Cue angel choir singing "Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!"Because, Theo is officially toilet trained.
At least, I think he is. I guess I don't know what constitutes "official" but he can do the whole thing on his own, hasn't had an accident in weeks, and wakes up dry just about every morning. Some days he will go without telling me (which I don't love, because he will never wash his hands on his own); other days I have to remind him every few hours.
Sorry if toilet training is #3,467 on the list of blog topics you enjoy, but this has been big news at our house.
He definitely is enjoying this newfound power, which he holds over my head at least once every day. I have realized that if I want him to go--generally any time I know he won't see a bathroom any time soon--I have to very casually guide him to the bathroom, lift up the seat, and not say a word about it. It's like he's embarrassed to talk about it almost. If I ask him to go when he doesn't absolutely have to go, he will refuse and threaten a tantrum, but if I go the casual route and guide him without mentioning it, then he is game.
Anyway. This is a triumph for all of us, but especially for Theo. I am glad that I waited to try this whole thing until he turned three, because he probably wouldn't have been ready any earlier. (my question now is: will I be able to wait so long with Ida?) I am so deliriously happy not to be changing two sets of diapers anymore. It was REALLY HARD for the first two weeks after his birthday, the first few days being the worst--I may or may not have had a tantrum of my own which involved throwing his "little seat" in the trash and declaring, "FINE, just WEAR DIAPERS FOREVER!" And then within another week or two it seemed to click for him. With this newfound skill he has been getting more independent and more confident every day. Hooray for Theo!
10 comments:
I absolutely despise potty training. In fact Chris hates even using the word potty at our house!
Will was really hard especially because of the whole language barrier thing, and was 4 1/2 when it clicked for him.
Isaac, gratefully, was 3 and we got it done just before leaving for London. I did not want to pack diapers for two kids!
Eli is almost 2 and could be ready if I wanted him to be. He stands at the toilet with the other boys when they have their "races" and holds up his shirt, and tells me as soon as #2 has occurred. But, with a new one coming, I don't want to risk any digression with him.
I'm glad have one that you have one down, it does make life easier. Now you just have to become familiar with restroom locations everywhere you go!
Hip Hip HOoray for Theo!!! Can you now train Genevieve now that your patience is returning?
I have said it before, but I believe a child is "successfully" potty trained the same way they "successfully" sleep through the night. Unfortunately for me, yet fortunately for you - there seem to be varying degrees of that "sucess."
I think we should go out for ice cream to celebrate.
I've ever known only 2 or 3 children that successfully potty train before age 3. Otherwise, the parents are trained, the child still has to have help dressing and undressing and such. After 3, it goes faster, they get it quicker and there are fewer accidents. Don't make it harder than it needs to be is my motto. Especially with potty training.
So congrats to Theo and to You!!
Now you have $40 a month to do something else with! Celebrate!
I like that parallel about sleeping through the night. I felt the same triumphant feeling after my kids slept through the night for a few weeks in a row for the first time. Actually even the first time they slept through the night at all, I felt like throwing a party. Would have been premature since it took them both several months of off-and-on sleeping before they really could be depended on to sleep all night.
And even that doesn't really mean anything since as long as teeth are still breaking through gums, it seems like someone's awake at some point half the time anyway. So I figure it will similar with toilet training, regressions or whatever. But so far, so good. I don't even mind dealing with public restrooms as long as I don't have to change as many diapers. Well, OK I kind of mind. Public restrooms can be REALLY gross and Theo likes touching everything.
Actually, I've known lots of kids trained before three. And maybe the parents were the ones that were "trained" but when you had to wash and dry or even hang diapers out on the line - it was worth the effort!
I think many kids trained earlier because of cloth diapers. (Personal experience- the child who wore cloth trained earliest) Disposables have less yuck factor (not to mention the work involved with cloth!) so there often isn't as much motivation for parent(s) and child.
I think you can call it official from your discription. Hip Hip Hurray!
I understood the same in my reading--that kids were trained earlier when most wore cloth diapers. It just made more sense. I'm sure if Theo had been in cloth diapers he would have been uncomfortable a lot sooner. As it was, at age three he still didn't care about wearing diapers and didn't even particularly care about walking around in a messy one for a while.
Not that anyone here is particularly looking, but I read The No-Cry Potty-Training Solution and On Becoming Pottywise before starting with Theo. Both were very helpful in our approach.
Congratulations to both of you! You must have been doing something right because I fought for a whole year with both the boys. Maybe the next time around I'll do it differently. I've heard that girls train a lot earlier so Ida will probably be ready this summer! Wouldn't it be great to be done with diapers by Christmas?!
I just potty-trained Sophia at 21 months, and found the same thing to be true about 'making' her go to the bathroom. After several days of incredible temper tantrums all day long, I left her alone and didn't yell at hear about accidents. Within two days she was completely accident free day, night, and in public.
Sorry I'm so late to the celebration! And it definitely is that. Way to go, Theo. And double congrats for you, Eliza...only one tantrum wherein you declared Diapers Forever?! You're a better mom than I. :o) Congrats again!
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