Potty Training

During the school holidays recently I decided to take the plunge and start potty training Kathleen. I figured we'd be home a lot during that time with no creche or playgroup to go to, and she could run around with just knickers on and the potty would always be right at hand if needed.

She was already half trained anyway. For about six months now she's been regularly using the potty, but still wearing nappies. I'd ask her during the day if she wanted to go potty, and if she said yes then we would, and if she said no then I wouldn't push her. This was working well enough and we could get through some days being completely dry.

However she also didn't have a problem with going in her nappy either and wouldn't tell me. I wasn't quite sure how to go about this whole potty training thing and kinda hoped that she would figure it out for herself.

But I realised that wearing nappies gave her no motivation to do so. So we took the plunge and bought her some knickers in order to force her to learn to use the potty every time.

The first week went really well. It was also the same routine we were used to, i.e. Kathleen would go potty when I reminded her, but never of her own volition. Week 2 we started having a few accidents. I hoped that would give her the motivation to learn to control herself, but when I asked her how it felt to have an accident in her pants she just said "good". Not the answer I really wanted to hear.

Week 3 we started having issues. Kathleen has started to dig her heels in and refuse to do anything we ask. Not just potty training but anything really - "sit down and eat your dinner" "no", "time for a bath" "no", "do you want to go potty" "no".

It came to a head last Thursday morning with her and I screaming at each other. She had a dry overnight nappy and I asked her to go potty before we got dressed for creche. She refused. I tried to make her, as I thought she was just testing the limits. She just screamed and screamed. I lost my temper as well. In the end I gave in, telling her that she'd have to wear a nappy if she wouldn't go potty. She was quite happy with this idea. So she wore a nappy and then proceeded to be uncomfortable all morning.

But has this changed anything? No. She still refuses to go potty quite often. I really don't know why. Is it too cold? Is she afraid of something? Does she not like being told what to do?

Any experienced mothers out there want to give me some thoughts?

Things have been a bit better this week, we haven't gotten into any more big fights anyway. If she refuses to go potty in the mornings now I just give her the choice of nappy or knickers. It's been 50/50 which one she chooses. I know the experts say that once you make the change you shouldn't go back, but I don't want to turn this whole thing into a battle and have it backfire altogether.

However on the brighter side, this week there have been several times when Kathleen has announced that she needs to go potty, and we have rushed off there immediately.

Hopefully we are making progress, but I guess this is going to be a long road.


-Megz