This week began Spring Break for me. So, as the teacher that I am, I decided to use the week off to teach Biggie Son a lesson: to go to the bathroom.
That's right, Big Boy (?) is three years old and has no idea how or when he needs to use the toilet, nor does he have the desire to do it. So, that's the idea for Spring Break.
Mission: Go to the bathroom.
What follows is a log of our experiences throughout the week.
Friday Night, 20:00 hours.
- As we prepare for bed, we inform Son #1 that tomorrow will be "Big Boy Day." (Tactic #1) It is officially the last day for diapers and the first day of big boy pants all the time during the day! Hooray!
Saturday Morning, 08:00 hours.
- Biggie wakes up and immediately begins to cry as we switch him into big boy pants. He's comforted by the fact that Thomas the Train is on his undies. This is the one time that I am thankful for the senseless marketing of cartoon characters on kid's products.
Saturday Morning, 10:00 hours.
- We're through breakfast and all is good. The first attempt at this is to leave control in his hands. As his "Big Boy Day" (Tactic #1) we've told him that he gets extra responsibilities too, such as picking out his clothes. He picks blue and orange sweat pants, a blue and green baseball shirt, with his Maurice Creek Indiana basketball jersey over the top. Looking good!
Saturday Morning, 11:30 hours
- Sonny Boy wants to rake in the yard with Daddio. When asked if he has to go to the bathroom (as he hadn't yet this morning) he responds that, "I do not have to, but I will tell you." Shakingly reassured, Daddy and Son tromp into the damp backyard to rake leaves and pick up "spiky balls" from our blessed Sweetgum tree.
Saturday Morning, 11:50 hours
- As we transition to the front yard, Daddy asks if we need to potty. "No." "Did you already potty?" "Yes." Bummer. One pair of big boy pants down, one pairs of pants down. Not even through the morning yet.
Saturday Morning, 11:55 hours
- Daddy decides on a different tactic (Tactic #2). No changing of the dirty pants. Big Son continues to rake and pick up trash all around the neighborhood, secretly covered in his own pee.
Saturday Afternoon, 12:30 hours
- Tactic #3, you have to wash your own dirty pants. Son gets up at bathroom sink and singingly, gleefully, washes his underwear and pants. So, that wasn't so convincing of a punishment.
Saturday Afternoon, 12:35 hours
- Now, we're on to something new, wearing nothing at all. That's right, Biggie Boy is completely naked running around the house. We're closing the windows as he shoots naked baskets, holding our breath as he climbs naked onto the couch, laughing as he dances in the kitchen with nothing but a birthday suit. He thinks he's funny too, great... Perhaps he'll realize now when he starts to go (Tactic #4). Oh, and we added a new reward, Push-Up Pops! (Tactic #5)
Saturday Afternoon, 13:15 hours
- Sitting at lunch, Big Son suddenly says, "Oh, no! I'm wet," and takes another bite of food. Yes, seated naked in his booster seat, the boy has peed on the seat, the chair, and oh wait yes, the carpet. Oh, and more under the carpet? Thank you, thank you, thank you. Tactic Fail.
Saturday Afternoon, 13:30 hours
- With pee all over himself from two separate episodes, a shower is now in order. Except that Biggie Sons is crying hysterically about taking a shower (not a normal reaction). "Big Boy Day" is starting to break down...
Saturday Afternoon, 14:00 hours
- Nap time. Diaper is on. We're safe for a bit...
Saturday Afternoon, 16:30 hours
- Up from sleepy time, little sleepy head is allowed to keep the pull-up on a bit longer. It's pretty wet, but...
Saturday Afternoon, 17:00 hours
- Back in undies, this time just lots of little trains. Tactic #6 is to find a Youtube video about potty training. Big guy loves him some Youtube. But this and this (?) didn't do it...
Saturday Afternoon, 17:10 hours
- Grandma and Grandpa arrive, and are super-excited to hear about Big Boy Day. They promise treats, hugs, and kisses if he can go in the potty (Tactic #7).
Saturday Evening, 19:30 hours
- Still no pee from after nap. Daddy's had enough of asking, it's time to try. Daddy tells Big Son to go to the bathroom (Tactic #8). Crying, kicking, falling down on the ground. Fail.
- Daddy coaxes Big Guy to the bathroom by promising the Butler Robot video (Tactic #9). Big Son sits on the potty while the video goes, and then is immediately done. No potty. Fail.
- Daddy still not giving up, sings a song (Tactic #10) to the Little Man, his favorite - "Found" by The O.C. Supertones - while convincing him to sit on his potty. The "Big Boy" sits laughing the whole time on his potty, then starts crying when the song is done because he doesn't want to potty.
Saturday Evening, 20:00 hours
- Daddy gives up.
Saturday Evening, 20:20 hours
- Big Boy (Baby?) pees in his underwear again, and onto the living room floor. The mess is cleaned up. Bedtime pull-ups are put on. Daddy is watching the Butler-VCU game trying to ignore everything. Try again tomorrow? We'll see...
Why is this a gift? Because someday, and that day is not today, we'll pull up this memory and laugh. Because someday, he'll go to the bathroom the right way, someday he won't wear diapers and someday he'll really have his "Big Boy Day." And that will be fun!
Any other tactics we haven't tried? Any advice for us floundering parents? We'll take whatever anybody's got (and then will post how wily Son #1 got around that too :-)
So sorry! Don't give up! We know something will work, (just not sure what)
ReplyDeleteWow! I had no idea this could be this hard! Sometimes Kristi catches me going in the back yard even though there is an open bathroom. I don't expect this information to help you in any way but at least you can tell him that uncle Ryan also has a hard time finding the bathroom sometimes.
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ReplyDeleteMy husband is right....he loves just peeing outside for no reason. We'll have just left a friend's house, and instead of using the bathroom inside, the minute they shut the front door, off he scuttles to the bushes to leave his mark. I, on the other hand, seem to still have problems not urinating on myself. Tell Gid that Aunt Kiki sometimes forgets to go to the bathroom until it's too late and ends up peeing herself!
ReplyDeleteI will give him a reward. If he is able to learn to go to the potty by June 1, I will come home and go camping in the backyard with him. We will cook outside, sleep outside, and it will just be Gideon and Aunt Kiki time. (I'd really like to buy him a plane ticket here, but don't know that he's old enough to come out alone yet--if he is then I'll do that!)
Keep trying--he'll learn eventually! Love you guys soooo much!