The past two days have shown an emerging skill- asking for the potty when needed. We had basically given up on potty training for a while. It seems like when parents get really excited and really want something to happen, that is normally when things seem to fall apart. I think children feel pressured and just can’t perform under the stress of the parent expectation. Even if we don’t tell them that we expect it, I believe that through emotion and subtle facial and tonal cues, they can sense the importance and weight of the expectation.
Like I said, we gave up. It wasn’t worth the tears, the screaming, the self injuring, and stress. It wasn’t worth trying to force him to comply because that’s what you do.
So imagine Nick’s shock when on Tuesday Little Bug walked up and said, “Want to sit on potty.”
Little Bug walked into the bathroom, dragged the stepstool over and put the potty ring in. He then took off his pants and diaper and sat on the potty. Nick was reaching for the basket of incentives- toys only played with on the potty- when Little Bug peed. He clapped for himself and smiled. Flushed the toilet and ran to get a diaper and a potty treat.
He has now repeated this feat 4 more times. Each time he asks, he actually needs to go. He sits on the toilet, pees within seconds of sitting, and gets down.
This is wonderful! We’ll see how long it lasts and how often he can do it in a day without interference. We really don’t want to force him into this.
Apparently at school he has been trying to go potty. It was part of his IEP, however because we weren’t having success at home, the school wasn’t trying. Several times during a class, the teacher and aides will prompt the kids who are either potty trained or actively potty training to go to the bathroom. The little kids all go in and go potty. Little Bug feels that he should be allowed to participate and has been going in with the other kids.
He will now be potty training at school- but only if he wants.
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