Potty Training Sucks

I wrote about the family visit to the zoo not long ago. The zoo was pretty exciting for them and they still bring it up on occasion. Katie brought it up most recently.

Katie- "Can you buy animals there?"

Me- "No. You can just look at them that's all."

Katie- "Well, who do they belong to then?"

Me- "The zoo people."

Katie- "If the zoo people own them then why weren't they wearing any collars?"

I had to admit that I hadn't thought of that one.

Then Claire started complaining that they hadn't sen any anteaters. I was getting tired of the zoo talk by then and had yet another proud parenting moment. I suggested that maybe they fed them to the tigers.

Speaking of talking, Marin's language skills have really taken off. A few weeks ago she had a really bad poopy diaper and upon breaking the seal I was assaulted by a horrendous odor. I said, "Oh, boy." Now Marin frequently says "Oh, boy" and laughs when I change her pants. She is gradually making the transition to the potty but we're not quite done with the diapers yet.

Marin has been more excited about potty training than any kid in the history of potty training. I have not had to bribe her with M&M's, which is downright odd, if you ask me. The problem that I have is that she won't get off the potty. That and she puts things in there that clearly have no place in the potty. Like her hands, entire rolls of toilet paper and more than one Webkin belonging to her sisters. Katie relinquished ownership of her favorite stuffed dog after that little incident. Despite having gone through the laundry, she claimed that it still didn't smell right.

Marin is good about the potty as far as sitting on it, willingly. It's just that she hates her little potty and wants to use the other one. She sits on her potty occasionally but then her sense of order requires that it be emptied every 15 seconds or so. And if I'm not standing there at the ready, she'll do it herself. Which is another problem in and of itself. The little potty is used primarily for standing on to wash her hands using insane amounts of soap and then turning the light off and on repeatedly.

But that only happens when I finally manage to dislodge her from the big potty, kicking and screaming. Here is an example of a typical potty session.

Marin- "Potty! Potty! My potty!" At this point she is taking off her diaper and possibly other articles of clothing as well.

Me- "Ok, but you let me help you."

Marin- "No! My do it! Potty!"

Me- "No hands in the potty, ok? Potties are for butts only."

Marin, squealing with delight- "Poop!"

Then I am required to spend the next 15 minutes alternating between handing her toilet paper, begging her to quit flushing and for the love of God, to please get off the potty.

I just had an epiphany. I need the M&M's to lure her out of the bathroom....

It's the Little Stuff That Makes the Look

I have been working with the girls for what seems like forever to try to get them to the point that they are able to keep their pants dry all night. I have done all the things that parents are supposed to do to help kids learn to stay dry. I have them cut back on liquids prior to bed time, remind them over and over to get up in the night if they feel like they need to go potty and I make sure that they use the bathroom right before bed.


Claire has finally become fairly reliable and has few accidents. Katie, on the other hand, consistently wakes in a wet bed. I am growing very tired of changing her bedding on a daily basis and finally reached the conclusion that she is just not ready. I'm really not giving up, just giving her a little bit more time to mature.


A few days ago I decided that I was going to break down and buy some Pull-Ups for Katie. She is only four and it seemed like the thing to do. I was a little apprehensive about how she would react since she hadn’t worn them for at least a month. That combined with the fact that her big sister no longer needed to wear them just struck me as having the potential for drama.
I waited until right before bed time to carefully break the news to Katie.


Me, holding the pink package- "Well Katie, you have been having some trouble keeping your pants dry at night. So, I decided that maybe you should wear Pull-Ups at night for a while longer."

Katie, looking at the package- "Is it the kind what (she mixes up what with that so it sounds really cute when she talks) has princesses on it?"

Me, still not sure if she is preparing to blow up- "Yes, I think so."

Katie reacts with more excitement than if I had just offered her a pony- "YESSSS!"



These little people can be awfully unpredictable at times.