Saturday, March 14, 2009

Potty Training: Assessing the Situation

So I came up with a plan ... Let her wear panties around the house (especially for the three days I planned to be home with her). Set my timer for every 30-45 minutes, and take her to the potty regularly. Put pull-ups on for naps and diapers at night.

Well, Thursday afternoon went really well. She went in the potty 6 times and had 4 accidents.

Then Friday morning started out well, and she even took her baby to the bathroom with her. But later in the day it seemed to be going down hill. I counted 11 accidents before I stopped counting. She went in the potty three times throughout the morning and early afternoon. But after her nap, she peed on herself 4 times in the course of an hour, even though she went in the potty in the middle of that.

So I started thinking about the check lists I ready online. "Is Your Child Ready?" I could answer "yes" to every questions except one: Does your child wake up from naps dry and/or stay dry for lengthy periods of time?

No.

And I thought maybe it was just because we hadn't tried. But now I think it's because maybe she's not quite ready to hold it. Or, rather, maybe she can't physically hold it. I don't want her crying about the potty, which is where we left it yesterday afternoon. And, like we talked about before, I don't want to be pushy with this.

She did get up and go this morning, but then she peed on herself 20 minutes later.

Again, I'm opening this up for discussion. (Greg just said, so you want everyone to know what we're thinking about potty training. Well, yes, because you all give good feedback!) So, what do you think?

2 comments:

  1. I think your plan was good. I think you hit the nail on the head with the "holding it" discovery. One thing you might ask yourself is: would you rather have a lot of starts and stops and victories and set backs, or would you rather give it up temporarily so that you can restart when it's MORE the right time?

    The way we've been doing it is making it an exciting OPTION for now ("You know, Genevieve, if you went poopy in the POTTY, you'd get candy! Do you want to try that?"). Put her on there every now and then, let her wear panties sometimes, and giving her TONS of praise when she does it. But then, we are in NO HURRY to get her potty trained. We reward if it happens, shrug it off easily if it doesn't.

    But different techniques work with different kids! I heard of some kids needing a challenge to COMPETE with other kids, some need to SEE bigger kids doing it, some are motivated by earning rewards or stickers or privileges, some need consequences for not doing it... http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/CTGY/Potty-Training-Methods.html

    I think you're doing great! I also think it's wonderful that we have access to the Maker of our children so that we can ask His Expert Assistance in learning how best to train our unique child! I pray that you seek His wisdom, your husband's counsel, and then come to a peace about the decision!

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  2. i'm impressed she went in the potty at all! Go Cate!!!!!!

    I think it depends on your assessment of the situation. Do youthink she's ready to keep going...or should you just ask her every now and then just to get her used to doi ng it? LIzzy's t ryin g 42222222
    to he lp so rry , bvvv
    b . oh ./ d./ear,hbv m,÷d

    il;l email u later w.o her help

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