It appears that I might have been hasty in getting nostalgic about our diaper era. Last week, Juliette took to her potty training with gusto. Every thirty minutes or so, she would declare, "my have to pee really badly!" We got to know many toilets intimately, but we had few accidents with the exception of a few drops in her undies.
I got cocky. I admit it. I bragged about her success to anyone who would listen. My daughter, child prodigy, potty trained at two!
But the novelty wore off. Juliette either tired of all the praise or decided she wasn't ready to be a big girl after all. Today she started asking for diapers, saying no underwear. Suddenly I couldn't remember why I was so sad to say farewell to these expensive landfill fillers.
If I wanted the potty training to stick, it was time to break out the big guns: the reward chart. I'd never tried it with Juliette. Reward charts had always been very effective with Bella and completely ineffective with Jack. It was time to see how it would be with number three.
I drew up the chart in fun green ink and explained it to Juliette. "Everytime you pee or poo on the potty, you'll get a star. Once you fill up each of these boxes, I'll get you those little baby dolls you were playing with during babysitting today." Juliette nodded and repeated back to me, "I pee and I get little dolls?" I nodded back at her, "that's right cutie. If you pee on the potty. Not in your diaper."
Suddenly, magically, Juliette had to pee. She didn't protest when I took her diaper off and took her seat on the throne eagerly. She beamed as the drops started hitting the water. When she finished though, she looked disappointed. She bent her head down and looked into the bowl.
"What's the matter cutie?" I asked. She looked up at me, all confused, "Mommy? Where are the little dolls?"
6 comments:
Oh You!
Giving your children unrealistic expectations!
Good luck. I'm rooting for you.
If getting toys were only that easy.
My potty training motto is that "when they want to do it , they'll do it. And not before". :)
Stickers were never enough for my little one, I had to pay with change. That was a very expensive few months!
That's hilarious.
We bribed Clara to poop in the potty with Polly Pockets. On the first day she pooped twice and instantly demanded TWO Polly Pockets. Our kids are too darn smart... when it comes to dolls!
Oye this is the reason I hate to brag too loudly about my children. I find I keep it top secret until years later and I feel like I could be in the clear ;). She will get it. Maybe have a picture printed off the computer next to the chart might help?
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