7/1/11

{growing pains}: potty training+update

I'm in the thick of potty training and it's horrible!!  I know, I know, she is young.  I've read in more than one book that 22 months is a good time to start, and I really think she's capable BUT if things don't start going a little smoother here in the near future we may just keep her in diapers til kindergarten.  They aren't that expensive...I feel that the counseling that I'm going to need to be ok after this will be more expensive.  The method I am most specifically following is the 3 day potty training.  I agree with it's philosophy, and like I said, I really think Paisley is capable.  I'm just wondering if we took on too much too soon.
About a month ago I decided that I would start potty training this week.  I scheduled it on my calendar.  I read and re-read the book.  I stopped buying diapers and switched to pull-ups (to get the pulling up of the the panties idea).  I stopped buying pull-ups so that I could phase them out.  We went and bought panties and a cute potty.  I put off having my carpets cleaned.  Monday night we switched Paisley's crib into a big girl bed.  I think this may have been a mistake.  You see, she wakes up at 7 and confined to a crib, plays until I come get her around 8:30 (and by 8:30, I really mean 9:30).  Well, take away the crib and leave the door open so she can let us know if she needs to go potty and I have a sweet toddler slapping me awake at 7 AM!!  Tuesday, after a night of crying (I don't think she initially liked her big girl bed) I put her in panties and we began the potty training.  Now, the method that I'm using reccommends giving lots and lots of fluids for lots and lots of practice and wearing panties so that they can get used to that.  And soak lots of panties.  And do lots of laundry.  Fast forward to today.  I've done A LOT of laundry.  Everything in my house has either been thrown into the toilet, or peed on.  And I do mean everything.  Did I mention we had apartment inspections this week?  That was neat.  Oh, and naps?  Yep, no more naps.  No longer confined to a crib she sees no need for naps-instead she pees on everything in her room (that she has dumped out of her drawers) and does all of this silently to trick me into believing that she's sleeping!!!  My child, oddly enough, is a lot like her mother and starts to go a little stir crazy after staying the in the living room for 3 days straight with her Mommy chasing her saying "Tell mama if you need to go potty!" every 5 seconds.  Because of that stir craziness, she has chosen to figure out exactly where her boundaries are...slamming doors, whining and generally harassing me as much as possible...all the while me asking her if she needs to go pee. 
I actually laid on the floor outside her room so I could peek under the door to see if she stayed in bed for her nap.  I fell like this is not why I went to college. 
Her redeeming quality?  She's dang cute.  And she just learned how to say "please?" and then says "thank you."  Oh yes, she's just terrible.  I had reached the end of my rapidly fraying rope this morning and she curled up on my lap and instantly fell asleep.  And then peed on me.  And then on my couch that I laid her on...
And if I understand this correctly...I have to go through this with every child I have?  Because if that's the case, I may really just have the one...

*Update:  I quit.  I did.  And I'm actually ok with it.  I woke up this morning with some new found clarity and I think I'm just going to wait a bit.  I really appreciate all of the encouragement-I was in a bad place.  I think switching beds and potty training all at the same time is too much to try and do with no sleep (she's still figuring out to stay in bed and not roll out onto the floor in her sleep).  So I'm going to give it some time.  I think getting adjusted to a bed and also growing up just a little bit more will really help.  She doesn't quit understand the idea of a reward system and I think when she does this will be a peice of cake.  So we'll see...

6 comments:

  1. This is EXACTLY how i feel! i gave up.. i found that the only one getting potty trained was me! so we will try again someday!

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  2. Wow- potty training does not sound like a party what-so-ever. Are you going to keep her in her little girl bed? Or back to the crib?

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  3. You can try one of the toddler bed mesh rails to help keep her from falling out when she rolls over. :)

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  4. Everything is going as planned. Just take "one" thing with Paisley at a time. This entry is hilarious. It has been good to laugh long and loud. Just wait till Paisley and the other children become teenagers. This will surely test your mettle. Love you. ...........Dad.

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  5. So I've only fully potty trained one child, but I've done the work day half on over twenty as a preschool teacher and day care provider.

    The real truth to potty training is that the child has to be ready and interested. Landon was ready long before he was interested. And so we waited. . . and waited . . . and waited. It nearly killed me, but he was so fast once we started, it was totally worth it.

    I've seen it so many times- if the child is ready, it's a breeze, if they're not or if the parent is too pushy or too inconsistent, it doesn't work or it's a year long nightmare!

    You'll know when she's ready, and that time around, you really will have it in three days :-)

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  6. It's hard for sure! But Paisley is so darn cute it's hard to stay mad at her. ;)

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