I know I sound like a broken record, but you can trust me, it's even more annoying for me to still be talking about potty training as a process than it is for you to be reading about it - again.
I look around and see Micaiah's friends who all potty trained in different ways and at different times, but for them, the process is generally regarded as complete. Sure, they may still have hurdles, such as naptimes or night-times - I honestly don't know their routines. But I know they can go to church in their underwear and come home with it dry (as a general rule).
I still can't trust Micaiah to do that.
Because we still can't trust her to tell someone when she needs to go.
She goes when we ask her to - and even then, only if she's in a good mood.
Which is why the latest tactic is to try as hard as I possibly can to keep her in a good mood regarding the potty - so she'll at least go when she's asked.
Yes, I know, that's generally considered the rule - make it a positive experience. And that's what we tried the first six months (or eight months, or who knows how long, really), and then, as not necessarily the most patient parents in the world, we let our ugly sides come out. We saw her stubbornness - the fact that this overly intelligent three-year-old knows the process and chooses to to ignore it out of spite and sheer independence of will (as in, she won't go in the potty for the simple fact that she knows it's what we want) - and we bit back.
So, now we're back to the patient route.
Because we just plumb don't know what to do.
Unless potty training boot camp is an option.
It's not, right?
Have you tried the "embarrassing" route? She's probably aware enough, that walking around with a pee-stained dress at church is not so cool!
ReplyDeleteWell, that isn't really up to us, as much as it is to her teachers and I'm not sure they want a kid walking around with yuck on her. And when she's at home she doesn't seem to care - half the time she still doesn't tell us - we have to notice the wet pants ourselves :(
ReplyDeleteI don't have a potty-training age child, but I do have friends whose three year old, intelligent little boy won't use the potty either. You aren't alone.
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