Thursday, October 9, 2008

To wear or not to wear? That is the question.

I've been thinking about potty-training for a while now. John started showing interest in using the potty shortly before his second birthday in March. We bought a potty seat and he peed in the potty once or twice a day for a few weeks. He even pooped in it once. Then we went to Virginia for Easter and he lost all interest in the potty. When we got home, we didn't push it because we knew we had a lot of change coming with Norm soon to arrive and the move to happen shortly thereafter.

After we moved to Texas in June, John became interested in using the potty again. He would use it as a stalling technique before naptime and bedtime. What mom can say no to her two year old telling her he wanted to pee and poop in the potty? Since then John has used the potty before almost every naptime and bedtime. He usually pees and poops. It's great! I've had to change less than 10 poopy toddler diapers since July.

We've since bought some underwear (Sesame Street, of course) and we talk a lot about when John is going to start wearing underwear and putting ALL of his pee and poop in the potty. John really wants to wear his new underwear although he sometimes wants to wear it on his head.

I keep delaying the move to underwear. I didn't want to do it right after Norm was born or right after we moved to Texas or right after we moved into our house or right after John started school or right before we went to Virginia for the triplets' birthday. We had family in town with us this week (Brian's sister, her husband and 14 month old son--we had a blast!). I had decided that after their visit I would bite the bullet and put John in underpants. They left yesterday.

In general, I feel we're off to a good start with the pooping and I just want to get the whole thing over with. Potty-training is like this huge mommy hurdle that I have to jump over, another big test of motherhood I have to pass like getting him to sleep through the night. I'm anxious about it and I just want to get it over with. However, the time has come and I just don't think either of us are quite ready. John pooped in his diaper at school today. Last night he was sitting on the potty, but still managed to pee all over the floor. I was not as calm and supportive about it as I should have been (he does know how to get it IN the potty). No, we are definitely not quite ready for underwear yet. Damn. I was really ready to get this over with. Hopefully sometime soon. Hopefully.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

sorry babe... my only comment is if he wants to wear underwwaear around the house, let him, but only on his bottom and only if he is planning on using the potty. If he has an accident, let him go back to a diaper... then when you are both ready you can be underwearing it all the time! love ya, Michael wasn't ready until at least 3... Cat

sophanne said...

I just heard the other day that they have never heard of a 13 yo boy who wasn't potty-trained.

Anonymous said...

rule #1 no mommy tests

I go straight to underwear. But since I use cloth it's actually less work.

There is no right time for mommies - to this day we have "accidents" that drive me over the edge.

I am so sick of pee, poop and wiping butts. But I am also sick and tired of reminding people to wash their hands!!!!!!

And may I remind you of the Sig Ep bathrooms - getting all the pee in the potty is elusive...

Yarnhog said...

Oh, sweetie, it's not a test. He's not going to go to kindergarten in diapers and you'll both be fine.

I found it easiest to let my boys run around with nothing on the bottom while they were potty training. If this doesn't offend your sensibilities, it's a very quick, easy, and neat way to deal with the situation. It really only took a couple of days for each of them. I still put diapers on them for sleeping, but after the first couple of days, I put them in underwear and never went back. There will still be accidents, but they are just that, accidents.

And I didn't even start training until my boys were almost three, so if you're not ready, don't worry about it.

Lydee said...

my youngest daughter did not get potty trained until she was 3 1/2. She went to preschool and saw everyone else going in the potty and she did too. Just like that.