**May be TMI for some people**
Ok, maybe it's not the absolute worst thing about parenting, I can think of plenty of other things that would be much worse. But the worst thing I personally have experienced in parenting is potty training. By a mile. Mister was a little past 3 when he potty trained, and it took 2 weeks. A week to get #1 down reliably, then another week to get the rest. After that he never had an accident, but those 2 weeks were rough, let me tell you. I have since talked to many other people who can't believe how easy I had it with him. I've gotten a lot of comments like this: "2 weeks and that's it? My son/daughter has been potty trained for a year and still has accidents/has to sleep in pull ups, etc." So I realize how lucky I've been with him. Still, that didn't make me any more enthusiastic about round 2 with Pumpkin.
One day in the beginning of May, Pumpkin decided that he wanted to wear underwear. This was monumental b/c I'd been trying to gear him up for potty training for a while and he wasn't having it. Every time he'd tell me "No Mommy, I don't want to wear underwears. I love my number 5 diapers. I'm just a baby, not a big boy." Yeah, I figured this potty training session would be a doozy. So when he asked to be in underwear, I jumped at the chance, even though I wasn't planning on potty training in earnest until after our trip to the coast at the end of May. It wasn't a wonderful experience. He had a couple of accidents and decided that he hated underwear and didn't want to wear them anymore. And I realized that I wasn't ready to tackle the awfulness of potty training again just yet.
Well, our coast trip came and went, and the Monday afterward when I was supposed to start potty training with Pumpkin came and went. I knew I needed to do it, that he was physically ready for it, but I just dreaded it so much I couldn't bring myself to start. Well, that Thursday he had a minor blowout. Let me tell you, a 3+ year old's blowouts are infinitely worse than a baby's. Then and there I decided that I was D.O.N.E. having him in diapers and we started potty training that afternoon. I was ready to rip the bandaid, have it hurt, but just get it over with to get to the other side.
To my immense joy and disbelief, since I put him in underwear that Thursday afternoon (now over a week ago) he hasn't had a single accident. He doesn't even sleep in pull ups. He got it right away and hasn't looked back. At first I bribed him with chocolate chips, mini cupcakes, nutrigrain bars, anything he wanted really, to get him to sit on the potty. After a couple of days we didn't even have to ask him if he needed to go, as he was regularly coming up to us telling us when he needed to go. He even refused to wear a pull up to church on Sunday (after only 3 days in underwear), which made us super nervous. But he proved he's done with diapers. Since then we've been on many store/errand/restaurant outings and there haven't been any problems whatsoever.
I think I'm in shock. I still can't believe how amazingly easy it was this time. I kind of feel like he did it on his own, all I did was put him in underwear this 2nd time around. I feel like he pretty much potty trained himself. Hey, I'll take it! I hated having 2 kids in diapers (hello, expensive!) and I'm so happy that we're back down to only having 1 in diapers again. It feels very liberating!
If you had a camera into our house right now you'd see Scott and me doing our happy dance over this. Seriously. :)
3 comments:
CONGRATULATIONS!! My two biggest dreads with Olivia are potty training and switching her from a crib to a "big girl" bed! We have a little portable potty that she will sit on for about 2 seconds at a time, but she is just not really interested in it yet. {Which is okay with me!} As far as the crib goes, I want to keep her in one until she goes to college!!!
Big props on your success! Two down, one to go!
I am so proud of Pumpkin and you! I has always said the the child will teach the adult what kind of parent he/she needs. In this case, Pumpkin knew himself when he was ready and was not shy about letting you know that. Way to go...both of you!
Congrats! It is such a huge accomplishment when your child potty trains!! I am a firm believer that when you wait until your child is ready it is much easier! That sounds like what you did and I'm so glad it was not stressful for you. Way to go Pumpkin (and Marissa and Scott)!
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