Sunday, January 16, 2011

More Potty Training

Potty Training continues! I have a feeling if I looked at my posts in the past 6 months, that most would be about potty training. I think I wrote before about my laid-back approach, which works fine- up to a point. I think it also really depends on each individual child, and having twins seriously underscores that.

I have had four weeks off of work (woohoo!) and I was going to get more serious with potty training. I waited until after Christmas, and I knew that the girls had pretty good control of their bladders. Not perfect, but I felt like they needed an extra nudge in the right direction. So, they went bare bottom for a few days. The first two days were great! Everyone went peepee on the potty, no accidents, I kept thinking, "ok, really?! Is it going to be this easy??" But, of course, it is not. The third day was AWFUL. Awful. Having accidents, M even had an "accident" on purpose! I gave up on that day and the next. Then I went back to bare bottoms, and it went better. I tried putting the thicker training undies on the girls, but S would go in them. I think she thought they were just like pull ups.

I continued on with bare bottoms- mostly with S. I am now asking M if she wants pull ups or nothing, and today she chose pullups. S has been so well that today we took a fairly short trip out and she wore undies. I was scared! But I was prepared with pullups, pants to change into, and a travel potty. It seemed like she knew she could not go in her undies this time. She also had a skirt on and did not want to get it wet and change into pants. I think we were gone for about an hour and a half to two hours. I took her potty before we left, when we got to our destination I wanted to her to use the travel potty, but she said no. Then, when we were done and got back in the car, I had her sit on the travel potty. She went a little, and then held the rest until we got home and went on her potty.

I know there will be setbacks, but this is great! Potty Training really is a long term thing. "They" don't really make it seem like that- especially the people who tout the 3-day potty training stuff- but it is a process. A long process. I am convinced that being laid back is best, for my girls, and sometimes they need a nudge, but it is a constant assessment of their needs.

Monday, January 03, 2011

Potty Training- Again!

We briefly tried potty training last summer and it didn't go so well. Since then, they have been wearing pull ups and we have been asking if they need to go on the potty. They will always go after a bath, and recently, as soon as S gets out of the tub she shrieks, "I have to go pee-pee!!" It's like she held it and just cannot hold it any longer!

Since I have 4 weeks off over this holiday, I decided I would try the bare bottom style. I know that they are ready, and just are being lazy about having a pull up on. Yesterday was Day 1. It went well. We only went bare bottom for a few hours in the morning. There were no accidents and both went peepee in the potty. M was holding it more, but she at least went.

Today we did bare bottoms all day (except for nap). S did so great! 1 minor accident, but 98% of the time she went in the potty. She even ran to the potty a couple times on her own, without telling me! I thought that was a huge step.

M was having more trouble. I really think this is a control issue with her. She is totally capable of it, I know. I wasn't even going to push it with her, but she wanted to be naked like her sister. Today, she had a few accidents. One time I asked her if she needed to go and she said no. Not 10 seconds later, I notice she is peeing. Of course, I do not make a big deal out of it, but it is frustrating.

No potty training tomorrow, we are going to the zoo!