Finally Potty Trained!

When Eliza was about two and half years old I gave her a potty chair and a Dora Seat to go on the big potty. I showed her how to use the potty. I had her teach her doll how to use the potty and get a treat. She was so excited when her doll used the potty but when I asked her if she wanted to try, she always responded, "No Potty, Mommy.... I want diapers!" I pretty much stopped trying except for occasionally asking her if she wanted to try the potty. I knew her answer would be "No potty, Mommy!"

One morning, when Eliza was 3 years and 1 week old, I asked her if she wanted to go potty. She gave me the standard answerer. Later that afternoon she came to me and said, "I want to go potty, Mommy." I didn't really believe her but I didn't want to discourage her so I took her to the bathroom. She used the toilet from that day on.

I thought I had potty training all figured out. It can be frustrating for Moms if they keep trying when the kid isn't ready. All you have to do is buy them a seat, make sure they know what to do and then just wait until the kid decides he/she is ready.

Soooo...when Sadie was 2.5 years old, I went to the attic and got down Eliza's old potty chair. I placed the potty on the floor. Sadie immediately took off her diaper, sat down and relieved herself. I thought, "wow, she is going to be easy to train... she already knows what to do and is interested." Awww... I was so wrong.

She was interested that first day but didn't care after that. I wasn't worried about it. As Sadie approached 3 years old, I thought I'd maybe make more of an effort. I tried potty treats. She like that for the first day and she successfully used the potty and each time received a piece of candy. The next day she didn't' care about the treat anymore. Next I took her to the store and let her pick out some princess panties. She loved them and wanted to wear them... for one day. I thought, well, I'll just wait for her to decide....

She saw a Barbie Beauty Set online. She really wanted it. She would just ask to look at the picture all the time. I ordered it. When it came I showed it to her and told her she could have it when she used the potty and not diapers anymore. She immediately went and used the potty and came back and asked for it. I explained that she had to use the potty all the time and no more diapers. Over the next few days she used the potty on and off and each time she came and asked me for the beauty set. Eventually I gave it to her and she immediately stopped trying to use the potty. I was bamboozled.

When Sadie was about 3 years and 2 months, I began to feel a little anxious about training her. I tried the sticker chart thing. She loved it and used the potty every time... for one day!

A couple of weeks ago I read an article in a Parenting Magazine about Potty Training. It had several suggestions... like candy, cheering, and charts. I had tried all of the suggestions except for one - Reverse Psychology.

A mom wrote how she told her that she didn't want him to be potty trained because the pirates said they would make him a real pirate but he had to wear big boy pants. She said she didn't want him to be a pirate because she would miss him so she begged him to wear diapers. He stopped wearing diapers that night. She took him to Disneyland and arranged for a pirate to officially make him a pirate.

I thought I'd try it. I picked up the phone and pretended to be talking to Princess Aurora. Sadie listened intently to my end of the conversation:
"Oh...You want Sadie to be in the Princess Club?...... She has to be big girl and not wear diapers?... Oh, so the princess club is just for girls that wear panties?!.... uh huh... what? Girls in the Princess Club get to go to Toys R Us and pick out a princess toy?.... Okay, thanks Aurora. Bye!"

As soon as I hung up Sadie started to question me. I explained, "Sadie, Princess Aurora wants you to be in the Princess Club. She said you have to wear panties and go to Toys R Us to get a princess toy... BUT, I don't want to go to Toys R Us. It's too expensive. I want you to stay a baby and wear diapers." Sadie replies, "Nooooo. I want to be in the Princess Club! I want to talk to Ariel!" Then she ran off to her room, took off her diaper and put on panties. She ran back to the family room and kept saying she wants to talk to Ariel. I left the room and called my mom. She called Sadie back and pretended to be Ariel. Ariel told Sadie all about the princess club and Toys R Us again.

Over the following few days Sadie would get up in the morning and I would tell her that I wanted her to wear a diaper so we don't have to spend money at Toys R Us. She would say, "No! I am a big girl!." After a few days of her consistently wearing panties, I pulled out the calander. I told her she could pick a day. If she could wear panties and until that day, we would go to Toys R Us. She picked a random Tuesday about 5 days away. She put a sticker on the calander on that day.

So Sadie has fianlly been day time diaper free for about 2 weeks now! She got to go to Toys R Us and pick a toy. She ended up picking this Wall AquaDoodle.