Potty Training-Day One
January 8th, 2007 by Jenni
Well, if we had a potty seat like this maybe Eamon would spend his whole day on the potty! But we don’t, ours was the $10 version from Wal-Mart. Nevertheless, he feels pretty special about it and has taken ownership over his new seat and I’m hoping that the purchase will turn out to be a good investment (spend $10 today and not have to spend in the future purchase of diapers).
So far, he has yet to actually produce anything while sitting on the potty. We’ve set him up there many times and he loves to sit but has yet to figure out how to get the potty in the toilet. I wished I had a video of Aidan trying to explain to him how you use your muscles to push the pee out. Only he had his arms above his head and was showing Eamon the downward motion with his arms, could be somewhat confusing for his trainee.
I let Eamon run around today in his shirt (he loved that), in hopes that he would sense something about to happen and be able to run to the potty. Well that never happened, then when he peed all over the books that Guenna had so carefully taken off the book shelf and placed neatly on the floor, I was talking to Eamon about it and I asked him if he wanted me to put his diaper back on. He said, “No, I no wear diapers, I wear uh-wear!” So I was encouraged by his desire to be a big boy and went ahead and put on the training underpants, which make the leaks not quite so deadly!
Even though he didn’t make it in the potty today the last accident he had he told me about right afterward, so my spirit’s were lifted and I will try again tomorrow. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom today reading to my boys (Aidan insists on my waiting for him to get situated before I start reading). Well, here’s hoping he will go in the potty in the next few days, otherwise I think I will give it a rest for another few weeks. But it would be so nice to make some progress before diaper number three comes into the family! :)
I was very frustrated as well with potty training. When I was researching potty training a common theme seemed to be praise and positive reinforcement. I came across a website called http://www.pottytrainingrewards.com. We hung it in the kitchen and named the little boy on the front of the package, Bobby. My son could not wait to go to the potty so he could push the button, hear the praising message, and get his chocolate reward from, Bobby. It really got my son excited about using the potty himself and it was fun for him. Because he became so involved, potty training was easy. So give it a try.
Oh wow! How old is he? I’m going to start on Nina as soon as I find training pants that will stay on her tiny little hips. I’m hoping that watching Nina get attention & rewards will spur William on just a little bit more! :)
AMEN! Bless you and good luck. Potty training is my least favorite mommy responsibility so far! Morgan no longer wears pants or panties. Anytime I put panties on her she pees them, but when she nude (on the bottom) she goes in the toilet every time. It’s crazy! Oh well nude it is…for a while anyway.
Thanks for the encouragement ladies, Karen that sounds like a good idea only he hasn’t yet ever gone potty in the toilet so I don’t think it will work until I have something to reward him for! At the present we have some sundrops (they are a carob substitute for MnM’s). And he’s excited about the candies but not enough to help him understand how to pee in the toilet! I know he will figure it out in time but I don’t think he’s ready yet.
Nickie, Eamon just turned two in October so he’s not yet 2 1/2, although Aidan was totally potty-trained by 2 1/2 and went potty the first time on the toilet when he was 11 months! Potty training him was a cinch, and I think Eamon will be easy once he starts to understand his body better but at this point he just can’t figure out the muscle thing :) Who knows, Guenna may get it before he does :)
Nicole-potty training is not my favorite either, but when the timing is right I like to look at it as a fun time where the focus is a lot of book reading which all my kids love that special time with mommy so we make it fun and I just let the house go for awhile (but if they really aren’t ready that “awhile” can take a little too long! So I’m thinking I’m going to wait awhile, again :)
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Best wishes … and keep blogging that good advice!
Dale
lol I really laughed about Aidan’s explanation of how to potty! I’ve never been brave enough to let my kids run around diaperless…I’ve always been afraid they’d pee on something really important (and knowing my kids, they would!). Good luck with Eamon!