Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Why I Didn't Potty Train


You wouldn't potty train her either.  Laine wanted the full potty training course complete with sitting and listening to Circus McGurkus 964 times while "learning" how to go potty.  We had prizes and pull ups and lived deeply and fully into potty training.

Annabel simply could not be bothered.  She couldn't hold it and, frankly, why would she?  So, I took a deep breath and skipped it.  We put a reward out there because it only seemed fair, but I just knew my little sprite...if I pushed, it would become a "thing."  And no one wants to make a "thing" of bathrooming.

Her third birthday came and went and she showed no interest in or capacity for graduating to underpants.  After her birthday, I took her out of diapers and let her have accidents to help her know what was happening (side note: I have heard this is a common need for cloth diapered kids...CD's aren't uncomfortable enough when wet), and waited.  And waited.  And fretted.  And waited.

Then one day she woke up and announced she was potty trained.  And, with a few slips, she was.

So we bought her a princess dress.


So, if you have a prince or princess who just isn't...perhaps the answer is: don't.  I give you permission to at least take a lengthy break to let those little neurons catch up with Mommy's impatience.

I would not try this with a puppy.