Parenting: Potty Training

I am afraid to write this post.  Afraid because I don't want to jinx it.  And I don't have pictures.  Sorry.  But, Clara's been diaper-free for almost a week.  Eek!

I am the first to admit that potty training Clara has been a difficult task, and I did not approach the process as prepared as I should have been.  Need I remind you of my other potty post?  Like this one from almost 18 months ago?  I thought that buying a potty, having the "Once Upon A Potty" book, and watching for her "cues" was all it took.  Naive.

A few months later I thought: she needs an incentive.  She needs some treats.  No deal.

Then a few months later I thought: she needs to be invested in the process.  She can pick out some underwear.  Still no deal.

Then a few months later I thought: I need help!

My advice?  Read some books about it first.  Be strategic.  Going with the flow (bad pun, I know) was and is slow and painful and expensive.  I checked out "Potty Training in Less Than a Day" from our library, and it actually made a lot of sense.  Its basic concept is have your child teach a doll (that can wet) to use the potty, then they will know how to go by them self.  I think if that was my first foray into pottying with Clara, we might have had more success, but it was not.  We tried that method, and she LOVED teaching her doll to use the potty.  She loved all the treats you ate during the process, but she wanted nothing to do with sitting on the potty herself.

So how in the world is she using the potty now?  Well, I'm not sure.  All I know is that she had two diapers that leaked in a short time span one morning.  As I was cleaning the floor from the spill, I told her, "You're too big for these diapers.  They can't hold all your peep (what we lovingly call urine).  It's time for you to wear underwear."  And by golly, she went with it, despite the fact that I had told this to her umpteen times before.

She's not 100% accident free yet, and I have her wear a pull-up to bed, but we're all doing well.  We've got a small potty seat, a little potty, a little potty at Gram's house, and a fold-up travel potty.  We've got a sticker chart on the wall with plenty of stickers to choose from, tootsie rolls, and animal crackers.  We have Dora underwear, "Punzel" underwear, plain underwear, and princess underwear.  In other words, the support staff is in place.  We have our fingers crossed.  While it's somewhat nerve racking to constantly check on her and remind her about using the potty, I know that this stressful part of learning will be a short span overall. 

The end is in sight!  Hallelujah!