Oh, we're potty training and it's not fun. Mallory just CAN'T make the connection going pee pee in the potty rather than in her pants. We spent the entire day at home with me asking the question - "Mallory, do you have to go pee pee in the potty?" to which she responds "All Done". She's peed on the carpet twice and pottied all other times in her training pants. I always ask her "Mallory, where should we go pee pee?" to which she responds "pee pee in the potty". But, tonight, after peeing in her pants (w/out her pull up) she responded (with a very proud look on her face) "pee pee in pants!".
I've only been at this for a day and a half and I'm already about to pull my hair out. It's definitely a whole new world that Mal just doesn't get. I'm loosing my patience and I don't want this to be a horrible experience. Advice, please? Or at least directions to good advice?
8 comments:
You might find this to be very strange, BUT the thing that I think helped the most in potty training Vera was having her take showers with me. At first, she would pee at any point during the shower, but after a couple of weeks she thought it was fun to pee as soon as she got in. I truly believe that is how she learned to control when she went pee. I also let her run around without bottoms on, but we have tile floors which made cleanup easy. There's no way I would have done that if we had rugs or carpets. Too difficult to get the smell out! The good news is that Mallory will eventually potty train. She won't be in diapers forever (even though it feels like it)!
Potty training always makes me feel that way. I hate it. This might be the reason why I quit training Jonathan before I had Maddie and haven't tried it again since.... Days like you just experienced are very common at the beginning. But that is why it's SO EXCITING when they figure it out.
I used the principles outlined in "Potty Training in Less Than a Day," which is a really old book but has worked for a lot of people. Take it one step at a time and be patient with her and with yourself! Making them help clean up the mess they make usually gets the message across that they didn't do a good thing.
If she knows when she's gone, you're on the right track. Some of my children have walked around oblivious to the fact that they've done anything, so try to see that as progress.
I'm not kidding when I say this is a good time to PRAY ALL DAY LONG for patience and pick out a verse or two to meditate on when those accidents happen.
She'll get there, don't worry!
Personally, if you feel your patience dwindling, and she isn't getting it, I would stop. I would wait a few weeks and try it again.
The first time I tried to potty train Nolan, he just didn't get it...and I could feel my BP rise and impatience set in. So I stopped. I tried again in a few weeks, and it was amazing...he picked it right up within a day and hasn't looked back since.
She may not be ready for it. Nolan, Gideon and Haddon were all trained within a day because they were completely ready for it when it happened.
I totally feel your frustration! Cole wasn't potty trained until after he turned 4 and I had been trying since he turned 2! I agree with the other comments...don't make a big deal of it, make her clean up her own mess, let her run around in no pants, but ulitmately, she may not be ready.
I also put the potty chair (if you're using one) in the living room (or where ever she plays the most), not the bathroom. It was quicker to get to when Cole had to go and it wasn't a big deal since we didn't have to go into the bathroom. It was an easy transition when he got it to just move the thing into the bathroom. I'm praying for your patience!
No success here yet, either. I'm sure personality has something to do with it.
I also thought "Potty Training in Less Than a Day" had good ideas. Our library had it.
It helps me to remember that somebody potty trained me once upon a time - I'm sure I didn't make it easy, either!
I say wait a week or two. That's what I did with Emma. One day I had planned to stay home all day to potty train. After she peed on the floor the times in an hour, I decided she wasn't going to get it. We waited a week or two and wahlah! She got it! She wouldn't poop for a long time, but then one day...light bulb! Now, we aren't even wearing any pull-ups. Not even at night or naps!
mallory will get it-- just give her some time... you might just want to hold off till she's three- (i hear it's a magical age for potty training)
but some things that helped me with ella
1- take her to the potty when YOU do- everytime (gross huh?) but let her sit on it when you do just to get the idea
2- about 10 minutes after she drinks- put the potty out in the main area of your house- let her have at it!
3- REWARDS! m&m's, stickers, gum, etc. anything that is usually a treat- let her have it for EVERY successful time to the potty-
4- and think- think hard about if YOU are ready for her to be potty trained- it's not always the better side of the coin- diapers aren't the worst enemy- just think- no nasty Wal-Mart bathrooms, no accidents in the store, no pee in the carseat- there is a silver lining to diapers :)
Man, I don't look forward to potty training. And, I've heard girls are easier than boys! Good luck to ya. She's gotta get it at some point, right?! Luv ya, miss ya...
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