Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Don't Pee-pee on Dora!



Well, potty training is not going as well as I had hoped. I'm looking for some potty-training advice.

Daphne has gotten pretty good at going to the potty in the toilet--as long as I remind her. I started taking her every 20 minutes. That went fine. So I stretched it to every hour. That went fine. Now I can go a couple of hours and she doesn't have an accident. But if I push it, or try to test if she's going to go on her own, she'll come running to me: "Mommy! Pee-pees!" But it's always too late. She doesn't tell me until AFTER she has wet her pants. Everything else is good--she likes the potty, enjoys going, is very proud of her excrement, gives high fives, loves her panties, and rarely puts up a fuss about going to the bathroom. She even had a perfectly dry diaper 2 nights in a row. But I just can't get her to go pee-pee in the toilet of her own accord. Only if I prompt her. Otherwise, it's an accident. I've tried telling her, "Don't pee pee on Dora" (who is on her panties), but that doesn't work. I try giving her treats when she goes in the toilet to reinforce the good behavior. I don't get mad when she makes mistakes, just keep telling her to pee pee in the toilet. I even rehearse with her what she should say and do if she feels the pee pees coming. But she never alerts me until it's too late.

Any advice? Is there some way to help make the connection? Or do I just have to wait it out and some day magically she will just know she has to go before it's too late?

6 comments:

Hildie said...

Yep, it's magic. Black magic. Potty training is a disaster until one day it just kinda works out. Maybe after a couple of weeks or so. Depressing, I know. Why do you think I keep telling you that potty training is the worst part of being a mom?

Hildie said...

Yep, it's magic. Black magic. Potty training is a disaster until one day it just kinda works out. Maybe after a couple of weeks or so. Depressing, I know. Why do you think I keep telling you that potty training is the worst part of being a mom?

Kristine said...

Yup, that's what I hear too. I hate it! My friends tell me it takes a few weeks for them to start telling us themselves, but just to stick with it. Good luck!!

Kati Atwood said...

I have no advice. Since I have absolutely positively FAILED at this whole thing. MINE only goes to the potty if he is wearing a diaper. If he has underwear on, it's like a switch turns off and he forgets he has to go in the potty. The weirdest thing. People probably thing we are dumb parents because every time we go somewhere we put a diaper on him, and he ends up going to the potty - pulling his diaper completely off and leaving it in the bathroom. They think 'wow, he's ready. I don't know WHY she hasn't potty-trained him yet.' When, in reality, the whole reason he WENT in the potty in the FIRST place was BECAUSE he had his diaper on! Had he had underwear on, I would be cleaning up a mess at a place that is not my own! So STOP judging me already!

Do you think I get a little emotional about this?

BTW here is the link for the Tikka Masala: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Tikka-Masala/Detail.aspx?prop31=3

tiburon said...

I am of the mindset that kids will train when they are ready. I have always let my kids tell me and we pretty much go accident free. (Aside from Lulu's incident). But I really have no desire to push them and make it a huge deal. Maybe take a couple of weeks off - or you could always try bribery! ;)

alex dumas said...

Pretty sure you've got this figured out by now. We're still working with our three year-old.