October 27, 2008

Potty Training, Revisited

One of my very first posts was on potty training. And at the time, I was feeling pretty good about my success with my first born daughter. She was easy. We were really laid back about it, she nearly trained herself and a week after starting, she was accident and diaper free! So my plan with the second daughter was to be the same laid back mom I was with the first. Sometimes being laid back is really difficult!
It was about 2 weeks after she turned 3 that our second oldest started showing interest. And it wasn't long until she had a day without an accident. This joy didn't last too long. She would have several days without an accident, then #2 would come! Then we would have several days where I was wondering if I needed to go get diapers. Anyway, 3 months later, we still can't declare our 3 year old potty trained. She wears panties every day but usually doesn't make it through the day with the same pair. She doesn't seem to be afraid of going #2 in the potty, she's done it a couple of times. But now that she has gone so much in her pants I think she actually thinks you go in your pants then put it in the potty. One day I found her in the bathroom and she said she needed to go poop, when I started to help her with her pants she said "no! I haven't gone yet!" I refuse to put pressure on her but It is hard when I am cleaning poop out of her underwear daily and we usually have one day a week that she runs out of pants and panties thanks to tinkle accidents.
So my next plan of attack is bribery. It worked to get our older daughter off of the thumb sucking, maybe it will work for this one and her potty problem. I've decided to make a chart and when she fills the chart with 7 no accident days in a row, she will get a gift. I think that the only way this will work is if I take her to the store and let her pick it out so she has some idea of the goal.

Well, wish me luck!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

good luck! I had a similar experience with my first, trained in a matter of days and we thought "now gee, wasn't that easy!" but I think with the second it's going to be all about payback! She's not two yet so she has lots of time still :)

I hope it all works out for you, and soon!

Grammie Skogman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Grammie Skogman said...

Remember what I always said "She'll be trained by High School" and guess what you were! The other thing - remember how #1 felt last month when she had an accident. She won't do that again. When their friends make comments they are mortified. It is a hard lesson but sometimes we need to have lessons. Yo Momma