Today is potty training day - officially. I have three days in a row here that I can focus on this feat - as much as you can focus with three other children competing for your time as well.
Avery is almost 3 1/3 years old - it's time...admittedly it's probably past time, but I am the one that has not wanted to deal with it. I am of the school of thought that the child will know when it's time and any attempt to train them before hand will just lead to a long frustrating battle and for a time it will succeed in parent-trained potty training instead of child-trained potty training. I waited with both Isaiah and Huston until they were ready and for both the process was extremely quick and relatively painless - they told me when they needed to go and were able to handle the pants and stuff independently as well. I wasn't necessarily watching for their cues and setting timers and asking them constantly if they needed to go - that method would drive me mad - yes worse than I am now.
Avery is stubborn, Avery is crazy, but Avery is also smart and easily bribed by treats - so I am hoping that the latter two characteristics out-weigh the first two. He has agreed with me the past couple of times when I have said while changing his diaper - "you need to put this stuff in the potty, not wear yucky pants..." and last night he had a terrible burn-the-bottom BM so he was ready to not have any more "owies on his bottom." So far, so good - 2 potty successes (the easy ones, #1) and 0 accidents. What is my strategy? Strip them down to nothing and let them run around nudey. He has been, ahem, "hanging out" for the whole morning, watching movies drinking and eating whatever he wants just to make sure things get flowing.
Right now though he is up in his room playing with his brother, wearing underwear - I predict an accident is in store - we'll see. I think he is still freaked out about sitting down to go #2 - why do kids get freaked out about that? I wish I knew the answer. Isaiah plugged himself up refusing to go and I had to use mineral oil - not fun...
I'm not absolutely sure Avery is fully ready to do this as his brothers were when I "trained" them, but I am hoping that he is far enough along the journey that I can push him the rest of the way a bit. Why, why, why is this so very difficult?
And other forces are attacking - Isaiah is giving me attitude, Lillie is clingy and I am so tired and have a splitting headache (so far Huston is pretty easy-going) - so don't be surprised if I cave into the diapers and put everyone to bed!
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