Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Potty Camp

Okay, if you have any children who are not in diapers and can use the potty, know that in the last two days, my respect for you has skyrocketed.

After The Littles’ naptime (in which I also blogged my despair about potty training, napped, prayed, begged God for patience and wisdom and had a nice time of Bible study) we faced the afternoon with a new attitude.  Rebekah, thanks for your comment, it actually encouraged me knowing that it was hard for someone else!  Is that weird? I am going to write my struggles here as I am hoping someone might have advice for me.

It was going to have to be a potty party. We set up camp outside, where the mess can run freely and I don’t have to spend loads of time scrubbing the mess out of carpets.

Potty Camp 034 

Here is the really difficult part, one little has picked it up pretty well and poor sister bear cannot tell when she is about to go.  Sister bear is really discouraged. Though she spends at least twice the amount of time on the potty, we have had little results.  She spends five minutes off of the potty and then five minutes on and has managed to not get a single drop in the potty!!!

On the other hand, my other little runs up, says, “potty Mama” and proceeds to sit down and pee.

Potty Camp 015

Sister bear seems really discouraged and spends most of her time watching her sister play.  

Potty Camp 027

I bought lots of fun rewards but I hesitate to give them to the successful child because it only makes her sister more discouraged. Whenever she has an accident, she is beside herself with sadness.

Potty Camp 025

Although putting a towel on her own head and proclaiming herself “Mary Magdalene” really seems to help. I am really trying to be positive and encourage her in every way, it just isn’t clicking.

Potty Camp 037

We moved to the backyard after umpteen accidents. I ran in to add vegetables to the roast and came out to find this…

Potty Camp 057

Yes, they were giving their potties “underdoggies”.

Potty Camp 049

I bet most potties don’t get a turn in the swing. 

(If you are ever considering getting this potty, DON’T. It speaks encouragement in Spanish, French and English.  Seriously. The last thing I need during all of this is a trilingual Elmo offering up words of wisdom).

Okay. I am done whining. I have an 11 hour break free of timers and messes. ;)

10 comments:

Sandra said...

hang in there!! Its a tough job getting those little ones to go on a potty!! Keep the drinks and popcicles coming as it just makes them want to pee more often and that way they can know what the urge to pee feels like. Sounds like you are in knee deep and there is no turning back now:)...you CAN DO THIS!!! I am extremely excited to get to hang with your littles when aunt steph has them:)....they are coming here for a pizza party and will get to meet my boys and our new little Ellie. :)

Amber said...

Oh Amy . . .training K & O was one of the most exhausting things I've ever done. Set lots of little goals. Like you're going to hang in there through tomorrow, then 3 days, then 1 week, then 2 weeks. I promise that if you just hunker down for those little goals, you'll get there and see things are a little better.

It's interesting though . . with our girls they almost always pee together or shortly after the other . . .made it challenging training them that way since one would go and the other would pee somewhere else on the floor. : )

It's so stretching but one day, you will be "there." Give yourself all some grace . . .it's exhausting. I'll be thinking of you all tomorrow!!

Kristen said...

Ames - I'm so sad for the one who is not getting it! She's' smart, she'll catch on soon.

I'm laughing at how much you dislike "trilingual" elmo. I"m praying for you!

Love ya,
Kris

erica said...

Amy, I'm really sorry, but I need to thank you for the laughs this morning, even though I know it is not a laughing matter to you! But seriously, I love the swinging, trilingual Elmo!

Hang in there, it will come. I remember having severe potty issues with one of my boys. He was probably 3 1/2 before he was trained, and I remember him saying things like, "But Mom! I like to go in my pants! It feels good!" Now HOW are you supposed to reason with a kid like THAT?? But someone told me that no kid has ever gone to kindergarten still wearing diapers, and she was right! We overcame, in that area anyway! Hope each day goes a little better for you! :)

sarah.flyingkites said...

Oh Amy, I'm so sorry! Uhg!!!

(love the potty underdoggies...hilarious)

Sending up a prayer for you!!

Anonymous said...

This grandma is sad that our society puts so much pressure on parents to have their children potty trained before the kids are ready. With our first child, we obsessed, timed, and pulled our hair out trying to get him trained. After all, "all" the other kids his age were trained. We finally quit and a year later he trained himself. Our second and third kids were a potty training breeze...we let them tell us when they were ready. (one was trained by 2 yrs and the other, I don't remember, but it was before kindergarten:) I'm still convinced that is the way to go, even though our culture is gasping at what I just said.

the crazy armstrongs said...

So, I did have one of my twins ready before the other too ... But I was determined to train them together... in the long run easier to do ... one just wore more pull ups every time we went out but watching the other one do it was a great motivation... The best way to be is LAID BACK... Jonas is still in training and running naked at home everyday and does pretty good but still struggles to go poo on the potty and will wait to go in his diaper/ pull up. He showed signs of wanting to learn so early but it's a long process for them to completely understand it all! I would just practice at home at much as you can the longer they are dry the better for them to like getting use to being dry and then put pull ups when your out (there are ones that can turn cold when they pee to remind them they needed to go)
It's rough and takes a lot of time ..if it's too much right now then wait until they are telling you they want to go. It's hard and I really hate it. I wish there was a place I could drop them off for the weekend buy money and pick them up fully trained... that would be awesome. I'm in the trenches with you friend .. hang in there feel free to email me. I do know they will get it sooner than later!

T and M said...

Trilingual Elmo sounds horrible! The last thing a frazzled mom needs during potty training is background noise in 3 languages. You are already getting a lot of good advice...you were wondering about whether to give treats to your little that's catching on quicker-I'd say that treats are for motivation, and it doesn't sound like she needs motivated, so keep those for later ( : With Little #2, she just may not be ready yet, so it might mean pullups for a while, but i think with a sister going to the bathroom, as soon as she is physically ready she'll be mentally & developmentally ready too! I think with most kids there are lots of stages to potty training, so just keep your goals small & sustainable. Good luck! You will get there ( :

Twinsplus1 said...

Amy, as parents we sometimes have to remember that our children do not read the same books we do. They do not know that at a certain age they are supposed to learn a task. My twins took an Interest in the toilet a few months after they turned 2, boy was I excited! Yahoo! I was going to have the youngest twin boys poetty trained in town! ..but it wasn't until they turned 3 that the first twin totally got it. And it was a good solid 3 or 4 months of 1 estatic twin and 1 depressed twin before his brother got it too! I finally just took the pressure off the second twin by letting him play in a diaper while the other was in "big boys" ... But I still always asked if he needed to go when his brother went-and sometimes he would! :). He could have fun playing and watching his twin learn. On the flip side, it took B about 3 weeks to get to no accidents.... and it took C about 2 days - once he got it, he totally had it! :).

Hang in there and keep reminding yourself that they will not start kindergarten in diapers!! You (and they,) can do it! :) :)

Jill said...

Everything about this post is hysterical!! I love it and good luck!!