It has been four months since I last gave an update about any movement (pun intended) with Cole's potty habits. He pretty much lost any interest he had had with the loo so I have just left his potty seat collecting dust in the corner of our bathroom. If there is one thing I know about my son it is NOT to push the envelope with this training. He certainly has a mind of his own and pressure does not sit well with his personality. The last thing I need is to still be coaxing him to the toilet past three years of age so I have to be careful to pick the right time to re-introduce the concept.
That said, and having given him a pass these past few months, it is time again to revisit what it would take to make him curious and willing to sit up on the throne.
I think my tactic will be to try and let him go nakkkkked around the house (thank goodness once again for our steam cleaner) the four days in a row that I have him home with me. Being the intrepid researcher and reader of toddler behavior that I am, I have concluded that his go go go go go go a mile a minute, can't stop, must keep moving mentality has just limited him from the awareness it takes to actually realize that he needs to GO! He pees in the tub and watches it stream, so I think letting him just be free from Pull Ups to see the peeing happening randomly might (please please) heighten his consciousness of what is going on and the importance of getting to the potty pronto! I'll need eyes in the back of head for roughly 96 hours but that is how it must be! The going #2s is bound to create a mess but maybe that will be the catalyst (along with making a game of running to the potty, "quick quick, beat Mommy to the potty" kind of thing) to make some inroads.
Obviously, some sort of fun and motivating HURRAY, YIPPEE, GOOD JOB treat must follow as continual incentive (songs and praise won't cut it with Cole as being nearly enough for following up) so his fascination with his Easter PEZ dispenser could serve as the perfect "gold star" along with some cool CARS underpants!
I'll let you know how things go...I can't avoid the fact that he needs to go potty regularly on his own before he can move up to the pre-school classroom at Montessori this fall nor can I be less than honest in that I'm tired of tackling him to change a diaper. I know full well that accidents will happen often, that they will happen at the least appropriate times and that my laundry duties will increase threefold but it is a rite of passage for both of us & one I would gladly like to see happen ASAP.
1 comment:
Three years was the magic number for both of my boys. I spent 100's of dollars and a bazillion power Ranger bribes for Alex, but it just didn't happen until he was 3. Boys just don't care about poopy diapers!
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