Choo Choo

We are on what I like to call the 'Slow Train to Pottyville'. Yes, we have been 'training' if you can call it that, for a while now, and for the most part, Little P is agreeable (not real keen on the whole 'peeing on the potty' part, but she's pretty good with the 'poopie in the potty'), but lately she's been down right miserable anytime I've put her on it. Even her teacher has said that what was a really positive start has regressed back to her just not being interested in the whole 'toilet experience'.

I have no doubt that there a multitude of reasons as to why. But that's okay. I'm not going to hound her into submission just because I'm tired of changing diapers (which I am), or that I think it's time that she starting acting like a 'big girl' (and let's face it, we kind of want our babies to be our babies for a little longer than they probably should). Yes, it would be nice if she went to the bathroom on a regular basis. Sure the money we would save from not having to buy diapers would come in handy, but you know what? It'll happen when it happens. As long as she's not still wearing diapers come pre-school (like a couple of little kids I know), then I think we are doing a pretty good job. 

Our big problem is that we don't really have a 'set in stone' schedule. I mean, we basically know what we are doing each day, but things (like life) just seem to happen and it throws everything out of whack. I can just see friends of mine rolling their eyes at that. 'Kids need a strict routine'. 'A daily schedule is important for them.' 'Structure.' 'Structure.' And one more time 'Structure.' Blah, blah, blah.

I agree, totally. If that's what your life is normally like, than 'woo hoo' for you. Our life just isn't - never has been. Little P has a bed time, and she has a regular time when she naps and eats, but other than that, it's kind of just a 'wing it and see what happens' kind of situation at our house. And for the most part, it works for us. For the most part. But with the limited time that I have with her these days, I'm not going to keep us housebound for two full days and do nothing but take her to the potty every 15 minutes. Aside from the fact that I wouldn't get a thing done, I just don't think that's how she works. 

I've contemplated the whole 'potty training boot camp' and 'train your child in three days' deals, but honestly, I don't think they would work for us (and I can just hear a friend of mine yelling at the computer screen 'You don't know till you try!!' - you know who you are). I really think for us, it's going to be a Pavlovian Experiment. You pee in the potty, you get a treat. You poop in the potty, you get a bigger treat. You do it on your own, well here's your very own large screen TV! 

Okay, maybe NOT the TV but you get the point.

Every kid is different. Some are trained by the time they are two. Some as early as 18 months, some as late as 4 years. But at the end of the day, they are potty trained, and that's kind of the point isn't it?

So, jump on board the train. We are going to take a leisurely trip to Pottyville. There's plenty to see on the way, and the company will be stellar (oh, and we have cookies).

K