Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Adventures in Potty Training

So we had our first potty training experience this weekend. I mean it was labor day, and we had to work. Work on putting pee-pee in the potty.
I'm a little stressed out on this whole issue if I must say so. Little boys have to have a "guard" so that pee doesn't go splashing everywhere, including mommy or the wall. Regardless, I decided this weekend I would really give it a shot. In preparation for this big event I took several steps.
In the guest bathroom on the sink I put:
  • 1 bag of iced animal crackers
  • 3 story books
  • 2 toy cars
  • 1 stool to step on to get up to the toilet seat.
  • 1 toddler butt sized toilet trainer seat.
Mind you, Dawson has sat on his potty chair a few times. But he never went potty. He sat, he was bored instantly and said "I done" within 20 seconds. Not this time pal! We will sit here all day. Mommy can have daddy bring in the dvd player while you pee over and over again if need be.
My first attempt:
I was feeling gung-ho just as soon as Dawson woke up from his afternoon nap. So came and scooped him up and headed straight for the bathroom. No time to dawdle or exchange pleasantries about what he dreamt about or needing to get eye boogers out. He needs to PEE! He was excited to see that the stool he uses to stand on was now leading up to the toilet so he had no ill will climbing up to sit. He sat. First I tried giving him this little hand-held "Deal or No Deal" game I bought Jason to play with while he pooped. But Dawson couldn't figure out how to work it. So next I tried his cars. He scooted over to drive the cars on his potty chair because his potty chair is the "Cars" theme. So, I decided to go for the book. "Curly needs a Home". We got through the first 3 pages (there are only 5) and SSSSSS. He did it! He went potty!
I screamed and clapped and jumped as Dawson looked around, perplexed, wondering what happened. I immediately praised him, gave him a cookie for sitting on the potty, and a very special treat for going in the potty!-A piece of a nutty bar! Then we called Gramma KK and Gramma G to tell them the BIG news.
I tried several more times that day. No luck. And I really needed to get out of the house.
The following day, no luck either.
Sunday...
After church we went to my mom's house. She has this nifty little potty seat that is actually bolted on over the top of the regular seat. You can put the small one up and never remember that it's even there. So I thought to myself-hey! Dawson can try and go potty before we head out to the Marshmallow Festival!
We get to my mom's house. I run Dawson in and sit him on the potty immediately then leave for just a moment begging my mom for some toys. (We are in a hurry, we're all hungry.) She points to the box with the toys in it and I grab a truck and a golf ball.
Hmmmmm.
I run the items in to Dawson and talked to him while he plays. Within 30 seconds he dropped the golf ball into the toilet.
Okay, work with me here! Most people in their right minds wouldn't even THINK to hand a golf ball to a toddler to play with while they're being potty trained.
I do not claim to have a right mind.
Oh you have got to be kidding me, is what I think. But I yell out "OH NO!"
Did you know that golf balls don't float?
Jason came running into the bathroom wondering what had happened. So I hesitantly told him but I knew I would have to go fishing for the stupid thing, you couldn't even see it in the toilet so it had gone in the hole! Augh! I took Dawson off the stool and hoped Jason would get a diaper on him, (which he did) and reached down to the toilet hole, retrieved the golf ball, washed the golf ball and my hands, and learned my lesson.
I have asked for a portable dvd player to be mounted on the wall in our guest bathroom.
If you have any advice for a clueless, stressed potty training mother, any and all advice is being taken at this time...

8 comments:

ashley said...

hmm i'm afraid i don't have any advice. but the good news is...you should have it figured out by the time i need to potty train my kid! i have heard of people putting cheerios in the toilet water so that when a boy goes potty they aim for the cheerios!

Jodi said...

here's my advice...he's not even 3 yet! Let it go and he'll do it when he's ready. Both of my older girls were 3 1/2 before they were even the least bit interested in the potty. And guess what...they are completely diaper-free now :) Adelle is even dry at night (trust me, we thought she would NEVER be out of diapers!!!!!) My youngest is turning 2 in October, and we are planning on letting her do things at her own pace as well. She loves to follow big sisters into the bathroom, so we're thinking it won't be long. :) 1 thing that helped with my girls is this (and it's really dumb!!) : they have all loved to flush the toilet, but our rule is that the only person who flushes the toilet is the one who went potty in it. Told you it was dumb, but it seemed to work!

Jodi

Anonymous said...

Joy- I DO actually have experience in this area, bein that I have 4 boys, 3 potty trained by the age of 2! Yeah for me!!!! OK- anyways, my boys LOVED to go potty like daddy (standing). Weird? Maybe, but it worked. Also try big boy underware, and make it a big deal how big he is! And say no potty in your underware! And if you know his #2 schedual (like in the am after breakfast or after his nap or whenever), then make him sit then. Even call it whatever little 'pet'name you like, poopy, whatever and even- yes, I will say it, make grunting sounds, make the funny faces and grunt! They will usually try to mimic you and if it's time, be patient and hold your nose! =)

Jonzi said...

This was a very entertaining blog and made me smile =0)

I wish I had advice for you but the most experience I have ever had was when I was a nanny and he did a good job of not being told, he just went!

I wish you the best of luck =0)

jenn said...

ha ha ha...i never knew golf balls didn't float...well, now that i think of it, i never seem them floating when people hit them in the water trap when they golf. i have no advice, but don't give him a golf ball again :). love ya lots..m.e.

Anonymous said...

Girl, you just crack me up on your woes of potty traning. One thing I used with Jason and Jenessa was M & M's. Place a jar in the bathroom and everytime Dawson goes potty, give him an M&M. I am sure he won't drop that in the toilet.

♥Kelsey Kakes♥ said...

haha...nice post~it made me laugh:)you know, id like to have one of those hand held deal or no deal games for when i poop;)lol. Yeah... since im not really married yet and dont have kids or anything, my only advice to you would to be don't give dawson a golf ball-or anything else heavy for that matter- when he's going to the potty:)

Miss Pink Ponsonby said...

Ummm, pass him off to the in-laws and only get him back when he's fully house-broken? Naw, that's not good! They'd want to keep him, potty trained or not!

But I like the stand up and pee like Daddy trick. AT least for the peeing part, wouldn't work for the sit-down. Your sister's husband taught little wooley baby to pee off the back porch rail just like daddy so you have to watch that kind of nonsense!