Left Coast Mama » Toilet Training

Just Put Your Shoes On

Gwen — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:42:11 +0000

I think that I might be going crazy. Am I really asking the boys to do something horrible? Or am I asking them to put their toys away? Did I really just ask the boys at least 30 times to put on their shoes? Did I really need to ask them to put on their jackets?

Quinlan is going through a very bad case of the threes. Everything is a fight with him. He is frustrating and frustrated. He is refusing to toilet train. He screams all the time. He throws things. He hit his brother. But when he smiles and hugs you you have a very hard time staying angry at him.

I am trying to set limits on Quinlan for the bad behaviour that hurt people and things. I am trying to let go of the things that are not hurting anyone. I am trying to give Quinlan the opportunity to decide when he is ready to get rid of the pull-ups and actually go to the toilet all the time. I think we are in for a rough ride for a while until he figures out that the bad behaviour is not as satisfying as good behaviour. As stubborn as he is, the toilet training thing will only happen when he is ready. Anthony and I just need to let go of the thought of having less than 7 (or more) full years of butt wiping duty. Related, how on earth do you get a child to stay in time out? Putting in his room just resulted in him pulling off more of the wallpaper border.

Signed,

Frustrated in Vancouver

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Related: discipline, goals, parenting, parenting mistakes, Quinlan, Toilet Training.

Some Things Aren’t Any Easier the Second Time

Gwen — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:21:10 +0000

I am well aware that Quinlan is his own little man and in a lot of ways totally different than his brother. I love that Quinlan share his brother’s sense of curiosity. I am a little less enthused that he shares Aidan’s and let’s face it, mine and Anthony’s, stubbornness and inability to do things on anyone else’s timetable.

His attachement to the soother is another blog post altogether.

With Aidan the big issues were sleep in the beginning, and toilet training. Of course Quinlan came along and there was a regression in any progress we made and I was sure that he would never be trained. One thing that was never a problem, or even a real worry with Aidan was transitioning from the crib to a bed. It happened because we needed to turn the crib into a toddler bed after part or the crib rail broke. He didn’t get out of his bed at all. He went happily to sleep and in the morning he slept late and called for one of us when he wanted to get up. It got to the point that we WANTED him to get out of bed on his own.

Quinlan is being as stubborn about the toilet training as Aidan ever was. I thought in the beginning that he would be a breeze compared to Aidan. Not so, if anything he is more stubborn. Quinlan has a sense of when he goes and he tells us right after or while he is doing his business that he wants a diaper change. He can hold for long periods of time and there are a number of nights when he wakes up dry and then REFUSES to go on the toilet. Anthony had him on the toilet one morning for almost 15 minutes before he let go. I am not sure how to proceed at this point. He doesn’t want big boy underwear and our rental carpets are bad enough without adding a toddler running around naked.

Me Play Drums By Myself!

I am not sure about transitioning Quinlan from the crib to a bed. I think Anthony and I are scared about what may happen, rather than what will happen. Will Quinlan be a monster to put down for a nap or to bed at night? Anthony and I are afraid to try at this point, though we really need to get a move on if we want him in a bed by the time we move, whenever that might actually be. So we are conflicted, do we change the crib to the toddler bed and go for it? Do we keep the crib as an alternative and use the bed under Aidan’s? I have no idea.

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Related: Bed Time, children, milestones, Quinlan, sleep, Toddlers, Toilet Training.

On the East Coast

Gwen — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:41:52 +0000

We are now on the other coast for a month. It has been an interesting few days full of many changes in routine, time and eating habits. I always forget how long it takes me to adjust to the time and eating changes. Add to this a toilet-training toddler, a second trimester pregnancy, later spring, allergies, a bigger house and a new big boy bed and you have a recipe for a bit of chaos.

My allergies in Vancouver this year have been really bad and I got a cold just before heading here to Nova Scotia. Yesterday the cold seemed to have totally cleared up but the allergies are getting worse. Added to that I am so mixed up in when I should be eating that I had my fist vomiting morning sickness ever. I have always gotten the nausea but never to the point of actually throwing up. It didn’t help that I was coughing up what was left of my lungs as well.

Aidan is adjusting to the changes really well. The first night he was in the crib in the nursery and had a hard time with the new room and a new anxiety that his dad and I would go home without him. This has since cleared up and he is now sleeping in the new big boy bed with the Thomas the Tank Engine sheet and comforter set. He has never slept in a bed so big or so high. In fact his first words when getting ready to sleep there were “This is a very big bed!” I was a little nervous about how it would go but he did ask to sleep in the big bed so I figured what the hell, let’s try it. He did pretty well the first night and last night he only cried out once and wasn’t actually awake. Anthony and I are hoping that he will be fine going back into his toddler bed when we get home. If not we will have to look into bunk beds.

The other really nice thing about being here is that the back yard is full fenced with a lot of room to run around. Well that and the sand box that grandma and grandpa bought him to play in. With the trucks he already had here Aidan is having a ball playing outside by himself. He has learned that if he wants to come in all he has to do is come up to the back door and knock. We are watching out for him, and he is having a grand time playing “On the GRASS!”

We are keeping up the toilet-training here and sometime this week or weekend we are going to try the training in underwear. He is getting a lot more consistent though a little distracted since we have been here. The bribery still seems to be working and hopefully soon we can space the bribes out a bit. I can’t keep up with the dinkies forever.

Other than a quick trip to Halifax for some expensive sushi (lunch with Nana) we have been pretty close to home, but we expect to expand that this weekend and I am hoping to have a few playdates next week with some friends. Hopefully Anthony and I will get some geocaching in and have a bit of time to take some nice pictures.

Whine, Flu and Toilet Training

Gwen — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:49:27 +0000

He has officially entered the whiney stage. Aidan can not ask for anything now without using that whiney voice that drives me nuts. He still usually says “Please Mommy” but it is still a whine. So I am starting to be hard core. He has to ask politely and without the whine before he gets what he wants. Anthony is on board and has decided that we should stop the prompting for pleases. Apparently he was waiting for five minutes after he finished dinner to get out of his chair while Anthony waited for a please. He is still unfailingly polite when he doesn’t want something. If you want him to try something he doesn’t want he says “No Thanks.”

As an aside, when Aidan was so sick with the stomach flu we were really worried about dehydration. If you clicked the link you will remember how bad it was. Well while we were forcing liquids down him and trying to get the medicine down so we could get his temperature down he kept saying, “No thanks, no thanks.” I think the nurses were amused that he was so sick and being so polite about not wanting anything to go in his mouth.

We are still trying to encourage Aidan to toilet train. We use bribes (which he ignores), we talk about going to the bathroom ourselves, we talk about how much more comfortable underwear are than diapers. We have tried stickers, everything. This morning I was talking to him about little boy underwear (he doesn’t want to be a big boy) and he told me he didn’t want underwear. “I just wear diapers. I don’t want underwear.” Sigh, I only have six months before he needs to be at least using the toilet a little bit. I am totally ready to have him finished with diapers. My least favourite parts of the day are changing the dirty diapers. They are making me almost puke with the smell.

Should I go hardcore and put underwear on him every day and try to get him so uncomfortable that he trains? Do I actually buy one of those damn potties? (We use a stool and a toilet insert now.) Do the books help? I need some advice people.

Toilet Training Cuteness

Gwen — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:30:48 +0000

As you know we are trying to get Aidan to toilet train. It is sometimes (all the time) a struggle, but sometimes we have a breakthrough.

This morning Aidan comes up to me on the computer and says in a sad voice.

“Mommy the penis.”

“What is wrong with the penis Aidan?”

“It hurts.”

“Do you need to go to the toilet?”

“Yes. And Poop too. And get a orange M&M.”

Unfortunately he just ate the M&M and didn’t do anything in the toilet, but it is a start.

YiPee! I Think We May Have a Breakthrough.

Gwen — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 02:08:32 +0000

After Aidan’s dinner tonight he was playing and then started to grunt a bit. I took this as a sign and asked him if he needed to poop. He said yes and when I offered the M&M’s he ran for the toilet. He actually was on the toilet and not dirty. He actually used the toilet for its intended use. Of course now he wants more M&M’s. Maybe the bribing is starting to work. Yesterday all he said when he obviously need to go was “No!” Hopefully this success breeds more success.

Who knew butt cheeks could be so strong?

Gwen — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 04:30:21 +0000

F*&^% Word Press lost my post. I am so tired I don’t think I can rewrite it. At least Anthony is making chocolate chip cookies.

Sigh. Ok I will try.

Aidan has not been feeling the best for over a week now. It isn’t slowing him down any, just making him very irregular and very sore. So sore in fact that he wants nothing to do with anything resembling a diaper change. I have tried to get him to use the toilet instead, avoiding therefore the need to clean up much more of the butt but he is having none of it. That is not to say that he hasn’t been improving on the toilet training scene. He is. He just isn’t regular right now so it is difficult to predict when he might need to go. That being said he has three times over the past four days almost made it to the toilet and almost peed a lot in the toilet. This is a big deal. Now if he would just give me a little bit more notice we would have it in the bag or the toilet so to speak.

Now onto the toddler memory and the butt cheeks. As Aidan is now older his memory is getting better and better. He knows that it will hurt when you clean him up, especially if he wakes up with a dirty diaper that has been there a while. This has lead to a very determined toddler; he will not let you clean him up without a fight. He uses superhuman strength to keep his legs closed. Kinda like the nuns told girls to do in old catholic schools (or so I assume). When I finally pry the legs open he then clenches those butt cheeks like there is no tomorrow. Needless to say you have a hard time getting him clean quickly and getting the cream on is almost as bad. The only helpful thing is that as soon as you start putting the cram on he relaxes and says “the cream feels better.” Now if only he would remember that is he lets go I can get everything cleaned right some quick.

As soon as he is regular again we are going on a toilet training marathon. M&M’s anyone?

I’m So Exited and I Just Can’t Hide It!

Gwen — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 05:04:30 +0000

***Attention!! Toilet Training News! Graphic, Stop Reading Now If You Have A Weak Stomach Or Don’t Like Toilet Talk! ***

Ok, I just have to tell the world. Ok, I know it is just the grandparents that might actually be at all interested in this news. The Boy actually pooped in the toilet today. I was so happy he got three stars. Oh, and a hug and so much praise he was grinning form ear to ear. I was so happy I did a dance for joy!

I think this made up for the 2 times he peed on the bathroom floor. I have to tell you though, I am not entirely sure.

Toilet Traing Starting in Earnest (If uninterested or squeamish, stop reading now.)

Gwen — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:30:45 +0000

I am starting the toilet training in earnest. Every half hour, until we go out to return the Tigger costume, we will be on the toilet. (Well, Aidan will be.) I have started with the first lesson today.

How to sit on the toilet.

Rule for Aidan:

1: Always make sure the penis is pointing down into the toilet.

2: Always hold on to the handles.

3: Keep the feet on the blue stool. (Makes it much easier to stay in the right position.)

Rules for mommy:

1: Make sure you praise the sitting on the toilet.

2: Make sure you say what a big boy Aidan is. Make those big boy diapers the thing he wants to wear.

3: Praise, praise, praise.

Dilemmas for Mommy: How do you get the reluctant boy to bend over so you can get him wiped? What are good toilet training bribes? How often do you give them? Do you only give treats for product? Or do you start off giving a sticker on a chart for every time they sit on the toilet? How many stickers equals a treat? Where can I find Thomas the Tank Engine underwear?

Help!

The Shower Incident

Gwen — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 03:26:12 +0000

We had a very long and exciting day of outdoor fun today that I will recount later. I first need to tell you about what happened getting Aidan ready for bed. I will just let you know that there will be talk about poop, so, if you are squeamish about such things read this post no further. The next post will be squeaky clean I promise.

The plan, after the long day and unexpected sojourn to Wendy’s for supper, was to get Aidan a shower, a clean pair of Pajamas, a bottle of milk and bed. (Let me back up here a bit and let me know if other couples have this problem on the weekends too. Because we are both changing Aidan’s diapers, we never know if he has had his usual bowel movements for the day. It is not unusual to hear either Anthony or I ask if we changed one during the day. We didn’t today until this afternoon before we went out again and it was one of those very solid round lumps that stink to high heaven but don’t do a whole lot to relieve the digestive track. I think you see where my story is going.) We got home about quarter after seven and Anthony took Aidan straight to the shower and I went to get the bottle, pj’s, diaper and acetaminophen. I just got downstairs with the milk, got his pj’s and diaper together when I heard “Oh Crap Gwen! Help!” I asked what was wrong, “Did he poop in the bathtub?” Well of course the answer was yes and we tried to figure out what to do. I got Anthony to hold Aidan still and got some wipes, and then we put him on his toilet seat insert on the toilet. It was a good thing because apparently he wasn’t finished. So we cheered the first poop in the toilet, while trying not to gag as we cleaned up the bathtub. I tell you, it is a fine line between pride and gagging. Toddlers, gotta love ‘em.