Just When You're About To Throw The Potty Out The Window

After the disastrous potty training weekend I was about ready to throw the potty out the window.  I was entertaining several ideas but mainly the idea that maybe Olivia just wasn't ready.  I received some positive reinforcement from friends after my last blog which couldn't have come at a better time.  I took some time to digest what they were saying:

• Patience
• Positive reinforcement
• Consistency
• Make potty training fun and exciting give incentives candy, stickers, coloring books
• Let Olivia decide when she is ready

I had to take some time and reflect.  I wasn't ready to step away completely but I did realize that I needed to back off and do a self assessment.  Patience-it was dwindling and that wasn't fair to Olivia.  Positive reinforcement and consistency (aside from daycare), I nailed it.  But, somewhere along the line potty training became a c'mon, c'mon, c'mon process and the fun was sucked right out of it. I felt awful so I decided to let Olivia decide when she is ready. 

Yesterday I asked her if she would like to go potty and finger paint.  At first she was resistant even after getting the supplies.  I then decided to do a buddy system we'll both go potty and finger paint and yup it worked.  I was basically just sitting there but when I heard her tinkle we both looked up at each other and laughed. 

Later on that day when I was cooking dinner I placed the potty in the living room.  She said, "no, no...not yet" and I explained I was just putting it there "JUST IN CASE" and walked out the living room.  Mid way through my dinner preparation I felt little eyes on me and looked up.  To my surprise there was my little girl pulling her big girl panties down, backing up onto the potty looking at me.  I smiled and quickly looked away.  That potty stayed in the living room the rest of the night and she kept going on her own.  Isn't that something? And when her daddy came home she was so excited to share the news that she went potty.  As for the hubby he thought it was odd to see the potty in the living room and felt it should be in the bathroom. 

As for me, I'm tired cleaning up pee and I'll move the potty little by little back to the bathroom but for now if this is what it takes then I'm game.  Heading to the dollar store after work to pick up some coloring books.