Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Only a parent knows how exciting poop in a potty can be.

Yesterday when I picked the boys up from daycare, Summy came running across the playground shouting "I went poop in the potty!"

Now let me back track. I've watched friends with children close in age to mine potty train their kids with ease. Many many people. My children on the other hand have shown little no interest in potties, going potty, or even saying the word potty. They happily soil their diapers and languish in them. If you ask them if their diaper is dirty, the say "no!" and run laughing away from you.

I had read over and over on my SPD lists the woeful tales of parents trying to potty train their children with Sensory Processing Disorder. I prepared myself for the worst: grown adult men in diapers, who never potty trained, and the "worst mother ever" award hanging above my front door.

Last week Summy asked to sit on the potty a few times. We played it up, he sat for a minute or two and made a sound of pee hitting the bowl with his mouth. (Hilarious to hear by the way) Then he stood and fake-flushed. My hopes were dashed.

Yesterday at daycare the teacher said she didn't know if he 100% went. She hadn't been standing there next to him, but when she checked again, there was something there to flush. My doubts were in full force, (are you sure it was even Summy in the bathroom? Are you sure that wasn't a brown crayon?) but we made another potty-sitting attempt last night (nothing happened) and let him wear underwear over his diaper to sleep in.

Today when I picked him up, he had peed in the potty. I don't know what to say. We have yet to see him go, but I am so hopeful this might be the beginning of actual potty training. I had resigned myself to adult diapers, but it looks as if one of mine might be potty trained prior to college. (Jack is a totally different story, folks!)

So I ask you, dear readers. What is your potty training story? What are your experiences? Did it start like this for you? How long was the process?

I am cautiously excited!

2 comments:

Annie said...

For me is a disaster. My girls don't show any interest and I'm thinking like you.

So every comment you recieve for this is one that I'm going to read. I start the process two times and nothing.

The Parsons Family said...

Well my advice was once you start don't go back! Our son was in full time daycare and doing well there, accident free quickly, and no diapers ever (was the rule in his classroom...worked great!)

BUT then we moved, took him out of daycare and everything familiar...and he reverted back...but we did not go back to diapers (per advice from many including pediatrician). We did alot of traveling once we moved and I pushed the potty hard (as did everyone around us!) He had the experience of watching a cousin go potty and he was hooked! I think that I can declare him to be potty trained!

Start to finish though it was about 6-1/2 months of no diapers, straight underwear (a diaper or pull up for bedtime was all that we allowed only because I didn't want to change sheets multiple times a day). The big thing that took so long was pooping, he had peeing down pat in less than a few weeks (and once we moved it took another few weeks and he was back on track with that!)

My son started the process the month of his 2nd birthday (daycare said he was ready...and I wasn't going to complain!) and I was told by MANY people that we would be lucky to be done before he turned 4!

(I have worked with a child with Autism with a great many sensory issues along with being nonverbal and he was potty trained...we did it together, working on time voiding initially...just be patient!) And I know its easier said than done, but try not to get upset over the accidents, part of me thought that he kept having accidents to get my attention again :/ Trust your instincts you know your kids best!!!

Good Luck!
josephine.parsons@yahoo.com