Potty Training

A few months ago Izzy and I started trying to potty train our daughter.  We have been eagerly waiting for her to be ready, and when we saw the signs, we started teaching her about the potty.  Most of this teaching is left to my husband since he is the one who is home with her all day, but I have done as much as I can when I am around.

At this point, I can say that Bee likes sitting on the potty (for about 15 seconds at a time), loves toilet paper, and loves the routine of flushing the potty, and washing her hands.  She also enjoys that when she says "pee-pee" or "poo-poo," everything stops so we can go find a toilet.  She uses this knowledge liberally whenever she wants to change locations or circumstances.  However, Bee only has intermittent interest in actually going in the potty. 

I have read countless articles on potty training, forwarded many of them to Izzy, and attempted every "potty train in only a day or two" method myself.  None of those methods have worked. (Since every proponent of these methods has multiple kids, and did not use them on their first child, I have decided that they don't work with first children.  Feel free to prove me wrong.)  Meanwhile, everyone who watches Bee has made an effort to honor her requests to use the toilet and make a big deal every time she actually does use the toilet for it's intended purpose. 

I have come to realize that two of the three members of my household are not committed to make any effort to potty training Bee that interferes with other immediate interests.  The problem for me lies in the fact that one of these two is the subject herself, the other is the one who is around for the bulk of her waking hours, and neither of these individuals is me.

It was this realization that caused me to try every one of the three "one-day" potty training methods, since that is exactly the amount of time I have to commit to this effort myself.  I have since realized that my child requires a different kind of training; one that I can't provide.

I find myself having to relax and wait for Izzy to decide to potty train in something resembling a purposeful manner, or for Bee to decide for herself that she would rather use the toilet than go in her diapers.  Knowing my family as I do, my money is on Bee deciding to train herself.  Either way, I am up for a long wait. 

In the meantime, I continually remind myself that no one is really hurt because Bee is still in diapers.