For some time now I have been subject of many disapproving glances, some backhanded comments, and even some direct inquiries about the bathroom habits of my 3 year old. Now, I should give you some back story. Monster S, my 4.5 year old, was potty trained very quickly within a week of turning 3. It was easy. But not at first. See, I started when she was about 2.5 trying to potty train her to no avail. So I, being the relaxed and stress free (read: borderline lazy) mother that I was, gave up. Said to myself and every one else, "She'll go when she is ready." and then she did. A few days after her birthday she told me she wanted to be a big girl and go in the potty, and it has been easy every since.
So when I decided to skip the struggle of the 2.5 potty training stage with Monster L, I figured everyone would remember how it happened for me with Monster S. Apparently I was wrong.
Suddenly I had to endure comments such as "When are you going to potty train that girl?" and "Well, my kids were potty trained by now." and even "Well gosh Mom, I guess you're going to let her go to school in diapers aren't you?" The kicker was, Monster L wasn't even three yet. In fact, she still had 4-5 months left before she would turn three when these comments started.
Now I believe in parenting the way you want. Unless of course you abuse/neglect your child, or you are just plain stupid. Then I judge you with all my heart. That's my right as a human being. But what I was doing with Monster L was in no way abuse, neglect, or even stupid. Still, though, I had listened to these comment enough for it to do one thing. Piss Me the Frack Off. Yep, it pissed me off so much that I said "Screw this, I guess I'll force her." against my better judgement. So when Monster L stubbornly refused to go in the potty, going so far as to look me in the eye with her arms crossed while she peed on the floor, I became even more agitated. I urged her, pleaded with her, punished her when she intentionally went to the bathroom on the floor, and even, I'm ashamed to admit it, bribed her.
Guess what. It Didn't Work.
Because I knew, deep down that when she was ready, she would do it. Other people's opinions did not (and still DO NOT) matter to me at that point. If my daughter wanted to stubbornly hold on to her diapers and claim "I are a baby!" then gosh darn it, I was going to let her.
So some time passed, and Monster L was still wearing diapers at her birthday party, much to many people's dismay, and secretly to my delight. She knew what she wanted, and she stood her ground. She was not ready to be independent, and let go of being "the baby".
Until one day about 3 1/2 weeks after her birthday, she told me she wanted to wear a pair of big girl panties. Yes, you read that right. SHE told ME, not the other way around. Suddenly, my days had become filled with "Mommy I go potty!" and "Hurry Mama, come see, I have go potty by myself!" She was ready, and nothing could hold her back. Off she would go, running awkwardly down the hall, mastering holding her bitty bladder in until she got to the potty and put her Dora potty seat on the toilet. Once, poor Monster L couldn't quite get there in time, and off I had to go to console my poor crying child as she wailed "I not a baby, I are a big giiiiiiiirl!!!"
Since then she has dropped down to approximately one accident a week, climbing up on the potty herself, learning to wipe by herself, and using the stool to turn on the bathroom light by herself.
We still use diapers at night, and Pull Ups when we go out in public. But all in all, I would say that it has been an absolute breeze potty training her. In fact, I can't even say that I've had to do much. She does it all herself, or Monster S swoops in to be the "awesomest big sister!" and help her little sister out.
As for Monster L wanting to be a baby, that is a thing of the past. Now she "are a big girl!" and there's no turning back.
Now if only we could master the proper uses for toilet paper....
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