There's been a topic which I've been clearly avoiding. An update on our potty training efforts. To recap, we started potty training at the start of the Christmas holidays, where I had 10 days at home to get to some sort of a success stage, plus one week on holiday (which turned out to be two weeks).
By the time we boarded our 4 1/2 hour flight to Lanzarote, Cubling was back in nappies. In spite of going cold turkey and nappy free, we only managed to direct wee and poo into the potty if we caught it when it was coming. No real success, instead an increasingly upset toddler who feared to see her poo or pee and really didn't fancy sitting on potty or toilet.
So we backed off. We tried a couple of nappy free days in Lanzarote, but after two accidents in hotel lobbies and at restaurants, I had enough. Nappies were bought and that was that. What ensued was a constant call to go to the toilet, something like 4 times at each cafe/restaurant. As soon as we got to the toilet, total refusal to sit down on it. When I made her, she got upset. The wee usually happened after 3rd false alarm, in the nappy, and to a cry of upset.
I really felt that above all, she needed reassurance. So I said it was ok to wee and poo in her nappy. She kept telling us every time she did do something and I thought at least she is now aware of what's going on and that that was some sort of success.
Back at work, I updated the childminder and suggested that maybe when she does ask for the toilet, she could take her there, without pressure, and just encourage her ever so slightly. We switched to pull ups (which all the books say is not the way to potty train, but then again a friend of mine did manage to potty train with them, so I decided it's worth a try). I didn't expect much, really.
However, first day at the childminder and surprise, the first real success: Cubling had asked for the toilet and actually done a wee! I was greeted by her announcing this incredible feat and demanding a chocolate. I think I danced a wee dance (no pun intended) and didn't feel at all undermined by the childminder's instant success after our 4 weeks of utter failure.
And so it continued: Each day held a success, some days 3, both at the childminder's and at home. She chooses the toilet, without a seat, and today, hurray, was the first day without a single accident! She's still in nappies and still forgets when she's engrossed in play, and sometimes the way upstairs is a bit far. But in general, she'll say when she needs the toilet and we make it there comfortably. She's even so good at it now that she finds the celebration after each success a bit daft and doesn't partake in it anymore, she just sits, wees, wipes (herself!) and gets off. Magic.
So, on Friday, I shall try to dump daytime nappies for good. We even have the childminder's blessing. Wish me luck.
9 comments:
Yay. It's such a relief when it starts to fall into place.
We waited a long time for these lovely nappy free days (at least it felt like ages to me) so glad you've got there too...now I'm on the other side of the fence, as it were, I will always recommend just letting the child get there by themselves.
Yippee for Cubling!
Congrats for the accident free day and I'm wishing you continued luck and success!! I am just looking forward to that feeling. We postponed potty training for the past month as we had a trip to Spain + four hour train journey (plus baby) and then we just had the mother in law and father in law. The books I've read say it should not be out of their ordinary routine. So this weekend we bite the bullet! I think your advice is good I will not force (just cajole).
Yay! Knew you'd get there in the end - they all do! One less headache for you :-) J
Great stuff! We're told to bring pull ups to the creche. I was surprised at that. Especially because they're so expensive and she's not quite ready. Well done both of you!
We're going to wait for the summer before trying to toilet train our son (2y3m). I've wondered if perhaps modern nappies are too good. They wick the wee away so quickly that the child doesn't notice it. I'm wondering if switching to cloth nappies for a month or two before the nappy free days might be a way to give a child feedback about accidents without spoiling the furniture.
kenanddot - We've used cloth nappies throughout (daytime) and it backfired - she's so used to feeling wet that going from nappy to pants just doesn't do it. So there goes the myth that cloth draped children potty train earlier...
Mwa, I love pull ups. Yes they are forbiddingly expensive, but we can do the potty training without the mess. 2 weeks of mess and extra washing (and the pee smell always makes me rather sick) was enough. Pull ups rule for us. I stress less and so does Cubling.
Irish Mammy - I wonder whether potty training when she was out of the routine at the childminder's wasn't actually the best time, as she got it as soon as back at the childminder, and obviously we weren't successful on holiday either. So routine rules for potty training.
Thanks for your comment re potty training. I am going crazy!! Day 2, second poo of the day in the potty but the 1st was in the nappy this morning. But ... not a single pee in the potty. Not a single!! Like 12 mini accidents on the floor and in his big boy pants. I was stressing all day about the poo, when I had my back turned he sat in the potty and did it. But he cannot seem to recognise when the pee is coming! I've been advised no pull ups (not even at the creche) and no nappies just cold turkey and then nappies at night. Weeks you say for your little one? weeks... of this? *waving hands in desperation* He is now quite frustrated about the pee not coming and I even had to bribe him a jelly baby just to sit on the potty. Once he is off it, he pees. He even peed 2 in the nappy just before bed time like he was holding it in. Any tips on advancing this phase seeing as you had a successful no accident day?
Thanks x
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