Pity Potty
Seven is now 3 years and 2 months old. That means I have changed, oh, 2000 diapers? At least?
I have you know, I am growing tired of it.
He is so advanced in so many ways…his language is astounding, he talks in conversational form, he has an incredible vocabulary. He has great coordination, and is a master of building. In fact, his building skills almost frighten me. The obsessiveness of building style is borderline clinical, I would think. A week or two ago, he built a pyramid out of wooden blocks, 8 levels high, each block HAMMERED into space, each block having the exact same distance between in and the next. I thought Jon had done it, but no. He also has very imaginative drawing abilities. He’s great with drawing faces, people, animals, bugs. He loves to color. He loves to play.
He does not love to use the potty.
For a while, I pushed it. I would carry him in there, against his will, and force him to sit there. And for a small while, he did it. No number two, ever. But we were managing with the pee. This didn’t stop him from still wetting his diaper, though, and it became such an issue to keep taking him and fighting him, that I gave in. Plus, I read that it isn’t a good idea to force them – that little boys will eventually let you know when they are ready. I’m not so sure.
I thought I had found a miracle – the iPhone App from Pull-Ups, called iGoPotty. He adored it! You push a few buttons, set times for reminders, and a little potty “calls” him to say it’s time to potty, plays a little song until he’s finished his business, and then rewards him with a star when he’s done. Stars accumulate and eventually win him little prizes, like a coloring game on the phone.
I installed this app the day before we left for the beach last month, and I just KNEW that by the time we were home, he’d be trained. He peed in the potty before we left. We stopped at a Shoney’s, he used the travel potty seat. Twice in SHONEYS. No wet diaper in 5 hours. 8 hours. And then…
I gave him the iPhone to play his Matching Game and watch YouTube.
From the back seat of my car, he figured out the Potty Game and convinced the stupid thing that he had, in fact, peed in the potty 49 times in 12 minutes. He unlocked all of the games, he realized there is no talking potty on the other end of the line. He beat me.
Pity Potty for Mommy.
Do I recommend the App? You bet I do. But don’t let your child have access to your phone. They WILL figure it out. So now I am back at square one.
What do you other Moms recommend? Will he eventually come to me, ready to potty? Do I force it? At what age do I worry? I would really like him to be able to go to our local “preschool” a few days a week, because I do need some ME time, but the school requires them to be at least in Pull-ups, no messy diapers allowed. I can reapply in January, but I fear at this point, there’s just no way.
I listed a few potty things above – I love the travel potty seat, as it is very convenient and does fit right into a bag. And I have read great reviews about this book…but have any of YOU read it, used it?
Advice? Tips? Tricks? I am all ears. I’ll give every single comment my full attention. And besides, I’ve got nothing else to do but change butts all day.
Thanks everyone!
