Potty Language
When it comes to parenting style, Katie and I are of the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants variety. For better or worse, we don't read parenting books or solicit advice from others. We typically just muddle on through. And as far as I know, so far our children have escaped being permanently scarred from this kind of upbringing. (Though admittedly most of these issues would probably show up later in their lives anyway.)
Enter: toilet training.
I don't know how we managed to get the first two kids toilet trained. I can't speak to how other parents do it, but our kids flat-out refuse to try. The only way we got Sam to use the toilet was to make him sit there until he couldn't hold it in anymore. Then he saw it wasn't scary or painful, and quickly progressed. It was the same with Allison, and between the two of them they only ever wet their beds a handful of times. We trained them late, but they got it down quickly.
Clara turns four in May, and by last fall I was pretty anxious to get it done. I didn't want her in diapers going to primary. It was embarrassing. Katie and I disagreed on this. She felt that Clara would eventually want to do it on her own. So I stopped bothering her about it. But she hadn't made any progress, so on Saturday I made her sit there until she used it. Now she's fine, and goes and uses it when she needs to, even coming inside when she's been out playing in order to do it.
Now, she's only halfway there. We've still got #2 to deal with, and there's nighttime stuff. But at least it's progress.
Side note: We never have, and never will, use the term "potty." Not on my watch.
Enter: toilet training.
I don't know how we managed to get the first two kids toilet trained. I can't speak to how other parents do it, but our kids flat-out refuse to try. The only way we got Sam to use the toilet was to make him sit there until he couldn't hold it in anymore. Then he saw it wasn't scary or painful, and quickly progressed. It was the same with Allison, and between the two of them they only ever wet their beds a handful of times. We trained them late, but they got it down quickly.
Clara turns four in May, and by last fall I was pretty anxious to get it done. I didn't want her in diapers going to primary. It was embarrassing. Katie and I disagreed on this. She felt that Clara would eventually want to do it on her own. So I stopped bothering her about it. But she hadn't made any progress, so on Saturday I made her sit there until she used it. Now she's fine, and goes and uses it when she needs to, even coming inside when she's been out playing in order to do it.
Now, she's only halfway there. We've still got #2 to deal with, and there's nighttime stuff. But at least it's progress.
Side note: We never have, and never will, use the term "potty." Not on my watch.
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