For weeks, if not months, I have resisted writing about this on here. No one really wants to read about toilet training, but I am feeling the need to share this experience.
After having done it with three children I expected that the fourth would be a breeze. I knew all the tricks right?
Turns out that, no, I didn't have all the tricks.
Miss J did, in fact, have more tricks than me.
For her first trick she learnt sign language for toilet. It was more or less instant. That was in January. The verbal language wasn't far behind. That was about 4 months before her second birthday so despite the tricks I really wasn't that interested in actually toilet training her. We had been there done that with an 18 month old Lil who was determined to use the toilet and not wear a nappy but to get it consistently right took some time.
Some months later, after our trip to the USA and several months after her second birthday I felt it was time. Her language was more than adequate and would have appeared that she had the desire. Her trick, she was a good pretender...and an acrobat to boot. She'd be on and off that toilet quick as a flash, she's very quick and quite strong, declaring she didn't need to go toilie. Only to piddle on a desk or chair minutes later, have I mentioned she's a climber?
Next came bribery. Marshmallows and/or stickers. Neither worked, she'd hop on and off the toilet with no result and still demand a marshmallow. If I didn't give her one she climb up the pantry shelves and snaffle one anyway. Yes, she is THAT kind of climber.
The wearing knickers bit she liked, the sitting on the toilet part she did not.
Even on her days at daycare she would have more misses than hits.
I read different resources but didn't really learn anything I didn't know already.
Last Tuesday I was ready to give in an leave it until after we had moved and Steven was on holidays for 2 weeks. I told her that. Back to full time nappies, she didn't seem to mind. I know that kids are toilet trained to their own schedule not ours.
However, with J this was confusing be she clearly had the language and cognition to understand what needed to be done but didn't want to put them to work for this particular piece of development.
Wednesday morning Miss J was up early so Steven dressed her. With knickers. I don't know if the little chat had an impact or if something just clicked. We had a completely dry day, all hits no misses, backed up with a second one on Thursday.
Things have been pretty successful ever since. Hooray. Miss J does get pretty focused on whatever she is doing so I have no doubt that has had something to do with her go slow.
No doubt we'll have our good days and our bad in the coming weeks but for now I am thankful that we are well on the road to her being toilet trained.
I'm linking up with Kate from Kate Says Stuff today for thankful Thursday. Hope that yours is a good one.
Tatum xx
PS I am guest posting today for the lovely lovely Lucy of Diminishing Lucy...pop over there and have a look!
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