Thursday, January 28, 2010

A big deal

February is going to be a big month for me. Yesterday night I purchased some expert advice on three-day potty training, today we purchased these,

and as soon as Bob's schedule aligns with ours enough to keep the kids on the main floor all day (less carpet-- definitely the potty training ideal), I'm literally tossing his diapers out the back door (that's where we toss most of our trash. It looks pretty fantastic out there) and doing what it takes to make Erik "number one," "number two," day time, and night time potty trained in three days! And after I survive those three days, I will be able to declare it was all worth it. Since I haven't had to start scraping poo out of undies by hand, though, don't ask me if it's worth it yet.

According to my pediatrician's (and lots of reputable people's) guidelines, Erik is nowhere near ready to attempt this milestone. However, I've done a fair bit of research, and concluded that he is fully capable, physiologically, and that he just might get a very needed emotional and self-esteem boost from the process. I'm fairly confident these "3-day" techniques will work.

After that significant accomplishment, we'll move to getting Charlie to sleep through the night. I know he'll continue screaming throughout the day, but a silent night. Oh, a silent night! The neighbors will despise us, our ears will ring, and glass just might shatter while we're "training" him to sleep alone (unless you've heard it, you would not believe the piercing pitch of this kid's screams. Dogs and mermaids have nothing on Charlie.). I hope it'll be worth it.

And then I hope hope hope life will be manageable enough to improvise a Joy School type preschool group for Ellie and her friends. She is already ecstatic about the prospect, and Erik would greatly benefit from having a few hours a week in which he's not outshone and overshadowed by his louder, more articulate and more confident sister.

So, that's the plan. Wish me luck. Pray for me. Volunteer to babysit any of my kids for me. Bring me hot dinners, make a monetary donation, whatever you feel you can manage. =) Then hopefully the Tiff that emerges triumphant from these stressful endeavors will be physically and emotionally able to pay the good deeds forward.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dang girl! Your ambition has just risen to another level. Good luck! :)

nimbus said...

Be aggressive and set a timer for every 90 minutes and have him try to do it. Then, of course, M&Ms. We think of you alot and wish we were closer to help, but we will be out for a visit in a few months.

Karrot Soup said...

Wow, you really know how to reach for the stars. Cute little boy underpants, though, I think you'll for sure have better luck with this than with the diet...

Karrot Soup said...

PS, we await any horror stories to laugh at.

Amy said...

You are so funny! Ahhhh . . . potty training. I could write a series on the process that has been with my first three. Will my 4 1/2 year old ever go a whole day without peeing his pants on purpose? Oh, he knows how to put it in the potty. He just doesn't want to :-).

Good luck with Joy School. I've done that several years with my little ones and have been blessed with a great group of moms to teach with. It can be really fun for moms and kids.

Finally, a story: Ian (my second) was always in the shadow of his older, more dominating. She could balance on one foot before him. She could read before him. And, in some ways, her innocent 5-year-old self delighted in keeping him just under her thumb. Then came Kindergarten. Suddenly Ian was the biggest kid in his class. He always finished his bell work first. Suddenly - he was the leader! How wonderful to see him blossom under the spotlight. Don't despair. It all works out eventually.

Joe and Christie said...

Sending prayers and sleep-inducing vibes...

Marilyn said...

I have been known to throw a pooed training panty or two into the trash. Some things just aren't worth it. Good luck.

sara said...

I've never heard of that technique. You'll have to let me know how it works (if it works) I figured the womb is the best place to start this training. I threw up a little in my mouth when I was at the ultrasound and she told me that the baby was producing urine nicely. yuck! Don't tell me that when it's still inside me!