So, I have to admit something—up until recently, I was feeling pretty good about myself, in terms of the whole parenting thing. I mean, sure, it’s really a “learn on the job”-type gig, but with rare exception, I wasn’t really questioning my skills.
Like I said, UP UNTIL RECENTLY.
As many of you know, my son T is rapidly nearing the age of 3, and we’ve decided it’s time to start potty training him. Now, I’m not going to mince words--My kid is pretty smart. He does not let anything get past him [insert various books and songs memorized here, conveniently omitting “Disturbia” and some questionable mid-90’s rap I played in the car while I THOUGHT HE WAS SLEEPING], and I suspect he may be cracking the code to cold fusion EVEN AS I WRITE THIS.
I kind of thought, therefore, that potty training him would be a breeze, but it seemed that he was, shall we say, resistant to the process. By which I mean, said process was in fact an unmitigated failure. J and I decided to give it a rest and revisit Operation: No More Diapers in a few months.
As luck would have it, I was contacted in the interim by Pull-Ups; they asked me if I would be willing to serve as a “Potty Ambassador,” which does not come with diplomatic immunity, but does come with free Pull-Ups, compensation, access to potty training experts and the opportunity to share my experience of potty training T with you all over the next few weeks.
Naturally, I accepted, because people? Potty training is…challenging. I’m flying blind here, and I need all the help I can get. This is a dream come true, in that it’s LITERALLY like someone paying me to go to the dentist, or work out, or something.
One of Pull-Ups’ goals here is to make potty training less of a chore, and I plan to use every tool they’re offering me to make it so. In terms of preparation, I’ve spent the past week telling T (with an almost alarming level of enthusiasm) that he’s going to start using the toilet soon, and I’ve stockpiled his favorite stickers and candy. (Bribery: Huzzah!) The Pull-Ups are here (thanks again, Pull-Ups!), as are the “big boy” pairs of underwear for when he’s ready. I’ve printed out a customizable progress chart for him, too. There will hopefully be some laughs, no tears, and considerably less scrubbing of pee from my formerly nice rug this time around. Oh, there will also be a contest, and some dancing (definitely T, POSSIBLY me, God help us all) in weeks to come.
I hope you guys will join me as I recount T’s progress, reporting back to you as he makes the transition from diaper to toilet over the next few weeks. I’m nervous, but excited, and need all the support I can get. I’d love it if you’d share with me any advice/potty training stories you think would help/make us laugh. I need it all!
As noted, I am being compensated by Pull-Ups for my role as spokesperson, however the opinions and feelings expressed here are my own. Become a fan of Pull-Ups on Facebook!
You can also find me at metalia.blogspot.com!
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10 comments:
OMG! What a great gig - the free Pull-Ups alone are worth it. Well, that and being made an ambassador.
Wheee! Or, should I say weeeeeeee! Congrats--sounds like a good time. For me anyway, as my son is only a year old and I'm happy with diapers thankyouverymuch. I fear potty training so I can't wait to hear how it goes for you!
I also have a little one who is closing fast one 3. She definitely likes using the toilet (refuses the potty chair - and we're not even training) but has too many accidents to actually start yet.
I'll be happy to follow along.
I sincerely hope you have business cards that say Potty Ambassador on them. And that you send one to me so I can flash it around in bars.
i couldn't think of a better potty ambassador!
ps. bribery is THE best way to toilet train! hahah!
Just like Tori Spelling!
We just went through this 2 months ago with our daughter. I know this sounds crazy, but we went cold turkey. Sunday morning she woke up and we put on underwear. The first two days were all accidents (gross). The 3rd day only one accident and the 4th day she was accident free. Since then she has been potty trained for 2 months and has had only one accident (she still wears diapers when she sleeps).
I've always been really big on being honest with one's children. . .you know, not making up stories to encourage/discourage behavior (i.e. if you run away from mommy, a monster will get you. . .weird stuff like that). But when my little one was approaching three a few months ago, it became apparent that she was much like T--resistant to potty training. She is also, like him, very intelligent. I was at a loss of how to get her potty trained with a minimum of stress and anguish for both of us, and so I'll admit, I employed a big ol' lie. Totally lied to my kid.
But it worked!
See, I told her (starting two or three months before her 3rd birthday) that 3-year-olds are not allowed to wear diapers. There simply are not any diapers made for three-year-olds. So on her birthday, we were going to wake up, put on big-girl undies, and start using the potty. Of course, she was familiar with the potty--had sat on it several times, even gone in it once, but was just refusing to do it in any serious way. Anyway. We talked about this all the time in the months and weeks leading up to her birthday--I just continually, casually reminded her that there are no diapers for three-year-olds. After a while, she bought in, big time. She was so excited about all of this talk that THREE means BIG GIRL, not a baby anymore, that she actually seemed really excited about this whole birthday-morning-no-more-diapers thing.
Of course, I was very apprehensive about how it would actually turn out. I know my kid very well, but you just never know--half of me thought that it would be a huge anti-climax, that we'd get to the birthday and she'd just continue to flat-out refuse to go to the potty.
To sum up a long story, that didn't happen. We woke up on her birthday, and after celebrating for a few minutes with hugs and cuddles, I said "Okay, time to put on your big-girl panties! Do you need to go to the potty?" And she totally went along with it. So cold turkey it was, and it worked. I was diligent about asking her if she needed to go, about every half hour that first day. It tapered off from there as I learned her "schedule," and we didn't have a single accident for two whole weeks. Two weeks in, we did have an accident, and there have been two or three since then (in three months' time), but I figure that's pretty normal--she'll just get really wrapped up in playing and forget sometimes.
So yeah. Normally I'm not a big advocate of lying to the kids. But I have to say, I don't have a bit of regret about this one!
Oh I am DYING to hear how it goes. Potty training hasn't been going so well in our house and today it is ROYALLY SUCKING. Wrote about it here: www.minismith.com. Pull-ups do not control the poop Brighton produces, but maybe that's not a normal amount or maybe they're not supposed to control poop. Either way, I wish this whole potty training thing was all over!!
Thank you all so much for your support, stories and input! Kara, your story is cracking me up; it reminds me of my friend who got her son off bottles by taking him to the zoo, and telling him that the baby lambs in the petting zoo needed them. :)
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