Ability vs. Desire

Last week Trent demonstrated that he is capable of being daytime toilet trained. He asked to use the potty a couple of times and used it when offered other times managing to stay dry from wakeup until naptime. He only had one tinkle diaper after naptime. He even pooped in the potty before his bath! I couldn't believe it. The next day, though, he wasn't particularly interested when the potty was offered and didn't ask at all. It's been the same story for the past few days. Sigh. I don't want to push yet because he's so young but I feel like he really could do this if he wanted to.

 

Hannah is training now, although we are on the tail-end as she has been such a little trouper! Two things that stood out for me, since I was waiting to let them take the lead with this whole thing:

1) She does not need me to nag her every 30 min. to pee. When she needs to go, she just goes. I don't have to tell her/ask her.

2) She no longer wants to wear diapers. She only wants to wear panties.

Since those two things were in place, I just went with her lead. I think desire plays a HUGE part in training. Sounds like yours certainly has the ability, but is lacking the desire still. To me, the desire was a huge part of it. I did not want to be constantly telling her to go sit on the potty. Readiness to me, is doing it on their own accord--they KNOW when they need to use it (as opposed to just using it for novelty's sake). But that is just my two cents.

 

Kate, how long has the process been with Hannah from when you really started to seriously train her until now?

 

QUOTE(egoury @ Aug 1 2007, 05:28 AM) [snapback]352417[/snapback]
Kate, how long has the process been with Hannah from when you really started to seriously train her until now?


Honestly, about a week and a half. I had no intentions of starting this early. She just started using the potty one day so we thought we would try underwear. The first day or two I had to ask her a couple times if she needed to go, but since then, she goes on her own. She has been the model trainer. But it is still early so I know she might regress. But I doubt it (she is pretty easy with other things too). Ben on the other hand, yikes, I don't even want to think about that one!!!!!!!

 

That's great. We started the underwear on Danielle on Sunday and have consistently had about two accidents a day. And we haven't taken her out in them yet. The majority of the time we have to remind her to go, but she will tell us sometimes if she wants to go. I am jealous that it's going so smoothly for you. Way to go Hannah! My Rachel really wants to do it...has the desire, but doesn't understand the sensation so that's why we aren't trying with her. We'll put her on the potty a couple of times a day because she asks and she will eventually go, but it's just luck. This potty training is just not a lot of fun.