We’ve been off and on with our attempt at potty training for Avery, but as she gets closer to being two, I figure we should start trying a little more. We bought an appropriately named book, Potty, in hopes she’d read it / look at the pictures and instantly want to be like the baby in the story.
She really enjoys the book, but seems to enjoy flipping to the kitty and doggy more than inspecting the use of the potty. She’ll flip right to the pages with an animal and point them out immediately.
We’re proud and happy she’s knowledgeable about animals and all, but Going Mom and I are aiming for diaper changing freedom here! The other day, I finally decided to get serious about potty training our little girl by following The Easiest Potty Training Method that Modern Alternative Mama wrote about.
Basically, it’s just get them naked, don’t make going potty a big ordeal, have a potty available, don’t try and reward them (this could make them only go potty for a treat and not using the potty when their bodies show a sign of needing to go), and ignore them by NOT asking them 50 million times if they need to go. Basically, everything we’ve been guilty of doing thus far.
So, I set out her potty in the kitchen (I was cooking as usual), got her naked, and put her Potty book down for a little incentive/reading material.
Right away, she gravitated to the toilet giving the impression she was ready to do just as the baby in the book and go potty! Just a minor course correction for her foot was all I offered, nothing about going pee or poo.
With her foot out and butt down, she took to reading. Yes, my plan was working!
As usual, she pointed out the kitty and doggy, but then continued on flipping the pages. All good signs, my anticipation grew by the second!
Uh oh, I think I spooked her a little. What? Is it soooo weird to sit around snapping photos of your naked toddler on the pot?
Don’t answer that, I just read the question out loud, and yes, yes it is weird. C’mon, you can’t tell me I’m the only parent out there that does this. Right? Right?
Whatever the case, she quickly recovered and continued sitting and flipping through the pages. Ooo, it was a good page, the part where he goes in the potty and proclaims “I did it!” This part gets her excited, which, subsequently, make us excited thinking how she gets it and it will start using potty from here on out.
Her face was beaming with pride as if she can and will go potty. I felt like this was it!
Well, even if it was, it wasn’t. Right after that page, she stood up from the toilet and sat right back down next to her pink plastic throne.
But at least it’s a good sign she still had the book, right? Wrong!
I’ll spare you the pictures (I actually did not take anymore), but what followed was a stream of pee right next to her potty. I quickly cleaned her legs and feet (yes, she made pee prints across the floor), and then the floor.
Trying extremely hard to remain calm, I caved and mentioned using the potty to go pee or poo so it doesn’t get on her legs or the floor. You could tell she was frustrated with not having a diaper to catch her refuse, so I thought an explanation would help. I even pointed out how the baby does it with the diaper off in her book.
I went back to doing chores around the house trying my best to ignore my nude toddler with a full bladder, but had to draw the line when she climbed the couch. She thought it was funny, but I only saw another potential clean-up.
With Avery back down and running around, I carried on around the house only to have her come up and give me a hug while saying “Hi.” That’s her “I know I did something wrong but look how cute I am” sign. I’m not one to turn down a hug, so I hugged her back then went looking for wet spot. This time it was the carpet in the playroom.
So, potty training, even if it is “the easiest method”, is not so easy. More hugs and “Hi’s” followed by a pee puddle search party continued for a while before nap time that day. I haven’t tried again since, but know consistency is key. Maybe just a little closer to two years old, then we’ll start again.
Do you have any potty training fail or success stories to share?
Do you like having a small potty like we have or a seat made for the large toilet? I think I’d like to get a seat for her to go on the real potty soon.
