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Let me just start by saying that from the start I was pretty sure that forcing Ben to potty train wasn't going to work. And this from the optimist in the family.
It started when Ben went to stand in a corner of the living room and started to look like he was concentrating. Immediately Aaron told him he should go sit on the potty! Ben refused, but wanted a diaper change. I complied, and there was nothing there. But since we were fairly certain that there would be #2 soon, we got him on the potty.
And boy, did Aaron work hard to keep him there. Not only did I keep him company, but Aaron got the portable DVD player set up right in front of the toilet. And Ben sat there for about half an hour with no progress, except through the Veggie Tales movies.
Then he wanted to switch movies, and it was the DVD player was the one that pooped out on us. It has been fairly onery ever since we bought it - we tried multiple movies, all which work just fine on our regular DVD player, and the portable one said "bad disc" for each and every one. Even the brand new one. We decided that we are adding that item to our list to research.
In the mean time, though, Aaron was NOT giving up. Our little 13" tv was still in the kitchen from the big Vikings/Saints game, so he tried to set that up so Ben could watch it - but the cable cord wasn't long enough.
Then he tried to hook up our regular DVD player - dragged it all the way over, found the only outlet in the area (as far away as possible) and realized that the DVD player doesn't have a coaxial input? Whatever that is. Seems that it's important, since the entire operation was then abandoned.
Ben wandered into the kitchen where I was making dinner (Banana-Oatmeal Pancakes! Yum!) - with no pants on. He asked for me to put a diaper on him, but of course we both refused. We told Ben that if he wanted a diaper he'd have to put it on himself. OR, he could wear underwear.
Well, THAT did not go over well. He spent the next thirty minutes whining and crying and sometimes laying on the floor with his butt in the air waiting for someone to put the diaper on him. Leah finally couldn't take it anymore, and started trying to. I told her, "Leah! We don't WANT him to wear a diaper!" and then she started crying, the poor thing.
Ben chips in later, "Mommy, you know why I no want to wear underwear?" "No, Ben. Why don't you want to wear underwear?" "Cause then me no run fast!" Huh. Yes, we definitely explained that ALL the people who run really fast wear underwear. NOT diapers.
His other arguments were that he wasn't a big boy - which we refuted by reminding him that almost all his friends wear underwear, even P who is a year younger- and that he doesn't WANT to wear underwear. That is his usual go-to argument. Doesn't add much to his persuasiveness, let me tell you.
In the end (ha! I'm hilarious) he put his sweatpants back on, but went commando. I don't know if we'll go through this entire circus again. But I'm REALLY hoping that Ben's attitude toward underwear changes. I don't know what they ever did to him.
The previous was written Saturday evening. Sunday Ben spent the afternoon in underwear! He used the potty when Aaron bribed him with playing Wii, and then later on pooped & peed in his underwear. And pants, and socks. It was a very gross mess, which I, of course, had to clean up. Back to diapers on Monday.
I have to say, I don't have a great discussion questions here...except, um....any good potty training stories? (Please, no more advice. We've had tons and tried lots.)
Like a waterfall in slow motion, Part One
2 years ago
6 comments:
I had an "argument" with my second born not quite 2 year old over the recently returned potty chair. She wanted to use it and I said no you're not old enough yet. We'll put it away for later. She was insistent and I decided it couldn't hurt to try. She was right and had that milestone accomplished in a couple of weeks!
unwanted advice: Wait until he's ready and begs to use the potty! Surely it will happen by high school...
AJ once pooped in the play structure of a chick-fil-a. I thought he ws trained; I was wrong. These really dreadful moms there with me said - loudly, as they were hussling their children out - "I can't BELIEVE she lethim poop in the play area.". Right. Because I'd said to him, "AJ, let's go to chick-fil-a. You poop in the play structure there and make me clean it out while holding your baby brother. Because the worst day of my life needs an update."
Only way I got my oldest was to tell her that she would be a big girl and big girls got to do special things. We tried the training pants with the plastic covers but she didn't like those, so I asked her if she would wear a pull up and not pee in them but didn't like that idea either unless we had panties on over and I think it only took us a couple good weeks to get her daytime trained nighttime is whole other story.
Ok, ok. I have a funny story that gets retold ALL the time. (Fabulous!)
When I was potty training my Mom knew I loved Carebears. She sent me to daycare with some carebears and a snoopy. She told me that the carebears wouldn't like it very much if I wet on them. Later, back at home, she asked, "How did your day go? Did you wet on the Carebears?" I looked solemnly at her, shook my head and said, "OH no Mommy, I didn't wet on the Carebears, but I pooped on Snoopy!" : )
All I can say is this: Serenity was trained day & night by age 2, Alex was 3+, I've given up on Isaac and I'll just plan to train him and Elijah at the same time. And the way it's going, I sure hope that's sooner than later!
You keep Ben going and I'll work on Isaac! Good Luck!
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