Comments (7)

By Mom Unplugged, August 26, 2008 9:56 pm

OK, I know that my two year-old’s potty progress is not the world’s most earth-shattering, fascinating topic. Even I, her mother, am not THAT riveted by it all. The only one who finds it endlessly entertaining is my two year-old herself.

So, WARNING - If you are not interested in the finer points of potty training a 2 year-old, please stop reading here and maybe go read about some crafts instead. For those who are still with me, please read on:

Before I left on our big summer adventure, I wrote about our successful Potty Fiesta, but asked for advice on getting my little one to give up her little potty and begin using the “big girl potty.”

Since so many of you commented and offered your tips, this must be a subject that really is of more interest than it might seem! Thank you all for your helpful input! I really appreciated it and thought I should let you know how we finally solved the issue.

We spent the month of July in Upstate New York at my Dad’s house and I was worried that a vacation was not really the best time to finish tackling the potty issue, but my stepmother had no little potty, only the seat that fits on the “big potty.”

Despite my misgivings about potty learning while on vacation, I boldly decided not to go out and buy a little potty. Instead, I told my daughter that there was no little potty at Pop Pop’s house and she would simply have to use the big one (several of you reported success with some variation of this method).

Well, my little one is PRETTY STUBBORN (where does she get that I wonder?), and absolutely refused to go near the potty for several days. We were back to diapers. It was quite discouraging.

Then my stepmother had the idea of making a doll “go to the big potty.” My stepmom gave a brilliant performance and made quite a show of it. Of course we all acted really excited for Dolly and gave her lots of praise and some Skittles (bribery has its uses).

I was skeptical that my little one would buy into this trickery, but wouldn’t you know, within 5 minutes she was on the potty!! She was nervous and was clearly afraid of falling in, even on the little seat, so I had to hug her tightly while she went. She did it and got lots of praise and Skittles too, just like Dolly.

After one or two more potty trips she lost her fear of falling in and no longer wanted to be held (“ME do it!”). What a breakthrough!! She was fine from then on, and even manages public toilets without using a little seat (but while being held).

When we returned home after our month away I ran inside and whisked away the little potty before she had a chance to see it. I thought she might want to use it if she saw it, but so far she has never asked where her beloved little “poTEEE” went.

My fears of having to pack the little potty everyday in her high school backpack are gone now, thanks to my brilliant stepmom as well as your advice and encouragement. Thank you!!

(Cute photo thanks to photographer ZeroSilence3 (Jason Lemay) and morguefile.com.)

Comments (12)

By Mom Unplugged, July 1, 2008 1:28 pm

The big excitement around here at the moment is the “poTEEE” as my 2 year-old calls it. She has been interested in potties of all sorts from about 18 months on. I have been the one who has been stalling the whole potty training process (or potty “learning,” as they say now).

I am so over the eagerness to be out of diapers that I felt with my first child. Experience has taught me a lot.

Quite frankly, I have learned that diapers are easier. We never have to worry about where the nearest toilet is. We never have to worry about how clean the nearest toilet is. We never have to worry about messy accidents in awkward public places.

But now that she is 2 and a half, I have decided that I really must put my completely selfish attitude aside and take the big potty plunge. After all, I don’t want her to be stashing away some Depends along with her Chemistry textbook in her high school backpack.

The older two learned between 2 and a half and 3. They both wanted to go to “school” (Montessori preschool) and had to be 3 and free of diapers. The incentive of “school” was enough to motivate them and get them with the program in a matter of a day or two.

This time “school” is a bit farther off, so although I am talking up that aspect of things, I have had to be a bit more creative.

The other day we had a “Potty Fiesta” where I moved her little potty to the living room and let her run around bare-bottomed all morning, and with big girl undies on in the afternoon. This is a modified “run around the backyard naked” approach. Since we live on a golf course, I didn’t think it would be seemly to have her running around the backyard naked, even if she is only 2.

I also resorted to bribery: one Skittle for “wee-wee” and two Skittles for “poop.” The older two also get a Skittle treat when she goes, and that has caused them to become a most enthusiastic cheering section!

So far, so good. Accidents have been few and far between. She is very proud, and even came over to tell me out of the blue: “Mama, I’m a poTEEE trained.”

The only challenge I face now is that she has fallen so in love with her little “poTEEE,” that she refuses to go near a big toilet (even with a little seat on it). Any ideas on how to overcome PoTEEE Attachment and broaden the toilet horizons? I really don’t want to be toting the beloved “poTEEE” around with us every time we run an errand!

What tricks have you used to speed the potty process?

Comments (4)

By Mom Unplugged, August 23, 2007 6:45 pm

A cat? No. A dog? No. The baby? No. The winner is…my darling son!!!! (And his older sister, my secret informant, says he did it on purpose.)

Does anybody know if The Citadel accepts 5 year-olds?

(If you dare: For more real-life boys’ toileting facts, visit Jen’s hilarious post: Thirteen Things I’ve Learned From Potty Training Two Boys at Never A Dull Moment .)