To train or not to train?

That is the question!

So P's best bud just recently got potty trained. I have had a toddler potty for almost a year now, unfortunately it has been used as a toy more than a potty. It hasn't been until recently that P has started to show interest, but not really. He thinks it is just fun to sit on the potty and not do anything. We could spend a good 20 minutes just getting on and off the potty, and he would be smiling the whole time but no actual business taken place.

The thing is, Em is now officially in the appropriate age range to potty train too. And in some ways she seems more ready than P does. For instance, she actually cares when she has a soiled diaper, where P would be perfectly content running around all day soaked AND stinky. I'm really not looking forward to this phase of parenthood and actually have no desire to do it to be quite honest.

Recently I have been thinking about how great diapers actually are. I mean, once my kids are not in diapers we will have to plan outings around going potty and will also have to know where all public restrooms EVERYWHERE are located. I will also have to carry around extra clothes for when accidents do happen. Right now my only concern is do I have diapers. I'm not sure I have the patients for this. Whether I am ready or not, it will eventually need to get done. Rather than go through the torture twice I'm planning on just doing both at the same time. Maybe they will encourage each other. Who knows.

We have already bought "big boy" an "big girl" undies (p.s. Parker loves Dora the Explorer and REALLY wanted Dora underwear ... Dora band-aids... fine... Dora back pack... OK, but Dora underwear... sorry kid! I have to draw the line somewhere. LOL). We have tried a naked day for P ... that led to lots of pee all around the house and none in the potty and him not caring at all; he would just say "Mom, I'm dripping." Then we put on the underwear and then he finally noticed and was bothered by it. So I think that is what I'll have to do for him. Em... I have no clue, she still seems so young, but I know it is possible.

Well, the plan is to start in September.

Any advice and help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Thanks!

Comments

heather said…

AHHH!! You are SO like me it's unreal. And as I type this, we are starting our third day of underwear for L and he's how much older than P?! haha. Yep - he's three and a half, and we're just barely doing the potty training. I blamed it on our unstable life this past year because we weren't staying in the same place longer than three weeks for eight months straight. But now I have no excuse and I just finally made my mind up to do it. Boy am I going to miss diapers! I completely get you about loving them and having no desire to do the potty training. I am the same way! All in all, L is definitely old enough to understand what goes on, and he's doing remarkably well (and now that I've said it out loud we're going to take a nose-dive today. isn't that the way it always works?). But I'm scared to leave the house. Ever. So I would say maybe even later than September. :) When you do start doing it let me know and we'll chat. Love ya Bec! :)

August 10, 2011 at 4:07 AM

Sara said…

First off your cake looks AMAZING- talk about pressure, and you did such a great job!

As far as potty training- my advice- wait. Here's why. The saying goes: Potty train at 2, finish at 3, potty train at 3, finish at 3. We trained Kenna at 2.5 and it literally took one day. She got it. It was SOOOOO easy. She was just ready. If you catch them when they are truly ready, they basically train themselves. Boys tend to potty train later than girls. So maybe if you waited until Parker was closer to 3 and Emily was 2, you could do them together? They might motivate each other! Laney will be 2 in December, and this time around I haven't even pulled the little potty out or thought about potty training her at all. We're just waiting.

The other thing is- diapers really are convenient. I hate having to stop at every public bathroom. All the germs- ewwww! And kids touch everything! There are so many times I think- this would be so much easier if she was still in diapers! (Not that I wish my four year old was still in diapers, but ya know)

I just say make it as easy on you as possible. Whatever you decide, good luck! We found a sticker chart with an awesome toy at the end was great for motivation.

August 10, 2011 at 6:47 AM

Rachel and Jared said…

I've been having the same dilemma with Ambrey. Jared really wants her potty trained, but I'm like always thinking about how that will change things when we go out with bathrooms and stuff like you. Diapers really are convenient, but it is a paid convenience for us. Diapers do cost money, and we'd love to have to not buy them anymore. Anyways, we've been trying to at least expose Ambrey to the potty for the last year. For a while last summer she did really well going every time she was on the potty, but now she hardly ever goes. We try to motivate her with special stickers and candy if she goes. I guess I just haven't been super committed to the idea of actually diving in and doing it. I don't think she is 100% ready yet. She is kinda interested, and will let me know right away when she poops in her diaper, but she could also sit in a soggy diaper all day and care less. Sometimes she will tell me she has to go so I will put her on the potty and then she'll just hang out for like 30 minutes like she thinks it's a fun game, but no business ever happens. I have just been told when they are ready it will just happen, and I just don't think she is quite ready. So I am going to wait until she shows a little more interest then dive in. I am hoping it will all be taken care of by the time she turns 3 in Feb. I say keep up his exposure to the idea and when he is ready he'll let you know.

August 10, 2011 at 9:17 AM

Jennifer and Brad said…

I potty trained one of the boys I nanny-ed and I thought they should have waited till three too. Once he turned three it was a piece of cake! But, what I did because we were always on the move. I put a potty in the back of the SUV so if he needed to I could bring it out. It saved us a time or two. Except for the time he took a poop on the side walk while I was grabbing the potty while his brother yelled "I SEE IT COMING OUT!" Me not know what he was talking about turned around and saw that his little brother apparently couldn't wait. I laugh now but I was mortified.

August 10, 2011 at 10:11 AM

Nicole said…

I would say make sure they are ready. It was sooooo easy to train Samantha at 2.5. Like Sara, it took literally 1 day. And I'm soooo glad I waited until she was ready!! And as for planning outings around pee and carrying around extra clothes, you really don't have to do that for very long at all. I have a friend who potty trained a little earlier than when her child was ready. That was about 3 months ago, and her child still has regular accidents. But at the same time I think she likes having her child out of diapers. So you just have to decide what is best for you! If P isn't quite ready, then he might have regular accidents for a few months (he also might not) but if you wait until he is really ready you're more likely to have less accidents and for a shorter period of time.

August 10, 2011 at 11:37 AM

Remarkable Rheads said…

If you can say yes to the following, then he might be ready:

Does he:
-stay dry for at least 2 hours during the day or is dry after naps
-is he aware when he is peeing or pooping
-coordinated, meaning he can sit down and pull his pants up and down
-interested in the toilet
-follow simple instructions
-shows a desire for independence

For me, I think I started too early. My son just didn't catch on consistently until he was three. Good luck!
-eager to please and imitate and do things for himself

August 10, 2011 at 10:16 PM

David said…

Ok, your cake is amazing! Way to go, girl!

Good luck on potty training. It looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice: Go for it if you and the kids are ready, if not WAIT.

August 11, 2011 at 2:04 PM

David said…

Uh, this is Rachel btw, not David. :)

August 11, 2011 at 2:04 PM