Dear Sweet Sawyer,
We are all ready. Mommy’s ready. Daddy’s ready. Sissy’s ready. Solomon is ready though he says this only because I am speaking for him because he can’t talk (one HUGE advantage of having a 19 month old…)
Please. Use. The. Potty.
I know you are not quite yet three. I know that boys typically train later than girls. I know. I know. Blah-blah, blah-blah, blah-blah.
We have the bathroom ready. Charts. Stickers. Spider Man potty seat. Books. It’s a potty-lovin’ delight in there. Go and try it out. See for yourself. Oh yes – and there are M&M’s involved. I’m not above it.
Why is it that whenever I ask if you want to go and sit on the potty you cross your arms and say “NO! I’m never going to use the big-boy potty!!!” Why? Why? Why the heck not?
I have big summer plans for you. Summer camp at your preschool. Swim lessons. Playing soccer. None can happen unless you start to use the potty. None.
And I need you to do these things because you have more energy than I ever knew was humanly possible for someone to possess. You need a way to get it out. But you can’t until you just use the flippin’ potty.
I love you. I know that you will use it when you are ready. I’ve heard it all before and I do actually buy into it a bit. But would you please consider rethinking the fact that you will never use it and just try?
Because at this rate, your younger brother is about to start using it before you. I’m just sayin’…
A little peer pressure never hurt anyone…
Love,
Mommy
We are on the last leg of potty training. Finally! My son will be 3 in April and it has been a long row to hoe for us! I’m sure you get advice out the wazoo but if you don’t mind here are a couple things that worked for our stubborn spawn:
1. We tell him to go potty. We stopped asking when we realized he would tell us “no” every. single. time. and then turn around and go in his pull up. We tell him its time and we used to walk him to the potty. Now when we say “Go sit.” He goes on his own.
2. When we started, we sat him on the potty every 30 mins and had him sit there for anywhere from 7 – 10 mins. armed with books and cheerios. We set up an egg timer and when the timer when off he had to go sit and when it went off again he could get up if he hadn’t already gone.
These are just a couple things that helped us.
Good luck!
.-= tristan´s last blog ..…i don’t always like it but it’s my job… =-.
I will take any advice because good tips are good tips! We didn’t have a tough time potty training Susannah so this is all new…
Love the timer idea – I will be doing that… I appreciate your ideas, Tristan!
Oh boy can I relate! My oldest JUST potty trained RIGHT before he turned 4! My second little guy…just a few months ago at 3! It’s infuriating sometimes, but when they’re ready, they’ll go, right? *sigh* I feel your pain!
.-= MandyP´s last blog ..Perspective Shift =-.
So glad I am not alone, Mandy! I just might be potty training for a while…
I definitely think you should read this to him, while he is sitting there. He probably will agree with you, completely…maybe not. The word “never” isn’t encouraging.
Oh, Natalie. This is hysterical. I can only imagine how badly you want this to happen. I want it for you. I want both of your freedoms. Keep us in the know.
.-= Tracy´s last blog ..CR: 25 Random Things In My Head This Morning =-.
I know. This is what troubled me the most, Tracy. The usage of the word “never” is well…NEVER good…
To get Sawyer to use the potty, I literally made a trail of mini-marshmallows that ended at the potty and then I sat and fed them to her until she finally tinkled. It was worth it. I have a little potty that sings and all that ridiculousness, if you would like to give it a try!
Fantastically wonderful idea – I will be using it…
Oh boy, I am not looking forward to potty training Toot, lol. Good luck Sawyer!
.-= Maggi´s last blog ..Friday Night Fab Five: Totally Rad EDIT: And on Thursday Apparently =-.
Totally laughing here because I saw your baby on the pot before I read what you wrote, and I was thinking, wow he may just not be ready because he still really looks like a baby!
I don’t miss this stage and the patience that it requires at all!!!
Sadie at heyMamas
.-= Sadie at heyMamas´s last blog ..That’s my job yo =-.
Yes, he IS a little young!!!!! However, HE’S the one that wants to use the potty and not his brother who is 15 months older…Go figure.
Potty Training!! THE hardest thing in the world! Bar NONE! My first born son was EXACTLY the same way! I feel you, girl. He did finally did decide to do it, but it was a long struggle. I’m not looking forward to starting it with the twins, but I think they just might be easier than he was. He ran around naked for months because that was the only way he would potty : )
.-= Joye´s last blog ..the hipstamatic and eureka! =-.
This is precisely why I am hitting it hard this summer – he can run around without pants and not freeze his patooties off! :) I’ve been told it’s easiest to train boys this way, too…We shall see, we shall see…
I think you need to not even consider potty training THE TWINS until this little guy you are carrying is a little older and you are getting some sleep…Potty training TWO kids with a newborn? You would SO get a special chair in heaven for that one…:) HA!
my son just potty trained at age 3 1/2. my older two potty trained by 2 1/2 and 3 so this one was a LOT harder. he still has to wear a pull up at night (the other 2 never had to). every child is different that is for sure! good luck though :)
Thanks, Beth! I know they are all different…I keep telling myself this…But I just want him to get on with it – for selfish reasons, of course…:)