Let me start with Lilly.
Lilly is a champ. She first tried and went to the potty on her own months and months ago, I can't remember when exactly but it made me proud.
Day one for Lilly was not that different to her except I had her waist down naked. She didn't mind it and she peed in the potty on her own. She got her treats and praises and she was happy.... until.... she accidently peed on herself. Just a little and she made it to the potty for the rest. But that did it. She was so afraid it would happen again that she refused to get off the potty. UGH!
It made it easy on my part but I wanted her to understand life goes on and we pee when we need to. But for Lilly, overall for the day, gets a B.
Now Rose. My Rose. My sweet tempered, chillaxe Rose, was not happy. She threw tantrums I've never seen her throw. She peed so many times I couldn't keep count. My only guess was around 15 times in the morning and more than that in the evening. And not one time of those in the potty. I was so frustrated. I felt like I was wasting a perfectly wonderful and warm day in the middle of winter to just clean pee. Which really Daniel was the main cleaner for Rose. We both were so frustrated.
I can't count how many times I have said, "If you need to pee, go to the potty."
That child refused to sit on that potty. When we told her if she needed to go she needed to sit on the potty she threw her arms around and jumped in anger. She was so mad and afraid. When she peed on herself she would scream like acid was piercing her skin. She hated the feeling, she hated being messy and wet.
I take back that she never used the potty. She did at the very end of the night, only because Daniel and I forced her to sit on the potty. Daniel figured out how often she was going and it was about every 7-8 minutes. She sat on her potty for about 30 minutes after the 7 to make sure she got it. She cried and I babied her with words, sweets and stickers. Rose finally went and she had the oddest expression on her face, because it was odd to pee in her potty.
Her overall grade was a C-
I was happy that she at least became comfortable with her seat and was sitting on it on her own. She also learned to hold in her pee for long periods of time because she didn't want to go in her potty which slightly impressed me. The peeing on the floor when she finally was released from the potty did not.
My technique is my own. I used a few friends ways, some things I read online and made my own way based on what I thought would work best for my children.
I had them undressed from the waist down.
I had a jar full of, marshmallows, chocolate marshmallows, m&ms, chunky chocolate chips, and recesses, so they had their choices for a treat and could see their candy all day to remind them if they want candy they need to do the deed.
I blocked them off from anywhere in the house to just their playroom, which is tiled floors so it would be easier clean up.I gave them plenty of toys to occupy them in there.
I decided on no tv as it distracts them too much and they pee without realizing it until it's too late.
I did try this woman's way I read on a pinterest post to use a doll and a dropper to make it look like the doll peed to help them understand the concept. It was one of those Nailed It/Fail moments when after the girls were SO impressed with their dolls going potty they searched for all the dolls they could find to have them try to go potty too. I was loaded with dolls and I decided this angle was not for my girls.
It's hard to keep a constant eye on them, but after the morning the evening felt less terrible.
I find it hard with two mainly because I bribed Rose to just sit on her potty and Lilly wouldn't leave her potty. So when Rose got her bribe, Lilly would have this grief stricken & confused face as to why she didn't get something too. I would end up giving her some candy too because it felt unfair, I would say, "You can have a treat for sitting on your potty." and Lilly would reach out for a treat thinking I was talking to her too and she was sitting on her potty so I would give her one.
The bribe thing is hard with two but it also showed them examples of rewards when they were not being the one rewarded as well as understand that they have to fulfill a goal in order to achieve a reward. But again because of their age, it's a little hard to compute and all they see if their sister getting a reward.
On the other hand. The one getting praise and rewarded- I feel I couldn't give them enough praise and truly feel their reward cause I was trying to back the other one off and had to stop and explain to them why they aren't getting something.
It was almost chaotic trying to say,
"YAY! Good job!"
"No you have to potty first."
"You get a treat!!"
"You'll get a treat when you potty."
"Here pick a candy."
"If you pee I'll let you have a candy."
"I'm so proud of..."
"No, you have to potty first, sister pottied so she gets a reward."
And my chance to really throw a party is over.
I was just happy the day was over but sad because I didn't think the girls were so far behind. I thought Rose had a general good idea of the whole potty deal because she's seen Lilly go. But her refusal and stubbornness surprised me.
Day one was rough, but I am writing this blog in the evening of Day 2 and it does get better.
On to writing Day 2 post!!
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