Saturday, February 10, 2007

Potty Wars

What is it about toilets that make kiddos HATE to use them? My lands...maybe I'll make a million dollars by inventing a potty that doesn't freak the pumpkins out. So Miss K is definitely trained, but if it's not her idea to go (ie, we're about to leave, and I don't want her to have an accident while we're at the grocery), she fights it like crazy. Her newest protest is "DON'T BE HAPPY, MOMMA, DON'T BE HAPPY!" What? I can't rejoice when she uses the toilet instead of her pull-up? What's a momma to do? We've tried candy, and sticker charts, and tattoos...but a couple of times it's actually turned into a matter in need of shepherding, and I definitely don't want her to associate using the toilet with correction. SIGH. Any suggestions? I wonder how often I'm like that...absolutely need to obey, and finally do, but ever so reluctantly, probably after some serious shepherding. Father, give me patience with the pumpkin, and help me to be a good shepherd to her the way you are with me. Help her to obey the first time, with a happy heart...and help me to do the same.

3 comments:

Lin said...

I really don't have any suggestions. Sounds like you've tried all the "tricks." All I can say is hang in there. She'll definitely get it with time.

Anonymous said...

shan-
Gracie was a reluctant trainer...Malorie was born right before she turned three so i didn't even go there till after...i was quite sure by then she knew all the cues for needing to go and she was waking up dry so i just waited for a low stress time and we talked about diapers..."they are almost gone (about a weeks worth)..."when they are gone we are gonna use big girl panties all the time (complements of aunts bekah and shannon)...then, when they were gone we held our breaths and went cold turkey!...no nap time pull ups or overnights...no crutch for the times when she felt like just not going on the potty and waiting for diaper pants...only 3 accidents that i recall and they were all easily cleaned up (we used waterproof mattress pads under the sheet...also gammy gave a really good suggestion for bm's...we just picked a relaxed p[art of the day (benjamin and malorie were napping @ 2:00) and we set a kitchen timer for 5 minutes, then worked our way up to about 8 minutes...she could bring any one toy or book and i would sit with her or not depending on what she wanted....but the catch was she had to sit on the potty...after a few days she just figured well if i have to sit here maybe i'll go ahead and go...we still reward most every bowel movement with a toll house morsel or two and applaud vigorously for a job well done...i am just sure that for gracie not going on the potty was an act of rebellion and the battle of the wills is hard to deal with...each time she got up, she got a spanking...i never punished for accidents though (i think if you are sure they are deliberately provoking you then spank away)....our battle was more of the obey and stay on the potty...well all that to say, they are all different...2 weeks before Benjamin's second birthday he started to go to the bathroom and no problems with him...you never know!

Elizabeth said...

That is an absolutely adorable picture!!!!!