Potty Training Part III

As previously stated, all kids potty train differently.  I like to think after going through it time and again, I'd be a master, but each child brings on their own challenges.  If you remember, I extensively covered Maddi's Potty Training and Michaela's potty training in the blog.  Sophia and her family conquered it last summer.  She did wonderfully!   She does remind me a lot more of Maddilyn and has some sensitivities and emotions with going number 2 in the potty consistently, but she has had almost a full school year of very few accidents in undies!  :)  

 Lia has had readiness signs for quite some time now.  However, she has a strong will and just flat out tells you "no" some times when you ask her to potty.  Can't force that!  However, if she chooses, she can hop on and have pee pee success at any moment!  She's already WAY further into knowing and controlling that "feeling" than either of my girls when they started.  With her third birthday approaching, John and Caitlin have started putting a little more pressure on it at home, and spent last Sunday evening in undies.  They sent her some extra pants and underwear to Brannan Care this week.  They have the same challenge we had with Maddi, with so many different childcare providers,  the consistency needed for success is a little lacking.  But when they have the time to spend a whole weekend with Lia at home and in undies, I think she'll master this SUPER quick! 

In the meantime, this week she's been doing GREAT here at Brannancare!!  We've had 2 days where she wants to be a big girl and we've done 2 full mornings in successfully dry underwear!  We set the timer for every 10 min (that girl can pee that often if asked) or every 20 min (still dry in between!)  When the timer goes off, the whole group cheers!  Lia goes in the potty, we praise her dry undies, and she pees in the potty!  (I apologize to 16 year old Lia who sees this picture and gets mad at Aunt Mel, I think it's cute and tasteful and the perfect amount of adorable and embarrassing!)  :) 

After all the post potty hygiene, Lia gets candy for ALL her friends and delivers it to a happy and very supportive group! :) 

I imagine the only people who go through and read all the details about the potty trainings are people who are looking for advice on taking on the challenge with their own little one!   As I reread my own adventures and emotions and remember some of the challenges we've faced, I just have to remind you to be patient and it will happen when the time is right! :)  It is totally up to the child, taking in to account their sensitives, emotions, will, choice, perfectionism, and personality.  After a weekend or a year, it really does just "click" and is smooth sailing from then on out! 

I told myself I'd never "force" it again.  No child will go so college in diapers, so I'd just wait until they were ready..... way less stress for them and for me.  With that said, I enrolled Billy in a preschool classroom that mandates "potty trained-ness" for Sept 2013.... he will be 2 years 4 months old.  We.  Shall.  See! :)  Ha ha!