Potty Training Bootcamp

Our living room has been turned into the main command post of potty training bootcamp. Which sounds a lot more serious than it really is. Especially because the potty has a smiley face and sings songs when, um, in use.

One thing I've never been quiet about on here (or in real life) is my lack of patience. Unfortunately, that characteristic occasionally extends to the kidlet. Hence potty training bootcamp. But I promise it isn't all mean and hard core. There are pretty undies with flowers. There's a lot of Treehouse. There are smarties. SMARTIES.

When I took the kidlet to daycare a couple of weeks ago I asked how potty training was going there. They're so organized. They have systems for everything. I suppose that's the only way to survive a roomful of toddlers. So I asked what we could do at home to help the potty-using process move along. One of her teachers asked me what I wanted. I said I wanted a miracle. Instant potty training. So she said, "Cold turkey." Which meant this past weekend the kidlet started wearing her big girl undies exclusively (except during nap and nighttime) and we became nagging parents. "Do you need to use the potty?" "Remember where we go pee? On the potty." "Let's try sitting on the potty." Every 20 minutes we put her on the smiling potty. The first day she had a couple of accidents and a couple of potty breaks (hooray! here's a smartie for your troubles). The next day she had no accidents at all (hooray! here are a few more smarties). Monday she was at school (daycare) and had one accident. They get stickers at school, and a chart, and I know she was sufficiently proud of herself and her stickers.

Today I didn't have it in me to potty-train. But I asked for a miracle and now I'm responsible for doing my part. So we've stuck close to home, playing outside between potty breaks, and we're making our way to a diaper-less house. So far today we're two for two. Now I need to give one smartie for sitting on the potty, two for peeing, and three if number #2 ends up happening in the potty...which is hasn't so far. Something I can't say I'm upset about today. I hope she chooses a diapered time for that one.

We tried to use stickers. That worked for about an hour the first day, and then she was on to us. She knew smarties were available and we had to up the ante. I'm certain she knows I'll dole out any number of smarties for her to use that potty. She's not new here.

Anyway, that's the word on the street in our world at the moment. Potty training is officially a full-time job. Wish us luck. Send smarties.