Running in Flats....: June 2012

Have blocked out 3 weeks in July to potty train amir… harap I survive lol….

Tapi last weekend.. die tetiba bukak pampers and ajak naik atas nak mandi katanye…

Pastu bapak die tak bagi… so die kencing kat tangga..

I think he wanted to pee in the toilet….

Same day… he nak berak.. dah nyorok blakang langsir… I quickly ajak die pi toilet atas… he told me to go out..

So he sat on the toilet and main air ngn getah paip.. I saw him teran.. and plop plop.. die berak.. so he flushed..

Then die duduk lagi.. occasionally aku masuk tanye dah… he said.. bye tata…. So aku kuar…

Then die kata “daaah”.. so aku masuk and saw he pooped lagi… lum flush.. so aku flush n cebok kan die…

Waaahh… aku lum nak train .. die dah nak be trained…

Hope this goes on smoothly…

Then same day.. petang tu die nak mandi… so seblum mandi duk atas toilet seat.. and he peed.. sesame tengok pee pancut dlm bowl..

Huhu… cheering aku …

Aku lum prepare lagi… baru nak study ni…

Reminder to self and hubby

Mess is to be expected…. Biar la die kencing mana2…

big clap and treats if he does it in the bathroom though….

But on the floor is okay…

Yang penting .. die tak tahan… and just wanna pee in pampers (ada budak camni)….

so if pee in toys or toilet or wherever… biarkan….but reinforce that this needs to be done in toilet…

we are the ones that have to make sure he doesn’t pee on the ipad, camera, electronic stuff…

no scolding..

SOP

Resist reminding. Though it's hard not to intervene when you think an accident is imminent, too much reminding can make your child feel corralled and controlled. Instead of frequent repetitions of "Don't you need to go potty?" simply put a potty chair in a central location and, whenever possible, let your child run around bottomless so he can use it at the spur of the moment without your involvement.

Don't hover. Enforced potty sitting ("Let's wait a little longer and see if anything comes out") can sow the seeds of rebellion. If your child sits for a moment, then jumps up to play, bite your tongue. The result may be an accident, but it's just as likely that he'll hop back on the potty when he feels the need.

Be calm about accidents. It's not easy to stay serene in the face of a yucky mess, but overreacting to accidents can make your child fearful about having them, which in turn may stir up anxiety about the whole process. Be reassuring when your child wets his pants, and do whatever you need to do for your own peace of mind, whether it's rolling up a favorite rug or spreading out layers of towels. No matter how frustrated you get, don't punish your child for having an accident. It's not fair to him, and it can lead to long-term resistance.

Reward good behavior. Break the resistance cycle by praising your child's efforts. Celebrate when he first gets something into the potty and make a big deal out of the first time he stays dry all day. (But don't make a big deal of every potty trip, as the glare of the spotlight could make your toddler nervous and skittish.) If your child responds well to positive strokes (and who doesn't?), don't wait until he goes potty to compliment him. Tell him now and then how nice it is that he has dry underpants (or a dry diaper). This will give you many more opportunities to encourage him over the course of the day.

TIPS

starting off with potty training sessions. This means that you’ll want to train your child in the morning and afternoon for a few hours at home. Let him eat, drink and play as normal, but every 15 minutes put him on the potty. At the end of a session, revert back to a diaper or pull-up and go on with your day. When you get home, have another session. On the third day, go for an all-day session. If you leave the house, have a spare potty in the car or visit places you’re sure have public restrooms.

Let your child peruse your home…naked, or in just a t-shirt. Because he’s not wearing a diaper or underwear he’ll have no place to put his pee or poop; he needs to put it somewhere—in the toilet would be a good idea! When he does put it in the potty, make sure you both have a look (yuck, I know, but the visual is important.) Make flushing a huge deal by pointing at the swirling water and acknowledging the cool whooshing sound. (plan to let amir run amok in underpants only)

Stickers, stamps on the hand, or a single M&M are all good potty prizes. Kick it up a notch by taking your child to the dollar store so he can pick out a super-special potty prize for a training milestone like the first full day in undies or staying dry overnight. Food prizes like a pizza party for dinner or ice cream sundae bar for dessert (set out sprinkles, gummy bears, and cherries in bowls, and let your child create his own sundae) are also great ideas. If you don’t want to spend money, look around your house for an art project you can do together and display it so he can show off his “potty prize.” (buy treats & smiley / good job / star sticker)

When your child does the deed, be sure to cheer, clap, smile and hug (celebratory dance parties are huge in our house!) Also, let him make a few phone calls to Grandma or an uncle/aunt so he can brag about his major triumph. The more people who make a big deal about this, the better! When Grandma comes to visit, maybe she’ll have a new coloring book on hand—hint, hint!

Be sure to alert your child’s teacher to the fact that you are actively potty-training at home. Teachers are busy with lots of kids, not just yours, so if your child needs a reminder to go, be sure to share this with the teacher. Make going potty at school less scary by exploring the facilities with your child. Try drop-off a little earlier so you can accompany your child into the bathroom and watch as he does his business. If you reward with stickers at home, bring some in for the teacher—she’ll gladly give them out to your potty pro. (not sure how to execute this)

For single moms, teaching a little boy how to stand and pee can be an obvious challenge. Sure, you can pop him on a stool and tell him to go for it, but trust me, a visual is much better. Have a male role model like Grandpa, a godfather or uncle show your son exactly what to do. Make it more fun by giving him things to aim at like bright Fruit Loops or Tinkle Targets. In no time, your son will be standing and peeing on his own (phew, since public facilities are so germy). (do I want him to pee standing up??)

Potty books My son is a fan ofDiapers Are Not Forever. It’s bright and engaging—and, bonus, the back cover lists potty training tips for parents.Everybody Poops is another easily digestible book your child will love, especially if he’s mastered peeing in the potty but is reluctant about going number two.

Have him watch his dad, or show him how to aim his pee into the bowl. To improve his aim, drop a few Cheerios or goldfish crackers in the toilet, then offer him a fun sticker for hitting a few. If he's making poop, give him a book or play some music to encourage
him to sit. (rafiq sila demo kat amir)