If you had asked me just a few months ago if I had anything even remotely meaningful to contribute to a discussion about potty training, I’d have laughed aloud (and loudly) at the question, not unlike Liz Lemon’s attempt to out-laugh Tracy Jordan on that episode of 30 Rock. Perhaps I’d have even thrown my head back and tossed my hair, soap opera-style, such would the absurdity have been.
It’s amazing how much can change in the span of a couple weeks. As I mentioned earlier, when Pull-Ups first approached me about becoming a Potty Ambassador, I was nervous about what the outcome of the potty training attempts would be. And mind you, I’m not saying I’m any sort of expert, by any means, but now that we’ve faced the challenge of potty training and lived to tell the tale, I’m here to give you a very important message:
YOU CAN DO THIS.
People, I had the most resistant kid imaginable. His craftiness cannot be overstated. I’m talking stubbornness of such magnitude that the first time we attempted potty training, he’d sit on the toilet for OVER A FULL HOUR (as my butt went numb from perching on the rim of the bathtub) refusing to, uh, take any action. The minute the diaper went back on, he’d stop holding it in, and would tug at me, telling me to change it. I kind of felt as though it was high noon in an old Western, and any minute, tumbleweed would come rolling on by, as we glowered at each other in the sun.
Now that I can look back and see how Potty Training Attempt 1 (unmitigated FAIL) differed from Potty Attempt 2 (VICTORY!) I think the real turning point for us was changing our approach to fit our kid. I was admittedly much more rigid the first time around. I mean, I of course acted EXCITED when we had our few successful trips to the potty, but I honestly viewed potty training as a chore; a responsibility we had to endure. Once I changed my tune for Attempt 2, enthusiastically involving my son in not only the acquisition of the potty, but all the accoutrements (e.g., the stickers, the charts, the Pull-Ups, the treats, etc.), he responded in kind. He went from the kid moaning “NOOOOOOO” whenever I even brought up the IDEA of giving up diapers to…well, this:
And that, my friends, is what all of us are going for. And to that end, I’d suggest checking out Pull-Ups Potty Project , a new site which follows six real families of toddlers amidst the potty training process, as they attempt to kick the diapers to the curb.
The site also contains some incredibly useful tools, articles, and advice to make potty training a smooth and fun (yes, really! It can be done!) experience. Oh, and coupons! Hello!
By the way, if you have any questions for me about potty training, please feel free to leave them in the comments here, and I’ll address them in the next post. And I’ll selfishly kick things off with a question for you, if the event any of you have helpful advice for me on the matter:
Potty training during the night? Wha? Bwuh? How?
Ahem. HELP.
As previously 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!
5 comments:
BOY do I have questions! We tried potty training my 2.5 year-old about 3 weeks ago, and it was a complete FAIL. We went cold turkey with the diapers and just used Pull-Ups for naptime & bedtime. (FWIW, she loooves the Disney princess Pull-Ups. Of course she does. Sigh.) She had some success with peeing on the potty - which was met with huge praise, happy dances, stickers, candy, the works. She also had a few pee accidents, which I was expecting, but what surprised me was that she absolutely FREAKED THE EFF OUT when they happened. This led to her holding her pee until she was in major pain, and then we had a screaming/crying/drama-fest every time she needed to pee. So, every few hours, for several days, until we finally gave up and went back to diapers. (And even then for a few more days, just for good measure.)
Oh, and just for good measure, she went on a SIX-DAY poop strike. Finally resolved by about a gallon of pear juice, fiber/roughage at every meal or snack, and a couple of BabyLax glycerine suppositories (that last one is not something I EVER want to repeat again for the rest of my damn life, thank you very much).
I asked the pediatrician about it, and she kind of shrugged it off and said to just leave it alone for a while and then try again in a few weeks. And she's probably right, but now *I'M* the one who's terrified to try again!
If you have any tips/suggestions I should try when I get the courage to try again, please please please throw them my way.
After your son shows the ability to maintain a dry diaper consistently, at least over a week consecutive, then you can broach potty training at night. It isn't really something you can force especially with a lot of science showing that boys' (and some girls') bladders develop slower. Once he shows he can keep a dry diaper make sure you have purchased a waterproof mattress pad (a must even if not toilet training) and let him try. When he's ready it will be really easy. The other part is to make sure they are on the toilet in the morning first thing when they wake up and at night last thing before they go to bed even before you start going diaperless.
For my last son I bought a DVD -Potty Power! which really helps get the kids excited about potty training. Something like this should help Cindy and her daughter out. Also they have underpants that keep the pee from running down and making a mess but help the kid feel what is happening if you choose to not go the pull-ups most of the time route.
With my daughter I had to cut off drinks after 6:30pm or so, have her pee right before going to sleep, and sometimes when I was ready for bed I would sit her on the potty halfasleep and she would pee again! Nighttimes are harder and take a lot longer... she is such a heavy sleeper that she could NOT wake up to pee if she had to go.
I have already decided that I am outsourcing this little milestone when the time comes.
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