Time For Drastic Measures

I wrote last week that we were starting to see success with Music Man's potty training.  After an accident at school, we got more serious and started to withhold a reward.  We almost immediately had a success.  But, after once, he realized that there are other things that he gets that are similar that don't require him to use to potty to deposit his BMs.  So, we seem to be back at almost Square One (he'll sit on the toilet and "try", but he won't allow anything to come out).

I know what we need to take away.  I know what would be the BEST motivator for him.  Unfortunately, I don't have the nerve to follow through.  Keeping this from him would be far more of a punishment to me and to Dad than it will likely be to him because WE will remember this for years to come.  For Music Man, despite his long memory, I don't think it'll make that big of a long-term impression.

I'm speaking of course, of his phone.  He spends as much time as he is allowed playing on his inherited iPhone (or iPod if the phone is unavailable).  He calls the phone "Bubble Phone" the iPod has been named "Toca Boca Phone" for reasons of making the distinction.

But I think I came up with a compromise that won't tax my sanity to the point of unendurability and will still bring home the point.  And, if we don't see success, I can take it a step further to really bring home the point.  I think the time has come to take away "Bubble Phone".  If Music Man poops in the potty, he gets it back for the rest of the day.  If he poops in his pants again (while he still has it), it gets taken away again.  He can have "Toca Boca Phone", so there is still something for him to do (which is my compromise).  But, if he poops in the potty, he gets his beloved phone back.  And, if this is unsuccessful, than "Toca Boca Phone" will also be withheld.

Cookies aren't cutting it.  At school, they're seeing success with a Leapfrog product.  I think we need to do this with our own electronic device.

I know he's ready for this.  I'm 100% certain of it.  I just need to make sure that he understands that we've reached the end of our patience and tolerance.  So, tonight, Dad and I will discuss this course of action.  If he agrees, it will come into effect when he arrives home from school tomorrow.

Am I nuts?!?!?!?!?

Progress Comes When You Least Expect It

I'm way behind in the stories that have been happening in our lives here.  But I'm just starting in fresh again.  Those stories, well, maybe I'll find another way to incorporate them here.  But for now, we're just going to start with where we are right now.

On Tuesday, it finally happened.  I got a phone call from school to tell me that Music Man had a toiletting accident.  Since he was trained (well, urine trained) over President's Day weekend, we haven't had an accident at school.  Apparently, I had never brought in long pants (he had plenty of shorts) and they needed these ASAP.

I had mentioned during Music Man's IEP Meeting that he was not yet "Poop Trained".  In fact, he has never INTENTIONALLY released poop into the toilet.  He showed no interest.  And he never showed any indication that he was uncomfortable when he had an accident.  I'm not sure if anyone in the room agreed that that last statement could be true, but they did take me at my word.  Well, on Tuesday, when he had his accident, they realized that I was telling the truth.  He truly just didn't care.  He just sat there. He was able to completely ignore it.  He didn't fidget.  He didn't do anything to indicate that he was the one that the teachers were smelling, other than simply sitting there in his own poop.

Yesterday (Wednesday), his teacher sent him home with a social story.  She found me outside the school waiting for dismissal and told me what they were starting to do.  She was keeping her own copy of the social story at school and she informed me that, since he likes Oreo cookies, he wasn't allowed to have an oreo unless he successfully "Pooped on the Pot".  This last bit threw me a bit.....I would have to follow this as well, and Oreos are his regular after-school snack.  But, I agreed to go along with this regime and I figured we'll see what happens.

Before Music Man is allowed to go downstairs to play, he has to go to the bathroom (I don't know when he last goes at school and this way we are starting fresh with the timing).  He had to urinate and that was no surprise.  But after he was done, I asked if he needed to poop.  I pointed out that, if he did put his "Poop in the Pot", he'd get a Double-Stuff Oreo cookie.  He immediately decided it was worth trying.  So, he sat on the toilet and was clearly putting in the effort.  He asked for me to sing a song, which I gladly did.  We went back and forth between the song and reading the social story.  And, sure enough, he put his "Poop in the Pot"!  3 times actually.

YAY!!!!!!

After cleaning up, he got his Double-Stuff Oreo cookie and then went downstairs to play.

Today, when I pick him up from school, I intend to do the same thing.  We will have snack (that isn't an Oreo) and when he goes to the bathroom prior to going downstairs to play, we will take the social story with us and we will try again.  I will give him a smaller snack so, if he's successful, he can have his Double-Stuff Oreo without getting too much sugar, but I'll take the added sugar rush to have this whole thing behind us!

It's not like we've been complacent with the toilet training thing.  But, just like in February where the breaking point was reached, I think that's what we are seeing right now....everyone has simply had enough.  He needs to know that this is the way it's supposed to be and how it will be.  And, thanks to his teacher, we figured out a way to convince him that we really mean it!

Potty Training Music Man -- Consolidated Post

To all my readers,

Potty Training Music Man was a struggle.  It truly was a BATTLE of wills.  We tried so many things before initiating our own "Potty Training Boot Camp".  But it worked out for all of us in the end.

I'm consolidating the posts I wrote as we were going through this process to make it easier on anyone who would like to read and learn from our example (the good and the bad).  But before you start, ask yourself a VERY important question......ARE YOU SURE THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILD IS READY FOR POTTY TRAINING?  Because if the answer is "NO", this will not be successful.  And once you start, you CAN'T go back!

Good luck to all of you starting this process.  I wish you a quick success and a diaper-free life!!!!
-Ilene



(image taken from http://spiffybaby.com/resources/tag/potty-training)

I originally tried to actually copy the texts over, but that wasn't working.  Instead, I'm providing each of the links to all of the posts I wrote.  Hopefully you will find this helpful.

Pre-Amble (originally posted February 16, 2012)

Day 1 (originally posted February 18, 2012)

Day 2 (originally posted February 19, 2012)

Day 3 (originally posted February 20, 2012)

Follow-Up Post 1 (originally posted on February 23, 2012)

Follow-Up Post 2 (originally posted April 18, 2012)

Follow-Up Post 3 (originally posted July 9, 2012)

This is our story as of right now.  If anyone here is about to embark on Potty Training Boot Camp, I wish you well!!!!  Just remember, before you start, you need to be sure that your child is ready for this.  Because once you start, you CANNOT back down.  When it comes to the Battle of the Wills, YOURS has to prevail.

Good luck to all of you!