Monday, July 9, 2007

Potty Training 201: A Concerted Effort

Okay, I'm biting the bullet. If you've been reading this blog for awhile you probably know about our potty training woes with William.

He will sit on the potty, wake up in the morning with his pull up dry, and often keeps it dry for long periods of time during the day. BUT, (and it's a very big but) nothing happens when he sits on that stinkin' "throne" (no pun intended). No pee, no poop...NADA!

I will admit our attempts up to this point have been less than heroic, so I decided today that I will put forth a concerted effort (see title). I have no idea why I chose TODAY because I only have a million other things that I should be doing (like cleaning my house, planning, a party, ordering a cake, etc.).

I thought I would keep a running commentary of my experience with this today.

Because I know you guys care.

Ooo, I did it! I found an appropriate substitue for y'all. I've been struggling with that. I can't really use y'all because Big Mama and Boo Mama use it and I'm trying to be original here. Plus, I'm NOT from Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, or Kentucky. If I forgot your southern state, please forgive. I'm from Indiana and in Indiana we say "you guys". So, there you have it. It's official, my word to indicate you all (as in everyone reading this) is "you guys". Hooray for me! However, I do reserve the right to use y'all when/if I am actually in Texas, Tennesssee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina (I'm remembering some of the other southern states now, but I'm going to stop listing them because this post is supposed to be about Potty Training!).

Okay, back to the task at hand. Here's how the potty training went down today.

Attempt #1 12:30pm

Time on the potty: 10 minutes
Stories read: 2
Deposit: None
Reward: 5 M&Ms

Attempt #2 1:00pm

Time on the potty: 5 minutes
Stories read: 1
Deposit: Possible pee (I heard something, can not confirm nor deny...counting it success, though)- could be breakthrough...will keep you posted
Reward: 6 M&Ms

Attempt #3 1:30pm

Time on the potty: 5 minutes
Stories read: 1
Result: None...hoping the last time was not just my imagination
Reward: 3 M&Ms (running out)

Attempt#4 2:00pm

Time on the potty: 5 minutes
Stories Read: 1
Result: Nothing
Reward: 0 M&Ms (he forgot and I didn't remind)

Attempt #5 2:30pm

Time on the potty: 8 minutes
Stories Read: 1
Result: Nothing (I'm now convinced the "success" of Attempt #2 was a figment of my imagination)
Reward: 3 M&Ms

BREAK - NAPTIME (2 hour potty training break, excuse me while I go finish off those M&Ms)

Attempt #6 5:30pm

Time on the potty: 10 minutes
Stories Read: 6
Result: NOTHING! (even though his pull up was dry from nap) AAACK!!!
Reward: 3 Skittles

I Give! (for today)

13 comments:

Janelle said...

Good times. It was always 2 M&Ms for kid and handful for Mommy. But what I really wanted was Prozac.

Anonymous said...

…hmm I was feeling depressed, but now I really just have to pee.

Abigail (aka Mamatouille) said...

Oh, golly Moses, I can't wait for potty training! Not!

Melissa said...

I do NOT miss those days! My heart goes out to you, friend!

And as for Southern states...you DID forget Virginia ;D (though probably only 1/2 of the state considers us to be "southern").

"You guys" is good...much better than "yuse guys". You're an original.

The picture in Rich's comment cracks me up!

Have a good day! And better luck with the training!

Shelley said...

Hang in there girlfriend! Surely he will crack, just keep at it! Have you tried giving him a BIG cup of juice or koolaid (something he would WANT to drink all of) and then taking off all apparal from the bottom half and sitting him on the potty for awhile? I know you fear for your carpet, but if you could catch him peeing and put him on the potty mid-act, it might help. You could have an "outside only" day and try this outside!

dawn said...

Is there anything that Will wants? For example..When potty training Boy1, He really wanted a big boy bicycle. It wasn't birthday time or Christmas, but he realllly wanted a bike. So we used it as a potty bribe. if you will.

We made a sticker chart with lots of places to fill in stickers with a bike drawn at the very bottom. Once he tinkled enough times to fill the chart with stickers, we bought the bike. By that time, using the potty became a habit and he did it regularly.

It was not easy and after a while, I didn't use pull ups. He needed to feel wet so he could see how valuable the potty was. That really helped.

Just know you are not alone in your woes. We have all been there and in a couple of years, I will be there again. UGH!

Anonymous said...

why the m&m's when he doesn't deposit? Make him WANT those m&m's.

I also don't like pull ups...might as well stay in diapers.

Also if he is sitting...maybe he would prefer to stand. JP was a stander from the start.

Celeste said...

I agree with Shelley, and give him salty foods so he gets thirsty! This is very interesting and I will be following it closely, in two years or so I'll have a boy to train! yikes!

Sparky said...

Girl - I've been on vacation and I've come back to your fancy blog. I'm duly impressed. You have entered the BIG TIME!

Once you figure out success, please let me know because husband feels we should start potty training Mr. Ben. Good luck friend!

Alana said...

This just in...

We have a CONFIRMED pee in the potty!

Of course, after all my hard work yesterday he did it while I was gone tonight...for Daddy! Turkey!

Anyway, not only did he pee, he told Rich before he had to go. I think we have an official breakthrough.

Praise Jesus!

Shelley said...

Yeah!!! Congrats on the pee pee!!! (there's a sentance I thought i'd never say!)

Janelle said...

Yahoo! I am praising with you.

Unknown said...

Hi! I was reading the LPM blog tonight and saw a comment from you. I just wanted to say HALLELUJAH for another Yankee! I absolutely LOVE all of the southern charm and dilect, but I gotta give a praise for the "you guy's" I saw on this post tonight! ( I am from Michigan!)
It is nice to meet you fellow northerner, I am Teri!