Yes, I have invoked Santa to promote potty training. My level of Santa endorsement as a parent is still completely undecided. I’d prefer the girls to understand more of the spiritual concepts of the holiday season rather than the materialism. But, she asked a question the other day and I ran with it, hopefully all the way to the potty finish line.
Now we last visited potty training, I had completely stopped trying. We moved backwards into actual diapers again from pull-ups and I ceremoniously put the big girl panties into a box in my closet. This last week, despite my opposition, Bug has been adamant about being naked… in December… in New England. Now when she is naked she is 100% perfect with the potty so I gave in and let her be naked. She was doing her business about three days ago and asked, “Do you think Santa knows I went poopoo in the potty?” I immediately sent a text out into the grandparent universe and ten minutes later the phone rang with a jolly laugh and recognition of her victory.
I wish I could say that she has been completely diaper free since then, but the rest of the day continued to stay “dry.” The next day, we went to see Santa at the mall on one of his visits from the North Pole to see the children and update his list. It was her first official Santa visit and she happily talked to him, although politely refused sitting in his lap. She was dry for three and a half hours at the mall, I finally forced her to go when we stopped for dinner, and then another two hours until we got home. She did wet her panty/cover-up combo just before bed, but I was pleased with the progress.
The next day, she started the negotiations. She wanted candy for each attempt (Muffin decorates the tree with candy canes like his grandparents) and I agreed, but ONLY if she had clothes on AND used the potty. The most difficult step for our potty training has been the transition to clothes on. Momma gets tired of scrubbing floors or couches if we are in big girl panties only, and she just doesn’t seem to care about a wet layer. She was resentful about that offer for most of the day. We had a play date with Momma E and her three-year old friend used the potty during the play date. Again, Bug was resentful about this as if it was being rubbed in her face.
But this morning, I noticed that she had left our bed without any drill sergeant demands that I get up too. After a little more dozing, I heard her stomping up the stairs, “Momma, Momma, I went poop!” She came around the corner naked as the day she was born and beaming with pride. I hopped out of bed with visible vigor, and sure enough, a wet diaper was on the floor next to her jammies, but she had indeed used the potty. I danced. I sang. I kissed. I hugged. I gave her 1/3 of her prized blue candy cane.
As we speak she is playing Simon Says with Muffin, shirt, socks and BIG GIRL panties on. She says she wants to be big. I said, “Yes, you are working so hard on being a big girl.” She resentfully replied, “NO. I AM a big girl.” So, no more conditions. I will treat her like a big girl and hopefully she will rise to the occasion and be one. And hopefully I don’t have to scrub my couch.
No comments:
Post a Comment