We had plenty of accidents and a decent number of successes yesterday. I was extremely exhausted, though, so I feel like my efforts weren't 100%. Well, they were pretty close to 100% for how much energy I had yesterday, but I am hopeful that today I will be more consistent and on top of things.
Fortunately, Luke didn't poop yesterday, so I know that he will need to today. I am hoping that I will catch him at just the right moment to make sure that he gets it in the potty.
Potty training Luke is definitely different than working on it with the girls. Actually, all three kids have been different. I'll explain as I go over the sticker chart that Holly asked about.
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| Each column shows the successes of one day. Day 1 had 5 successes. Day 2 had 6. Today is the 3rd day and he's had 2 potty successes so far. I like that I can look at the chart to quickly see the progression of the training. |
For each child's potty training week(s), I've implemented a sticker chart. After each potty success, a sticker goes on the chart. When I potty trained Kassia, she responded well to the sticker incentive. In fact, no other incentive, other than praise, was needed. It was at this time that I noticed that the sticker chart was a great at-a-glance way for me to see how many successes she had in one day, as well as the progression of her training throughout the week.
Nadia was different. She didn't really respond to the sticker chart, so I think that sometimes I not only put a sticker on the chart for her but also gave her a sticker to wear. Where Kassia was excited to be a big girl and was self-motivated, Nadia was not at all interested in putting her own efforts into the training. For us, it was a battle of the wills. While Kassia was happy to sit on the potty and try to go, Nadia stubbornly refused to sit on the potty for even a few minutes. We finally had success when I simply told her that she was going to sit on the potty, and I made her do it.
After she experienced a few successes after I made her sit on the potty, she was more and more willing to sit and try on her own. Her training still took longer than Kassia's though. Kassia "got" the concept in just a day or so and was well trained in about a week. Nadia got the concept in a few weeks and it took a few more months to be well trained (she would pee in her underwear a little bit before she realized she had to go potty - this happened for a long time).
Luke likes the potty chart, but probably wouldn't care if I didn't give him a sticker. His other incentive is getting a few chocolate chips following success, but again he has forgotten to request his treat and I don't remind him. It seems that the praise is usually enough of a reward for him.
The problem with training Luke is that he seems to be going about things in the opposite way from the girls. Where they weren't thrilled about sitting on the potty for long periods of time, he is willing. Where they had a better feeling of when they needed to go, Luke doesn't ever tell me when he needs to go and doesn't always tell me when he has gone - I just find out that he's peeing or see that he already has peed. He'll sit on the potty happily for over a half hour with no success and then within a few minutes, he'll start to have an accident. This is frustrating because it makes me wonder if he really understands the concept. Fortunately, he's had a number of successes already and he knows that he'll get abundant praise when he uses the potty.
Luke is just 2 1/2 and I hear that this is often considered early for boys. With his thus far inability to tell that he has to go potty before he goes, I do wonder if I am doing the right thing to work to train him now. Does he understand? Will he learn? If things don't go well for a number of days, should I stop? If I stop, will I give him the wrong impression?
At the same time, I think he's doing fairly well. It hasn't been easy nor as successful as it was with the girls. He's peeing on the floor most times when I catch him at it and then he finishes up on the potty. I'd say about half of his stickers are for finishing up on the potty when it started out as an accident. Still, that's a fair number of stickers.
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| One thing's for sure - Luke loves his "big boy" underwear! He's got car and train underpants and he likes to wear them. Too bad he doesn't mind getting them wet, though! |
What do you think? Any advice?
Katie - I had the same questions about what it would say to her if I stopped after I had started training her. But, the fact was, before she really was not ready. So, it is not as if you are "giving in" because they never understood it to begin with. I don't know the answer to that for your Luke, but I have heard that most boys don't get it until after 3. So it is early for boys. I would say if you think he is catching on, stick with it - but if not I don't think it would be bad to stop and try again in a few months.
ReplyDeleteI so get the stickers now - they are a tool for the mama as well! Tessa knows when she has to go and can hold it all day long. When she wants to go she asks for a new diaper! So, this is about wills. She just hates change and doesn't want to go on the potty. But, we are really doing well this week so I think we have got it!! God willing!!!
I think this all sounds about normal. Or at least, this is almost exactly what happened at my house. Both of my kids (boy and girl) were over 3 when they finally were trained. I spent a whole winter with my boy letting him wear underwear and trying to get him to 'get it', but we had numerous accidents daily. Then one spring day he just got it and it wasn't so bad. I think with both of my kids it was a battle of wills and my daughter especially knew when she had to go and could hold it without a problem. When I have to do it all over again, I guess I hope not to worry about it so much or 'push' it. Perhaps that will make the transition easier on both of us and faster, perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI hope things go well for you, from my experience potty training seemed to be one of the most difficult things about motherhood. Good luck!
We had more stops and starts with John Paul than I care to mention! What finally worked for us was nudie-time. Let him go completely nude (underwear feels too 'safe')and put the potty in the bathroom (or in your case, somewhere 'different' since it might be hard to get him upstairs in time) There will be accidents on the floor, but you'll see him go and then you can verbally make the connection--"Luke when you get that warm feeling, run to the potty and put the tinkles there!" After a few days, it worked. I mean, we had tried for MONTHS with underpants. I've also heard good stuff about a "potty party" but have never tried it myself!
ReplyDeleteLuke sounds like Isaac, in that he just didn't notice when he had to go and didn't mind getting his big boy pants wet. I tried training him around 2 1/2- 2 3/4, and he just didn't get it. So I waited and tried again over Andy's Christmas break, 1 1/2 months after he turned 3, and what a difference! He just seemed to understand it so much better! As has been said, if you're having successes now, stick with it. If it seems to be too much, or Luke continues to not get it, don't feel like you failed if you give it a break for a while. You, and Luke, haven't done anything wrong if you decide he's just not ready.
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