Sunday, January 27, 2008

Potty Training

I hate potty training. I do not use those words lightly. I detest every part of the process, from the teaching how to use the potty to changing countless underpants, to washing a million loads of laundry to cleaning up my carpet over and over and over. I hate it.

I decided to potty train Matilyn last Thursday. I was so optimistic; she's showing signs of readiness, she's wanting to use the potty, etc. So, first day went about as well as can be expected. (Mostly accidents, but at least she learned that she gets 'wet'.) Second day, she eventually started going when I put her on the potty. But I had to bribe her to get there. And then the third day, a little bit more improvement, but not quite to the level that I was hoping for. She wasn't really telling me she had to use the bathroom before she wet a little in her pants.

So, today, day 4, I quit. I'm done with potty training until August. I am tired of not getting through to her. I am sick of her not sitting on the potty without M&M's. So, we're back with diapers. And you know what? I love DIAPERS!

There are two parts to this that I am concerned about. First, have I subjected Mati to psychological harm because I have regressed her back to diapers? Will she have a desire for success? Or have I ruined her? And secondly, I feel like an utter failure as a mom. So, now you see why I hate potty training. Only one thing as a mom has this much power to make me feel so terrible; potty training.

3 comments:

Karen said...

Yes, Jessica, Mati will be in therapy for a long, LONG time. Hopefully she'll be potty trained by the time she gets married!

Heather@Cultivated Lives said...

I'm with you, which is why we ended up waiting until two weeks before Xander's 3rd birthday to attempt it fully. (I may have given it a one day trial, but I too didn't handle wet carpet well)

My mom hated pt-ing too. She would always tell people that it was far easier to teach a child how to read than to potty train...

You are a wonderful mom and far more patient than I am. I don't think I would have lasted a full three days!

Katie said...

Karen, you crack me up!!!