Thursday, June 3, 2010

Tackling It








The dreaded time has arrived for me to tackle (not tickle) potty-training. It was a rather last minute decision. Harrison has this week off between his regular school year and summer program. I thought it would be a great opportunity. Going alongside my general thoughts of, you can establish any new habits in three days, I thought giving myself three full days of nothing but potty training would be sufficient. I was wrong. Very wrong.
I knew two plans of action going into potty training:
1. Put him on the potty every 30 minutes even if he doesn't have to go
2. Have a reward planned for both #1 and #2

Tuesday (Day 1):
So, he got right up and went potty in his toilet immediately, that morning. Victory! 30 minutes later...didn't go. 10 minutes later...#1 in high chair...awesome. 30 minutes later....pee and poo in the toilet...MAJOR VICTORY! 5 minutes later...#2 in his underwear....apparently he wasn't done and mommy gagged like crazy. Too gross to clean out. I had to throw out the underwear. I wasn't prepared for this. H had one more accident that day and he was done. I also learned that he loved to go pee pee outside (much to Adam's dismay and adamant disapproval, but I'm doing the training, he isn't). So we played outside a lot with just his underwear on and no drawers (i.e pictures above were from Day 1). It was much easier to just abandon the shorts. He may have pottied on his shoes at one point though. Please note that after 3 hours, I was ready to throw in the towel. For some reason, I didn't. I still want to...sort of.
Major Learning: If he says yes to having to go potty, don't turn your head for a minute to grab something. Stop what you are doing and get him. Once he decided he had to go, there was no waiting. Which, I can't blame him. I'm the same way.
Wednesday (Day 2):
Much better than Day 1. Two peepee accidents in the morning. One was outside the shower after his daddy turned the water on, which leads me to my major learning. Prizes are working like a charm.
Major Learning: Harrison is just like me, when I hear running water, it makes me have to go too. Especially the shower.
Thursday (Day 3):
Well, it is 4:00 and we haven't had an accident so far. Well, not really. I took Harrison to a little store to find a birthday present and he was running around the store with another boy, when I noticed a trickle spot. I immediately grabbed him and put him on the toilet and he peed his body weight. Major Disaster Averted. But this is my fault. He told me 2 minutes before that he had to pee and I took him, then he said no when he realized it wasn't his toilet. I should have made him go on it anyway.
Major Learning: I was really wrong about 3 days. He doesn't know when to tell me yet. Or maybe he does, but since I take him every 30 minutes, he doesn't have a chance to.

So, I was complaining about this to Allison the other day, and she helped me to realize how great I have it. She reminded me that at least I have the opportunity to potty train. She was sitting at Duke Children's Hospital that had very sick kids. Boy, did it help to put things in perspective. It is hard to potty train, but I'm glad I get to.

My next question is: when do they learn how to wipe themselves. I'd almost rather do the diaper. Cleaning a hiney from a #2 is much different now. Makes me gag.

For the record...these photos are on the blog, because I couldn't stop cracking up when I saw him with a stethoscope on a tractor with no pants. It may have made me trickle my pants. Now, I know where Harrison gets it from :)

7 comments:

Garrett and Allison Reed said...

For some stupid reason my computer is not letting me see the pics. That annoys me. Anyway, I love your kid and I love that he is torturing you with potty training and I especially love that he chooses to pee and poop outside. Also, I got an offer for you: You can have Emmy until her explosive diarrhea clears up and I'll take H and give potty training a go??? Are you in?? If so let me know when you wanna make the swap...the sooner the better. Love you amiga.

Leah said...

Potty training is exhausting. But...I did the whole outside thing and it worked. also...when going places, put underwear on and then a pullup just in case there is an accident but it wont leak through the pants. they can still feel theirselves wet but not a major disaster. thats how I did it (not a potty training guru but hey...did it once and plan to do it again with the other one.) they do say that the best time to potty train is the summer before they turn three. so there you go! you ARE doing something right it just takes time. don't give up. it is WAYYYY worth it in the end! and the wiping poo stuff...it gets better the bigger they get because it doesn't seem to make as much mess. I know TMI!!! buy hey thats what friends are for!!! love you girl. glad we got to talk today. also- i suck as a friend and totally forgot that last week was your birthday. happy late, late, late birthday glb! love you!

Leah said...

also- it took about a good solid week of constant asking "do you have to go". I think i finally wore him out asking him that and he finally decided he would tell me. I know how you feel about the "dad" not agreeing. I potty trained Jack and Neil tried to put his two cents in from afar and I told him that I was doing this and he didnt get any say until he did it~! I used the let him go naked thing for about a week and it worked. But he can also hold it better than anything I have ever seen. Feel like it will be different with child #2!!!! Sorry- Ill stop giving advice now!

Tradd & Colleen Rodenberg said...

I am so glad that you will know all the rights and wrongs on potty training a boy! I will definitly be calling you when it is time for Finn to learn to use the potty!! Good luck!

The Bryant Buzz said...

OOOhhhhh, I'm totally taking notes on this one. You will be master potty trainer by time I need it for Noah.
And, I love the pictures :) Didn't you know that all tractors need a little pantless boy with a stethoscope to take care of it???

Joan Brantley said...

Sounds like Harrison did a good job for Amanda this weekend, I am so sorry I missed you guys. I am having Harrison withdrawals!!

Unknown said...

One day you'll look back and laugh - and maybe gag some more as well.

Love y'all. So missing all of you!