When Livia turned two she started showing signs of potty-training readiness. You know, telling me when she went to the bathroom, having dry diapers for several hours (and sometimes even overnight!), and becoming physically capable of pulling her pants up and down. I thought, "Great! Let's do this! I'm tired of paying for diapers."
But then she proceeded to have accident after accident. She would often sit on the potty chair, not go, and then stand up and pee all over the floor. I took that as a sign that no, she wasn't quite ready yet. I tried a few more times over the next 6 months, and each time it was just as frustrating and stressful.
Last Monday I decided to take the plunge again. I definitely want her toilet-trained before the next baby arrives. Mainly because I don't want to deal with potty-training with a newborn in my arms. And I wanted to get it done early enough that Livia'd be pretty well established in it before her whole world turned upside down in April.
And so I put her in underwear, and we began. Several hours went by--no accidents, but no successes either. I could tell by the way she was walking that she needed to go, but she wouldn't sit on the potty and kept asking for a diaper. That didn't sound like potty training to me, so I said no, and 5 minutes later she had a small accident. I rushed her to the potty chair, and lo and behold, she finished going in the potty! I decided to ignore the accident and praised her over and over, handing her a piece of candy for having been successful. She asked for a diaper again, and I put one on her because it was almost nap time anyway.
What was my surprise when for the rest of the day she went in the potty, all on her own, every single time! She was still wearing a diaper, but she'd just announce she had to go, walk in the bathroom, pull off her diaper and go. I grew very hopeful.
This continued all week. She got a piece of candy each time, and though she wouldn't wear underwear she rarely actually utilized her diapers.
On Saturday I decided her perpetual sugar-high had to go, so I switched to a chart, wherein every 5x she went she got a piece of candy. I braced myself for rebellion, but she handled it fine! And when she filled up the whole chart I gave her a small present. She was thrilled, and so was I because for DAYS the only time she'd gone in her diaper was when she was sleeping, which I knew would take longer to learn anyway.
This experience has been SO different from the past times I tried to train her. I never would have guessed that just leaving her in diapers would work, but it's actually been really nice because I have ZERO stress. If she doesn't make it to the potty in time I don't have to clean it up! I don't have to ask her constantly if she has to go, or make her sit on the potty every 20 minutes...she just tells me when she has to go, and she goes! And often she goes without even telling me!
This time around I also just tried really hard to be in-tune with what my particular child needed. Not every method works for every kid. Some kids fight potty-training til they're 4 years old, and others are perfectly willing and capable to train very early. But for Livia, who bristles everytime I try to force her to do something, being relaxed about it (and offering rewards) is what worked. I know we're not done yet. In fact, this morning we had a small regression because she woke up grumpy and refused to sit on the potty until it was nearly lunch time. But I'm not really worried about it. Slowly, slowly, we'll work her into underwear and being fully trained.
For now, I'm pleased (and hoping that box of diapers in her closet is the LAST one I have to buy!)
(That blue one might be my favorite. Can't you just see Livia's face there??)
Chase and I dressed up as a pair of scarecrows. He's not typically a fan of dressing up, so this was big news!
