***Caution! Multiple references to "pee" and "poop" in this post***
I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year (well actually, I did say I wasn't going to eat potato for a month, but that was clearly just a ridiculous notion and has long since been forgotten about. Mmmmmm, po-taaaa-to), but I did have three goals that I hoped to achieve with the boys:
1) change cribs over to toddler/big boy beds
2) attempt to potty train the boys
3) put the boys in nursery school in September
Now if you read the blog regularly, you will have seen that our first goal was attempted and the mission was aborted rather quickly. Owen and William were clearly not ready for a change in their sleeping arrangements, which is fine with Mark and I. No need to rush them just yet, let's give the boys a few more months and then we'll try again.
I'm hoping that in attempting to achieve goal number two, I am equally calm and prepared to hit the pause button if necessary. I've decided that since Owen has been talking quite a bit about when he poops and has expressed some interest in the notion of a potty, I might as well start a little pre-potty training. Basically, I am getting them used to the idea of the potty, helping them to figure out when they are actually peeing and pooping how to use the potty and all that jazz. I'm not entirely sure that Will is ready, so I'm just going to focus on getting them both comfortable with the potty and we'll see what happens. I'm also trying to teach them how to pull their pants up and down on their own, since I assume it might be helpful in the weeks to come!
To help us reach our goal of a diaper free zone, I bought a fantastic book called The No-Cry Potty Training Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. I don't often like these types of guides, but she makes a lot of sense and offers lots of great tips on how to help your children learn how to use the toilet. Her best tip is for parents to remain calm and not to stress. If you feel stressed, angry or anxious about the training process, your child is going to feel it and its just not going to happen. So I am trying to be as patient and happy as possible and see how the boys deal with it all.
The first step for us was choosing a potty that would work in our small bathroom. As you can see from the photo below, we don't have a lot of space in the loo for a stand alone potty. I decided that a cushiony insert for our toilet made much more sense since that way we don't have to transition from a little potty to the toilet later on. And of course this way, no one run away with it on their head. At least, I hope not. The toilet seat insert I bought also came with a handy little hook to hang on the wall! Perfecto!
After their nap on Saturday, I brought Owen and Will into the bathroom to see the "present" I had bought them. With bright, enthusiastic tones, I told them how exciting it was that we had a potty and how much fun its going to be to pee and poop in it. Oh boy! Did either of them want to sit on it I asked excitedly? "No," came the reply. Okay, no problem, we can just sit on the edge of the tub, look at the new, exciting potty and talk about it. Eventually, Owen couldn't resist and decided he wanted his pants off and climbed aboard. Woo-hoo! Big first step and I made sure I told him how great it was that he sat for so long! He actually sat there for a good ten minutes, dangling his legs, looking around and smiling like he'd just won some big prize. I eventually got a book to read to him, as recommended by my guide. Finally Will decided he wanted to try and Owen gracefully gave up his throne. Will didn't appear to be quite as comfortable (he wouldn't take his pants off and sat right on the very edge of the seat), but I was happy he sat nonetheless.
We sat again today for a bit, and even flushed away the contents of a couple of diapers (so they understand that that's where the poop is supposed to go, I think). I plan on asking them every once in a while if they'd like to sit on the potty and continue to encourage flushing poop from diapers (please, oh please don't let them think its a game and we can flush other things too!) and we'll see where we are in a couple of weeks.
The other component of potty training is, of course, for them to realise when they are peeing/pooping and better yet, when they are about to go. In order to help me teach this to the boys, I have bought some pull-up diapers with "cool alert" strips. Basically Will and Owen are supposed to feel a coolness once the strips are wetted. Its been quite funny to see their reactions over the past couple of days. They both freeze mid-step, look vaguely confused and then look down in awe at their diaper areas. If I see them doing this, I usually say 'Oh! Are you going for a pee? Good job" and smile encouragingly. I'm not sure that they totally get it yet, but I hope they start to make the connection soon!
If any of you have any advice on the training front, please let me know, I'd love to hear it. I'm taking it slow and have no real expectations right now, but I hope that going at their own pace with no fixed deadline will keep us all calm and stress-free. Keep your legs, um, I mean fingers crossed!
Here is Owen happily sitting on the loo
Chillin' out in the bathroom with a book
Supercute William happily sitting on the seat. With pants on.
I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year (well actually, I did say I wasn't going to eat potato for a month, but that was clearly just a ridiculous notion and has long since been forgotten about. Mmmmmm, po-taaaa-to), but I did have three goals that I hoped to achieve with the boys:
1) change cribs over to toddler/big boy beds
2) attempt to potty train the boys
3) put the boys in nursery school in September
Now if you read the blog regularly, you will have seen that our first goal was attempted and the mission was aborted rather quickly. Owen and William were clearly not ready for a change in their sleeping arrangements, which is fine with Mark and I. No need to rush them just yet, let's give the boys a few more months and then we'll try again.
I'm hoping that in attempting to achieve goal number two, I am equally calm and prepared to hit the pause button if necessary. I've decided that since Owen has been talking quite a bit about when he poops and has expressed some interest in the notion of a potty, I might as well start a little pre-potty training. Basically, I am getting them used to the idea of the potty, helping them to figure out when they are actually peeing and pooping how to use the potty and all that jazz. I'm not entirely sure that Will is ready, so I'm just going to focus on getting them both comfortable with the potty and we'll see what happens. I'm also trying to teach them how to pull their pants up and down on their own, since I assume it might be helpful in the weeks to come!
To help us reach our goal of a diaper free zone, I bought a fantastic book called The No-Cry Potty Training Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. I don't often like these types of guides, but she makes a lot of sense and offers lots of great tips on how to help your children learn how to use the toilet. Her best tip is for parents to remain calm and not to stress. If you feel stressed, angry or anxious about the training process, your child is going to feel it and its just not going to happen. So I am trying to be as patient and happy as possible and see how the boys deal with it all.
The first step for us was choosing a potty that would work in our small bathroom. As you can see from the photo below, we don't have a lot of space in the loo for a stand alone potty. I decided that a cushiony insert for our toilet made much more sense since that way we don't have to transition from a little potty to the toilet later on. And of course this way, no one run away with it on their head. At least, I hope not. The toilet seat insert I bought also came with a handy little hook to hang on the wall! Perfecto!
After their nap on Saturday, I brought Owen and Will into the bathroom to see the "present" I had bought them. With bright, enthusiastic tones, I told them how exciting it was that we had a potty and how much fun its going to be to pee and poop in it. Oh boy! Did either of them want to sit on it I asked excitedly? "No," came the reply. Okay, no problem, we can just sit on the edge of the tub, look at the new, exciting potty and talk about it. Eventually, Owen couldn't resist and decided he wanted his pants off and climbed aboard. Woo-hoo! Big first step and I made sure I told him how great it was that he sat for so long! He actually sat there for a good ten minutes, dangling his legs, looking around and smiling like he'd just won some big prize. I eventually got a book to read to him, as recommended by my guide. Finally Will decided he wanted to try and Owen gracefully gave up his throne. Will didn't appear to be quite as comfortable (he wouldn't take his pants off and sat right on the very edge of the seat), but I was happy he sat nonetheless.
We sat again today for a bit, and even flushed away the contents of a couple of diapers (so they understand that that's where the poop is supposed to go, I think). I plan on asking them every once in a while if they'd like to sit on the potty and continue to encourage flushing poop from diapers (please, oh please don't let them think its a game and we can flush other things too!) and we'll see where we are in a couple of weeks.
The other component of potty training is, of course, for them to realise when they are peeing/pooping and better yet, when they are about to go. In order to help me teach this to the boys, I have bought some pull-up diapers with "cool alert" strips. Basically Will and Owen are supposed to feel a coolness once the strips are wetted. Its been quite funny to see their reactions over the past couple of days. They both freeze mid-step, look vaguely confused and then look down in awe at their diaper areas. If I see them doing this, I usually say 'Oh! Are you going for a pee? Good job" and smile encouragingly. I'm not sure that they totally get it yet, but I hope they start to make the connection soon!
If any of you have any advice on the training front, please let me know, I'd love to hear it. I'm taking it slow and have no real expectations right now, but I hope that going at their own pace with no fixed deadline will keep us all calm and stress-free. Keep your legs, um, I mean fingers crossed!
Here is Owen happily sitting on the loo
Chillin' out in the bathroom with a book
Supercute William happily sitting on the seat. With pants on.
1 comment:
Thanks for making me giggle at my desk!! (doesn't often happen on a Monday).
I have no tips, but I'm busy noting down all of yours for when the time comes!
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