I started to make this a status update on Facebook, but decided that it's one of those things that not everyone cares about and it was getting way too long for a status update anyway. So, I'm blogging about it instead. Please feel free to weigh in if you have experienced anything similar...
So, JD (almost 2 1/2) is now potty trained. There's so much out there about the whole topic of POTTY TRAINING. Honestly, I was kind of dreading the whole process, having heard about those 3 day "boot camps" where you let the kids run around naked all day (JD has always been a fan of running around naked though, so that part would not have been out of the ordinary...), push liquids, make them sit on the potty every 15 mins, light candles and sing songs and give treats, stickers, etc, every time they go on the potty. Most of that sounded pretty much like torture for both of us.
I knew I would not be going the "boot camp" route, so I decided to just wait (until 3 if needed!) look for signs that he was ready and then make the big switch cold turkey. Well, I have been seeing plenty of signs (asking to be changed as soon as he poops and more recently even when he pees, staying dry during naps and occaisionally overnight) for about a month now. Last Tuesday we went to Target and he picked out two packs of big boy undies, a step stool so he can reach the toilet and a bag of M&Ms as a treat. We came home and he put his undies right on. The few diapers we had left were thrown away. No accidents, lots of treats. The next day, Wednesday, he had two small pee accidents which I did not make a big deal out of - just helped him change and cleaned it up telling him it was okay and calmly reminded him to go in the potty and not his undies. Thursday, Emily had her two month checkup and even though I was somewhat nervous, I had decided we were just going to go all out - no pull ups for outings, etc. He did great. Since then, we've been out to multiple places and no accidents. So I feel like potty training was rather anticlimactic. We bought undies and now he does his business in the potty (or the nearest bush).
The issue, however, is SLEEP! My star sleeper is totally resisting naps (and even bed time on occasion which has NEVER happened!). At first, I had him wear a pull up for naps, but they were always dry afterwards and he seemed very uncomfortable in them. And even though he had the pull up on, he would yell at me from his crib insisting that he needed to go pee-pee in the potty even when he had just gone several times. The last couple days, I've let him wear undies for nap because he's been dry after naps for a long time now anyway. (And why insist on him wearing a pull up when he wants to wear underwear and stays dry?) Still, after reading stories and following our usual naptime routine, when it comes time to actually get in his crib (yes, he is still in a crib - just trying to conquer one thing at a time) and for me to walk out, he keeps insisting on going to the bathroom again. Today we went three times and he still wanted to go again. Finally, I just had to leave the room, knowing that he just can't have to go that bad. This led to loud protest crying followed by talking to himself, followed by continuous requests to use the bathroom, followed by on and off whining, demands to get up, and more talking, followed by about 10 mins of crying, followed (about an hour after I left the room) by sleep. In the past week, he has actually gone to sleep for about 3 of his naps. The others, I just leave him in there for the allotted amount of time (an hour and a half) and then get him up.
My questions are these: Is he insisting on going to the potty over and over again as a stall tactic or is he anxious about not going in his underwear and subconciously fighting off sleep? Other theories include him not being tired and being ready to drop his nap, but I honestly feel that he IS in fact tired - yawning, fussier, sucking thumb, etc beforehand. Also, he is getting his top two year molars, so I am sure that has something to do with it because teething has thrown off his naps in the past as well. I know that children often experience set backs in one area while conquering another milestone so my basic plan of action is just to be consistent and ride it out, hoping that if he is using potty as a stall tactic he will soon learn that it doesn't work. And if he is genuinely anxious, then surely once the newness of potty training has worn off he will fall back into his old routine of willingly and peacefully drifting off to sleep as soon as I shut the door. Right? RIGHT?
Regardless, nap time/ rest time is going to be around for a long, long time in this house. If he doesn't need a nap anymore, so be it. But there will be quiet time/ rest time.
And here is a picture, just so we can all remember how cute and sweet this little non-napper is (and how chunky his sister is for that matter!!). =)
Thoughts?
Hey Annie - I can't be of much help on this - it seems like the ideas you have about what is going on are pretty good. I think some moms would say "Well, I guess he isn't a napper anymore" and keep him up all day, but that's one thing I feel VERY strongly about - making sure the little ones still get their naps. I just think we moms really need that break during the day, and it makes the kids so much better behaved if they are rested. Mine can't even concentrate if they are tired. Of course, I STILL have mine take naps on the weekend. It's mainly selfish, because I happen to love naps. So maybe all I've said here is that I am a selfish mom . Hmmmm... :) Anyway, I would say that you are right, the newness of it all is probably what's altering him - that and maybe the teeth problem. Has it gotten any better the last couple of days? Wait. this is Thursday isn't it. So, did it get any better today?
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