Three weeks ago the boy wouldn't put a diaper on in the afternoon, and instead wandered the house with no pants. I asked if he wanted underwear and a potty, he answered yes. So a very happy husband (who's wanted to do this for about nine months) took his son out to Target to buy a little potty and some underwear, with "dinosaurns". Except that wasn't a good week to start. And the next week the girls had early release every day. The week after that was no school because of the storm. I told myself: once they are back in school, we're doing this!
Why am I so reluctant? Babs. We first tried when she was 2 years 4 months (aug 2012 if you want a refresher of good stories). Then we potty trained her on an off for years. We'd start and stop, and start and stop... It was then that I learned she was truly unbribe-able (which is, yeah, a good thing, but still, I needed her to take the bribe!). At her parent teacher conferences for preschool (age 4 1/2), the teachers mentioned she'd had two accidents (in three months). I replied, "I know! Isn't that awesome?!" And with new perspective they cheered along with me. (A shout out to my fellow home preschool teachers, who let me send a partially potty trained girl to their house in underwear many times.) I just can't handle that again.
So I put off training the boy. And I've fully informed my husband that if this doesn't take quickly, I'm shelving the project for another few months.
BUT- Yesterday, Day 1, he had two accidents, and both of those were my fault, because I let him go too long without putting him on the potty. We have five pairs of underwear, we finished the day with 2 left over. (Yet, his diaper from his nap was VERY wet, so obviously he was holding some in.)
Day 2, he's had more accidents (largely because of the 16 ounces of water he drank while the girls did gymnastics), no left over underwear today. But, he also successfully did #1 and #2. He insists on emptying his potty into the toilet. He was happy at the end of the day. He even happily told me about his accident, and showed me the cloth he used to clean it up. (I had to do some touch up work.)
It's entirely possible that he will be in a good place by the end of the week. I am trying so hard not to sabotage this by my ambivalence to the process. Diapers are so easy..., but, as our book says, diapers are not forever. And maybe, just maybe, they'll be out of our life very soon.
