to give to any parent going through this stage…
“Oh my gosh!” I yelled in excitement as my three-year-old walked into my room this morning DRY from a whole night.
That was night two of no pull up — and she’s almost four. I’m not one to compare, but I’ve seen parents train their kids in a few days without needing to go a year or so afterwards keeping a pull up on at night.
Honestly, I would rather not have another child just so I don’t have to add to the list of children I need to potty train — and then I question my weakness as a mother since my own mom potty trained all thirteen of her children by herself. What a wimp I am (there I go not comparing again).
So, let me go back to when it started for me. I was young and naive as a mother, but I know we all are in the beginning. My first child (a boy) I had potty trained right as he turned two. I realize that is young for a boy, but I also spent a year keeping him on the toilet. We didn’t do diapers at home and I cleaned up a lot of pee that year… everywhere.
My second child I got wiser and waited till he was over two before starting. Though I feel as if it did no good because he was almost three before the job was complete. This issue I attribute to our move from different states, and the inconsistency that I had due to having another child already.
Yes, my kids were close in age. I have eighteen months between the first and second, AND between the second and third. My third and fourth were twenty-three months apart… So, I have pretty much always had two kids in diapers.
My third child, my first girl, I thought would be easier than my boys. That was wrong of me — I was a fool.
Granted, I was also fairly inconsistent with her since I was under immense pressure in the current living situation at the time. And when I finally decided that she was going to be potty trained, I just took the diapers and never gave them back. Which was dreadful… I’m sick of cleaning up pee.
To this day, my girl tinkles herself often… and I assume it’s nothing more than just not wanting to quit playing long enough to go find a toilet. But even then, I’ve kept her in pull ups at night for about a year — until two nights ago.
My ornery and most clever young lady put her pull up on for the nighttime routine — and ran out to give me a hug for bed. She stood right beside me, and I could hear the spritzing of her urinating in her pull up… WTF WAS THAT?!
“Did you just pee yourself?!”
“Yes, mom. But it’s okay because I have a pull-up on” she said in the most innocent voice.
I can’t even express how frustrated I was! My day already felt like it lasted forever, leaving me in a twilight of exhaustion and despair.
“Okay, THATS IT!”
I took her to her bedroom; helped her change and told her she was not allowed to wear a pull up again. And so far, it’s been a whole 48 hours. No turning back now.
I still have my second boy, who is a bed wetter. He wants to quit, and we are trying to take all the steps to keep him dry at night…
BUT I STILL HAVE ONE MORE TO POTTY TRAIN. (Assuming I’m not blessed with another child even if it isn’t in our plans)
And the thought brings me night terrors.
I refuse. I demand a nanny come take her for a few weeks and fix it, so I don’t have to deal with it. Does anyone do that?
I can say — I disallow myself to start this before she and I are so good and ready… which is my first “tip”. Make sure you’re both READY (I’ll spill on that below)
I just told you all my failures, so don’t feel obligated to take my advice when it comes to training your own. Maybe I should get this last one trained before I give advice…
Nahh…
I’ve read books too… so I can say a few things.
Readiness comes to a parent — well, whenever you're ready. But some key factors to keep in mind are:
- Don’t start when your kiddo is sick
- OR when you have a big life change coming or just happened (like a move… my mistake)
- Or when you’re expecting a new little one, which is usually when I wanted to start.
But you better be ready when your toddler shows signs. Usually that happens around 24–36 months old. When they realize they can control their bladder. But there are other signs as well to keep watching for — such as:
- Staying dry for a couple hours at a time.
- Having regular poops
- Interested in sitting on the toilet like her siblings or parents
- Can understand and follow simple directions.
Do realize that you can accomplish potty training in your own time… fast paced, casual or relaxed.
But no matter, you still need to be able to set a block of time aside (a few days) to get going and have nothing on your calendar so you can stay home.
I am BAD at this.
The Actual Nitty Gritty Part
Have you ever heard that teaching something is the best way to learn it? That is the method we used help our kiddos understand the beginnings.
Have them teach a teddy bear or doll how to go potty. Give the teddy a drink, make sure the teddy stays dry and reward the teddy with candy (which of course the child gets to help eat the candy).
Did it work? No idea — because I made other drastic mistakes during the process that eliminated my chances of success.
But that’s pretty much it. Have them teach a teddy and then repeat the process on them (maybe use a timer so they aren’t staying off the toilet very long).
Rewards like crazy! And it needs to be something they love! Even if it’s candy — use it. This is a skill and it’s perfectly acceptable to reward something new that the kiddo is learning.
Ultimately — potty training is about the Timing, the Method and Motivation.
And unfortunately, I need to start with my littlest one now — because she is starting to take her own diaper off after just a tinkle... then bringing me a clean one. She did that this morning, so I assumed she was only wet, but no...
It was too late for me- poop was all over my hands, all down her legs and on her clothes. I carried her to the bathtub and went to find the messy diaper.
Here’s the kicker...
It wasn’t even a dirty diaper. She took the diaper off, then POOPED ON THE FLOOR, and then brought me a clean diaper.
I’m so tired of cleaning up poop and pee.
So, wish me luck as this adventure gets more intense.
And Good Luck to you as well!
Read here how I manage temper tantrums — works every time
Try this to help your kiddo tremendously
In case you don’t know me! Im a SAHM of 4 littles that specializes in teaching parents how to raise kids with principles! Plus I do some money making online to allow me the time freedom to stay home with them!
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