Potty Time

I am not a pushy mom when it comes to potty training.  I’d really rather not deal with accidents and I just can’t get behind reminding the kid every 30 minutes – if they can’t take the responsibility to at least tell me when they have to go, then they just aren’t ready.

 

So my oldest was just over 3 when he trained.  The twins were 3.5 (and finally took the plunge because I told them Santa would not be bringing toys to 3.5 year olds who were not potty trained).

 

So when J, my fourth, turned 3 I started making noise about it being time to put away the diapers, but he wasn’t really interested.  So I let it go.  6 months later he still had no interest even though we promised him a great truck and a new bike.  Somewhere along the way he’d transitioned to pull-ups rather than diapers, without the desired results.

 

But a few weeks ago while we were traveling I sensed an opportunity.  Regular potty breaks, complete control of the liquid intake, etc.  So I bribed him with a car at the end of the day if he was dry.  And for 3 days he did great and I thought we had this beat.

 

Then we got home and he was back to his old ways.  And then I ran out of pull-ups and decided we just go for underwear.  After a day of accidents I popped his little toosh in a real diaper and called him a baby. (Not the best mothering, but the child was a month away from being 4.)

 

He cried and said he wasn’t a baby and he wanted his big boy underwear back.  I gave him one more chance.

 

Four down, one more to go, but she’s only 2.5, so I’m not worried . . . yet.