Pretty much every child over the age of 2 is potty trained in this country. Wipes are crazy expensive, diapers are crazy expensive, and all of the little tinies are trained to use the bathroom when they are, well, tiny. Exceptionally tiny, by American standards. They can't even talk, and they can use the bathroom. So it is with great chagrin that we send my very special youngest snowflake off to preschool in diapers and to swim lessons in swim diapers.
Numero Uno was highly articulate, woke up dry every morning, and steadfastly refused to use the potty until she was 3 years, 3 months old. But she was my first child, so I foolishly assumed that our second go at potty training would be so very different. I was SO SURE that having a big sister would make all of the difference in the world. I was SO SURE we would be out of diapers by now. I was SO SURE that the second time had to be easier.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
SB is just as highly articulate and just as stubborn as her sister. We have tried not to make it an issue, we have tried not raising it at all, we have tried to wait until she showed some interest. But you know what? That is not working. She is NEVER going to show any interest. All of the kids use these cute little toddler-sized toilets in her classroom. Has that made her interested? Nope, refuses. Even better, she refuses to let anyone at her preschool change her diaper. She says only mommy, daddy, and our nanny are allowed to do that. Older sister takes her to the potty and uses it at the same time to encourage her. Has that made her interested? Nope. We have a fancy new potty chart with fancy new stickers, and a big present wrapped and hanging in the bathroom for when she uses the potty enough that all 12 stickers are on the potty chart. Has that made her interested? Nope.
I have no ideas. She has peed herself EVERY time we have let her do diaperless (we have tried many times, including for the last three days). She has not peed on the potty once. I would give up and say that maybe she's not ready, but the pediatrician ensures me she is ready by every physical and psychological measure, and. . .
This morning after she woke up, she took her diaper off by herself and sat on her potty. "What are you doing?" I asked. "I'm pooping," she said confidently. And then she did.
There's hope, right? We'll get there? Please tell me we'll get there.
5 comments:
I don't have any experience with potty training but I am wishing you good luck!
I've been potty training my son, our oldest, since July. July. He'll be 4 at the end of May. I've used all of the same tricks you have, and you're right, it's sheer stubbornness. I seriously think this is the worst parenting task of all time. I'll take sleep training over potty training any day. We are finally to the point where he will poop on the potty, but to get there, I had to put him back in Pull-Ups (since I was sick of cleaning his underwear multiple times a day!), which then caused him to lose interest in peeing in the potty. We're heading out of town for Easter, but when we return, the game is over. I'm putting him in underwear and dealing with whatever happens. Aye-yi-yi, I feel your pain!
You will get there. On her timetable, but some day :-)
"And then she did." Yes, you'll get there.
What Mel said :-)
It's good for me to read this post, for I am instead dealing with early teen issues and I'm also wondering, "ugh, will we ever get there?"
You and Mel gave me the answer I needed to hear.
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