Home:
Asked to sit on the "big potty" while getting ready.
0 pees in potty
0 poos in potty
Morning:
1 accident
refusal to sit on the potty after that
0 pees in potty
0 poos in potty
Diaper for Nap
Afternoon:
1 accident
1 pee on the big potty. She asked to go!
Lacking other details because her teachers were already gone and the teacher from the other classroom was with her. Today she asked to go get a sticker from "A" on our way out like she got yesterday. "A" was already gone, so no sticker, which Cassidy seemed upset by.
"A" has STRONGLY recommended that we stop using M&Ms and chocolate raisins as Cassidy's reward because of food issues that can develop by using food as rewards. We agree and were hesitant to start using candy in the first place. However that seemed the only thing that Cassidy was interested in enough to focus her attention on using the potty. We are planning to "run out" of M&Ms and raisins soon, and replace them with stickers, which is consistent with what Cassidy is rewarded with at daycare. Honestly, I'm doubtful that the stickers will be incentive enough for Cassidy.
Does anyone else have any other suggestions for rewards other than candy or stickers?
Evening:
0 accidents
1 pee in the potty!
We worked some stickers into the routine tonight. It did NOT go well. Cassidy initially was all smiles about the stickers and wanted one, until she realized it meant no M&M or Raisin. Wow did she throw a fit. she managed to pee in the potty after that, and was rewarded with 3 raisins and a sticker. She turned down the sticker and burst into tears because she wanted M&Ms. After a while, she pointed out that she was still clean and dry, and by that time we had removed the offending bowl containing M&Ms and Raisins from sight and said that they were all gone. (Easier to tear the band aid off all at once rather than slowly.) While I think we needed rewards to get Cassidy interested and jump start the process, I'm kind of wishing we hadn't gone down that path. Eventually once she realized she wasn't going to get M&Ms or Raisins, she responded to the sticker. But even then she wasn't really interested.
I'm sure that tonights episodes were even more dramatic because she's tired. It's only tuesday and its already been a rough week. Cassidy's transition back to school has left her anxious and clingy, mostly to mommy. She woke repeatedly last night crying for mommy, and eventually daddy too. We were up for at least 2-3 hours with her, on and off. This left us with one exhausted (read: whiny and difficult) little girl tonight. Hoping for better sleep tonight.
Daily Totals:
2 pees in the potty (one school, one home)
2 accidents (both school)
0 poos (lots of tooting and squeezing)
1 exhausted little girl
1 crabby mommy--medicated with mac and cheese at lunch and chocolate after dinner (this is why I don't want Cassidy to have food issues!)
So I was about to do a blog post on this whole issue because it has been on my mind because I am always so tempted! There is research that supports the fact that food should not be used as incentive because of weight/diets/etc and I would tend to feel this even more an issue for girls. Personally I do my best to not make an issue out of food ever for this reason and don't restrict access to sweets either (when they are in the house). I just don't want there to ever be any strings attached to eating.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not think that doing M&Ms for potty training is going to really impact later eating/image but for for me it is about falling into certain parenting habits. I am always so tempted to offer a candy as a reward because I know it will work. It works, it works, it works and damn when I am in a hurry and need him to pee offering an M&M would be very helpful.
So...I also don't want to do stickers or any other reward either. And again, this is just about falling into a way of parenting that I personally would rather avoid. I don't want Freddie to always feel he needs to get something for doing the right thing. That's not how life works. I want him to feel good about what he does and feel successful without getting something.
And again, stickers for potty training isn't going to make or break that. He's 2 for crying out loud, but the bottom line is that is would definitely be an easy habit for me to fall into.
So..what I do is give him a choice. "We are about to leave. Do you want to sit on the potty or do you want a diaper?" He always sits on the potty. ALWAYS. Or "Do you want to go straight to bed or do you want to sit on the potty first?" ALWAYS sits on potty. You know...make it seem like there is a choice when really there isn't. :-)
That is another reason I have made potty just part of our routine. "When we wake up we sit on potty. Mama does it, Daddy does it, you do it." "We sit on the potty after we have snack. Mama does it and you do it" "We sit on the potty when we get home. Mama does it and so do you." So there are plenty of opportunities to use the potty and it is just the way it is. Sometimes he pees and sometimes he doesn't. I imagine over the next few months I can phase this out when I feel more confident in his "training."
This is all just my own feelings about things. Parenting and experiences vary widely so I know you will find what works for you.
I also am not sure what the approach at daycare would/will be and how much they are willing to accommodate her needs/your desires. I know having your child under someone else's methods for a big hunk of the day can be frustrating with wanting consistency.
Thinking of you lots and lots.
By the way, please put me on the message with the new blog address!
ReplyDeleteE-
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment and all of your support! It means a ton to have someone out there cheering for us! Also, wanted to tell you that we watch freddie pee and poo on the potty just about every night... over and over again. Cassidy always feels braver about the big potty after watching him climb right up!
Checking here to see how the afternoon went. Tell Cassidy Freddie is her biggest fan and cheerleader!
ReplyDeleteThe big potty is pretty intimidating for our little peanuts, isn't it? Is that what she uses at daycare?