Monday, May 3, 2010

Bathtub Buddies (and a little potty talk…)

I’ve been meaning to get a picture of the boys in the bathtub together, but haven’t remembered to grab the camera. Then I finally remember the camera, but Max was wobbly…so I still don’t have a great picture of the boys in the tub.

Here’s my happy little bathtub lover. As long as the water’s warm, he’s content to splash and play.

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Here’s my big boy. He got a potty chair for Easter, and he’s been asking to sit on it every night before he gets in the tub. No real success so far, but he knows he get candy if he goes pee in the potty. He tries. He desperately wants to do it!

(Ummm...I just removed this picture to...uh...crop out some details...picture will return when I've had a chance to do that! Oops!)

On Friday night, he asked to pee, but I wasn’t really paying attention…and I already had him in the tub before I realized what he was saying. I told him, “Sorry, buddy – we’ll try when you get out of the tub.” It was too late, though, and he started going potty right there in the tub. I grabbed the potty insert, held it under him, and he finished his business in his frog potty. He was SOOO excited, and immediately said, “Me get CANDY!”

I’m not quite sure he earned it, since he didn’t exactly use the potty correctly, but Keith watched the boys while I ran to grab the Pez dispenser (CVS truck) that’s been hidden away for just this moment. (I wanted a fun candy that he’s never seen before…and he loved it! I let him have two pieces before taking away the dispenser.)

So it wasn’t a huge deal, but I thought I’d document it anyway. Alex was pretty proud of himself – and you have to start somewhere, right?

(My theory – which may or may not be correct – is that I shouldn’t push potty training on Alex. The opportunity is there, and he’ll figure it out when he’s ready. I’m open to suggestions, but really, I just don’t feel the need to make any great effort just yet.)

3 comments:

Allison said...

We didn't push it until they're 2, but we expose them to the potty starting around 6 months. I don't agree wtih the whole they'll do it when they're ready bit. I'm a firm believer that we teach them where to go potty. Otherwise, you'll have kids that don't learn to go on the potty until they're almost 4 like my nieces and nephews. Eeew. I can tell you how we did it with my kiddos in a matter of days, if you'd like. I got advice from a mom of 4 (both girls and boys) of a very successful technique to do it. I also don't buy the whole boys take longer theory either, because I know several boys who were fully trained before they were 2. Just my 2 cents. :-)

Emma Hamstra said...

I waited until both of my kids decided they were ready and they were both potty trained by 2 1/2. I never wanted to deal with all the accidents I saw so many others have all the time because they weren't ready. Sounds like Alex is starting to get there. I would totally count catching it in the tub. Small victories :)

Tammy said...

My daughter is 29 months and we encourage but don't push. We ask her frequently and 95% of the time she won't go but once in a while she will.

The one time she will always use the potty is when she is taking a bath. If she has to potty while in the tub, she will stand up and say "I poo poo the potty" which is her way of saying she needs to get on the potty seat.

Our daughter knows that if she uses the potty she will get a small piece of chocolate. That is the ONLY time she gets chocolate or candy and she makes sure you give her that small piece immediately after she uses the potty.

I've also noticed that she's been having her treasured stuffed kitty sit on the potty lately and when she plays with her doll house, she will often put the baby on the potty. It is encouraging.

Be proud of the successes. They will get there. The more they do it, the more they will be willing to try again.