Potty Training Update: Wanting to Call it Quits!
Why can't I just wait until she's in highschool before I have to give up diapers?
In hindsight I am sure that this is a trivial part of parenting… but for now, it's DAMN hard! My die hard readers know that potty training began as soon as we were off for summer vacation. Although the initial days were really tough, it got better and better and better... Almost a week into it, I told everyone that it really wasn't as bad as I had imagined, and anyone out there who's at the verge of training should rest assured that they would get through it.
Well... as of right now, I change my statement.
The story goes back to our vacation...
I had my parents buy a potty for Iman, and we were on top of our game since hour 1. Iman was very good at telling me that she had to go, and I was running to the bathroom every time she asked. For the first 3 days there, we had no accidents. I was so proud of her...
After a few days, things just started to crumble away. First Iman stopped telling me. So I took her after ever couple of hours or so... we were still doing fine. But as the days passed, so did her potty skills. I came back to Dubai with a complete diaper baby again (shame on me too!)
Now that we're here again, I've put her back into panties, but also discovered that she's back to square 1. Over the past 5 days, she's peed ALL over the house. We get about 2 hits a day, the rest are all misses. I'm getting frustrated because this is a task that I thought she had already learned, and most times I can see my frustration coming out on her. As I grit my teeth for the 8th time that day and tell her "It's ok honey, we'll keep trying"
AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!
(secret screaming in my head)
The day I tell you all that potty training is a success, I want you all to tell me go back and read this post. It's always reassuring to read about hard times when they're over. Since Iman is a picky eater, she gives me trouble with most meals. So I have a video of her where she's opening her mouth really wide and actually running after me to feed her some chocolate pudding. On particularly hard feeding days, I play back that video, and it reminds me that it isn't always going to be THIS hard.
posted by Hina @ 11:18 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Take a deep breath, It will get better. Let me ask you a question. Does Iman get up with a dry diaper after a nap or after all night? If not she may not be ready for potty training. Each child has there own time table and if she is not dry in the morning you might be wasting your time and be frustrating both you and Iman needlessly. Upsets in schedules and vacations can give you set backs but more so if she really isn't ready.
Dena, the sad thing is... that she shows ALL the signs of being ready!! She keeps herself dry all night and after a nap. She's too smart for her own good (she can talk up a STORM). Everything else she understands, following instructions, telling me what she wants to eat, what she wants to wear, wanting to go out...!!!
I guess it's just vacation set back, but REALLY REALLY frustrating for me.
I agree with Dena that the vacation time probably has more to do with it than anything. Although, one other thing that occurs to me....if Iman is as strong-willed as you say, then she is probably spending a lot of time watching your reaction to her peeing all over the house. THIS is the ultimate battle for control in her little 2 year old mind. She has figured out how to control her bladder BUT she's also figured out that it matters so much to Mum that she do so. (Insert manical cackling of evil genius here). Whatever you do, don't let on to her how much it matters to you, don't let her see you blink because she will run with it. And I'm speaking from experience, here, because The Child was exactly like that. (Which I forgot all about until reading this post).
Also, and on a completely unrelated subject, would you mind writing a post about the cultural aspects of "wedding season" for your Western readers? Is that the only time of year that people get married? Is it a Muslim thing or is it cultural? (I realize religion informs the culture and visa versa but...) Very curious.
lorraine, you're right. She's reading into me, and she's just about got me figured out. Try as hard as I might, by the 4th or 5th time of wiping up pee off the floor, I think I do a lot more than bat an eye.
I'm going to try to keep a check on that. Maybe that will help.
On that seperate note, I didn't realize it when I wrote it, so thanks for pointing it out. When I wrote "wedding season" it had nothing to do with religion or culture. Mainly people get married at this time of year because everyone is off for summer vacation and it's easier for the whole family to attend. Which means that in July, you'll see a lot of weddings in our part of the world.
Ah! Thanks for the clarification.
Hina, my husband is a stay at home dad. The brave soul has gone through everything that mommies go through. He started potty training Zain (My 2.7 year old son) when he was 18 months old. He was doing fine in the beginning but there were times when it was back to square 1 again. I read that it would happen. But he is getting better. He is diaper free at home, but that does not mean that there are no accidents.
Go and visit babycenter.com it is a UK based website and it helped us alot during my pregnancy and now in raising Zain. It might help you too.
Good luck! and like one mommy said you don't see any adult in diapers do you so it means we all get potty trained sometimes :-)
you're a fighter hinamommy.
may the force be with you!
Post a Comment
<< Home