Just like Facebook status updates about these things, I can imagine that blog posts about potty-training leave those who are not entrenched in the process rolling their eyes so hard that you can hear them click.
*CLICK*
Those were your eyeballs rolling in their sockets because this is a post about potty-training.
Don't worry...that pic of the cute pink potty is the only picture in the post, and I won't go into gory details. But since this blog serves as a record of my kids' goings-on (in addition to words about fitness and training and other stuff), this post is appropriate and necessary.
Miss C is my youngest and final child. She was in a diaper longer than the other three were. She just didn't give a ----, and I was too
One week ago, I felt ready to take this beast on. Though she had been dry through the night for over a week, when confronted with the prospect of daytime dryness, Miss C was not entirely on board, but I was game for her resistance. After 5 straight days of pee everywhere (well, fortunately she had a penchant for only peeing on the tiled floors and not the carpets) and several pants-soilings, I am ecstatic to announce that we have had 3 consecutive accident-free days!
I attribute this potty-training success entirely to my superior parenting skills. There is no luck involved. The child has nothing to do with it. If you can't potty-train a developmentally-on-track child before they graduate from high school, well, you just suck as a parent. I really hope some of you more sensitive-types caught the tongue-in-cheekness of that. I am absolutely grateful to all of you awesome and amazing well-wishers who wished me good luck when I announced this undertaking last Friday.
My idol, Catey, who has 8 kids and is expecting her ninth (her husband is trying to catch up to mine), was reflecting on how long she's been changing diapers and how many diapers she's changed and shared with me that even though those numbers are HUGE, she would rather change diapers than potty-train. And she wrote this, which totally cracked me up, in an email the other day...
There is a woman who writes and I love to read her stuff...she had a half a billion kids and I remember at one point she said she quit trying to potty train her kids. She let them go as long as possible and then waited until they were old enough to make wild promises about never having an accident ever before finally letting them out of diapers.
I am most thankful that Miss C ended up being far less resistant as the process unfolded. I know there will be accidents. I know there may be regression. And while the growing up of my baby is bittersweet, I am feeling great about not changing another diaper until I either have grandchildren or must deal with spousal incontinence. I hope fervently to experience the joy of the former and to escape the misery of the latter.
If you have kids, did you have an easy time with potty-training?
If you have no kids, is potty-training one of the reasons you don't?
**************
ok, I LOVE your friends anecdote about the woman who let her kids go as long as possible - for a while there, I thought about trying that. HATE potty training with everything in me.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest will be 5 3/1. Just before Christmas, he finally decided. Really, I had NOT A THING to do with it, other than reminding him every once in a while that he wasn't allowed to go to kindergarten in a pull up. He had the final say. (that said, he is not developmentally - on - track...he's on the autism spectrum, but still...) There were times when I was convinced I'd be wiping his butt forever. *sigh*
Good luck!
It's a bittersweet moment. On one hand no messy diapers YEAH! But then you have to start with the accidents, and the public bathrooms, and then just with the fact that (sigh..almost a tear) they are growing up a little :(
ReplyDeleteLuckily (honestly probably unluckily because I have to work and can't stay home) Phene learned at daycare, and learned really fast. I would have been so scared to initiate it myself. So I am glad it worked out that way!
3 days with no accidents is a big YEAH in my opinion! Go Miss C!!!!
Not a boring post at all by the way!
ReplyDeleteMy son was resistant - we had to endure a week of accidents with him before he caught on - and even then he didn't want to go #2 and would hold it for days, poor thing. Hated potty-training him - it was tough on everyone. My daughter was so easy, which, like you, I attribute to my superior parenting skills.
ReplyDeleteah, but to be out of diapers is awesome I gotta say!
Just thought I'd share this with you to put your potty training issues into perspective ... My grandmother was one of 16 kids (not including the 2 miscaridges) ... My grandmother and dad sat down at Thanksgiving a couple years and figured out that my great grandmother had either been pregnant or less than 10 months after birth for 25 years. And my great grandfather had a store where he worked 6 days a week, 11 hours a day, so the child-rearing was ALL great-grandma. I just can't imagine it.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 3 days! That's awesome. I have 2 boys (9 and 11) and they both were ready around 3ish. I tried not to force it but was really ready to not have to change diapers anymore! Here's to no more diapers!!
ReplyDeleteSon decided kind of on his own just after he turned 3 (which was on the "late" side of things according to everyone who shared their opinion with me on the matter - asked for and usually not asked for). Just one day decided that was it for him and about 2 weeks of accidents later - was in underwear except at night. He has some sleep disorder issues (night terrors, etc) that he'd sleep through going to the bathroom. He was probably closing in on six when we finally got him to sleep through the night without soaking the bed, though for probably a year my husband would get up at 1-2 AM and take him pee to just to make sure. My daughter was sooner and more completely (she and her brother are 3 years apart and started wearing underwear to bed the same night) though also pretty self-directed. I think I suggested pretty princess panties and she was game so it was a done deal. Weaned her (somewhat by force) at 14 months after I was gone for a week at a conference. It was tough - on both of us. I kind of wished it would have gone on a little longer, but my husband was pretty adament about it being over (though I'm not really sure why). She only nursed before bed and first thing in the morning then. I didn't even pump during the day so I was surprised to struggle with "drying up" as much as I did (hint - use cabbage leaves). I know those that want to read about running aren't interested in your mom stories, but those of us that have been there can relate to all of it and the mixed emotions of watching our kids grow up so quickly. I don't miss the diapers and just total chaos of toddlerhood, but I am a little scared to face teenagers in a few years.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't remember any of it. Either we were lucky and it was easy or my wife was unlucky and I had nothing to do with it. Just being honest.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what I'm doing. Logan has no interest....I'd LOVE to read more about potty training :)
ReplyDeleteI have two daughter. The oldest potty trained in 2 days, nights included. We took her to daycare on Monday with a change of clothes and they laughed at us as she had peed in her pants 3 times the Friday before. But she proved them wrong. My 2nd continues to be a challenge. Both kids are adopted from China and she was 2.5 y.o. when she came home. I expected her to be trained but I also expected her to regress. And she did. She continued to have daytime accidents at daycare when she was too lazy to get up after a nap and even had some poop accidents at school 'cuz she was too lazy to walk to the bathroom. Yuck! She turned 8 in November and we are still working on making it through the night. Or I should say that my husband and I are because she doesn't seem to care. Good thing she is tiny and still fits in pullups! And she wonders why the dog won't sleep with her!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I don't remember when I started sincerely potty training the 3-year-old boy--#3, last one, and the first not-girl--but it had something to do with the preschool teachers making idle threats.
ReplyDeleteHis teachers so want him to be diaper-free that they just let him take care of things himself at school. This has resulted in him coming home commando on more than one occasion when he just ditched the damp pullup.
Can't wait until he masters all of the skillz involved with cleaning up!
Yay 3 days!!!
ReplyDeleteTotally laughing about catching up! Not planning on it though. ;) Of course I also never planned on nine....
3 days is HUGE! Congratulations to you and your cute daughter. I still have 2 older kids that have accidents regularly (some medical reasons for one of them) so YES it is one of HARDEST and most FRUSTRATING things that I have done as a mother. You cannot force a child to "do their business". This is really something that they have to choose to want to do. You're doing awesome!
ReplyDeletePotty training is a horrible thing!! HORRIBLE!! We are done, I'd think about another baby if it weren't for the fact that I would have to potty train said baby. 4 times was enough. And none of my girls were even that hard to potty train, it's just a horrible process. Glad you're done, I salute your superior parenting!! And btw, way to not push the weaning, I made my oldest wean because I couldn't stand being 7 months pregnant and nursing any more, the others I let them decide and it was much easier!
ReplyDeletemy son was just over three (which seems old on a relative scale), but it only took one day...and ten pairs of underwear!!! :)
ReplyDeleteNo human children here. In fact, I was drawn in by the potty pic because I had no idea what the heck that pink thing was. I didn't know they made them in pink. I'd like to think that if I can potty train three dogs, surly I could potty train a child. Or not. Probably not. Really.
ReplyDeleteWith Will it was hard for #2 and I made ALL the mistakes in the book. He ended up with major constipation and having to take meds for it. It was a nightmare. I still have issues with him. He still does not stay dry at night. His brother: opposite. I did NOTHING. He just copied his big brother and he had no issues and he had zero accident at night.
ReplyDeleteOH my goodness. We are literally doing this right *now* with our daughter, who turned 2 in September. There are days where I think she's caught on, then there are days where she doesn't even look at the potty.
ReplyDelete*sigh*
Ok if you are needing an outlet to talk about potty training with someone give me a call! My Em is like Sybil when it comes to potty training!!! This week was great but who knows what next week will bring! Last week I was permanently strapped to the washing machine!
ReplyDeleteI am a college-educated successful business owner and potty training my 3 children is one of my proudest accomplishments!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on 3 accident free days! Long may they multiply.
3 days?! Wow. You're a hero!
ReplyDelete