Friday, March 2, 2012

Homesteaders Daughter: Potty Training

Finley
Every once in a while I plan on doing a "Homesteaders Daughter" post to talk just about Finley because, honestly, I could do that all day but for others that just may be plain boring. 

We are in the process of potty training Finley and I have a feeling it is going to be a loooooong journey.  She isn't too fond of the potty and gets scared when she does actually go.  We are making progress though so that is all that matters.

So far, we can only get Finley to sit on the potty once or twice a day (somedays not at all).  But throughout the day you can witness Finley taking joy in making her beloved stuffed animals go "potty" instead.


A parent can read a million books to learn what to do or what not to do, but with potty training I feel like I'm going through this blindfolded.  The route we currently have chosen is to 1) reward Finley for actually sitting on the potty and trying with things such as a stamp or a sticker and 2) reward Finley for going potty with a small chocolate candy.  Unfortunately these rewards have not motivated her to want to try going on the potty.  Nor has books about going potty or introducing the "big girl" pull up diapers.  We pretty much have to make her sit on the potty because we could ask her 50 times a day if she wants to try and go potty and her response would be "nope! no potty".


Despite our frustrations and her lack of interest in going on the potty... she sure is a sweetie for trying.  And to see her joy when Mama and Daddy jump up and down in excited when she does go is truly what keeps me motivated.



And as funny as it is, her sitting on the potty gives me time for a mini-photo shoot!  I'm often taken back by how beautiful she is.



And how funny she is.   Aaarrrrgggh!  Finley the pirate!


6 comments:

  1. She'll get the hang of it. With Norah, we finally just let her roam around naked all day one weekend, and moved the potty chair to any room she wanted it in! She finally went. With Hope, she wanted nothing to do with a potty chair, it was the regular toilet from day one. She just went like she was born to not be in diapers. So.. all kids are different. And, like you said, no book can REALLY prepare you. One last thing....she IS beautiful!

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  2. I'll be damned if she isn't one of the cutest babes I have ever seen. Those cheeks are just begging to be kissed and pinched, all day long (which I'm sure happens... and I'm sure she loves it)! She is too cute.

    And yeah, I'm sure it'll happen. I mean, we know she won't go in her diaper forever, so anything you can do to minimize the stress and pressure (on yourselves!) is good. I love the visual of you guys jumping up and down. I can imagine how hilarious that would be, especially from her perspective. Haha!

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  3. Potty training dolls for boys can be a great toilet training aid. Turn the tables on this idea, have some fun with it, and help the potty process along all at the same time. it's time to potty

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  4. Teenage bedwetting can be a major problem. What do you do about it? itstimetopotty

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  5. All the parenting handbooks tell you that most children start to stay dry through the night at about age three. Ask any pediatrician and he'll tell you that about that time, he suddenly starts hearing questions from worried parents about their children still wetting the bed at night. itstimetopotty

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