Potty Power!

We've been working on Potty training Steffie for quite some time now. At 3 1/2 she has all of the particulars down and some days she does really really well with using the potty. She went for 2 weeks without having an accident so I know she can do it! But for the last 2 weeks she has had several days of constant "accidents". For some reason she has days when she just doesn't want to use the potty. It can be very frustrating... especially when I know she can do it... she just doesn't want to!

We started when she was 18 months old by buying her her very own special potty.... which she promtly decided to wear on her head like a crown.... the potty princess! And then she decided to stir it with her broom... like a potty cauldron. She liked to sit on it like most kids do.... but we soon decided we were pushing too hard and too early... so we backed off.

Last summer we went back to potty training with determination.... she was by then 2 1/2.... the whole summer while we were home she wore only her shirt and panties to make it easier for her to go potty... and to dirty less clothes. She did very well and by fall was going potty quite often but with days of having lots of "accidents". This is where we've been since then. The accidents are fewer but she still has those days...

One of the things we've found that has helped her tremendously is borrowing potty training videos from the Library. Her favorite is Potty Power. She loves the songs and sings them with each step of the pottying process. We borrow it often to reinforce the message and keep her using her Potty Power.

We have also stopped using pullups except for at night. Letting her wear them during the day just gave her permission to not go potty. I had hoped that telling her not pee or poop on Strawberry Shortcake and Dora (on her panties) would help.... but she really doesn't care if she pees or poops on them!

Oddly enough she has developed a huge fascination with public restrooms! When we're out somewhere she always wants to go potty.... we had to stop at the Race Track 3 times the other day because she insisted on going potty there. She just loves public restrooms!

Today while browsing blogs I ran across an awesome sounding potty training aide and they're giving one away! Jolly Mom and Potty MD have teamed up to give some lucky family this awesome Potty Monkey. It includes a diaper, big monkey underwear, a flushing potty, a parent's guide and a potty training certificate. It has a timer that can be set for either 30 minutes or 90 minutes. Potty Monkey will remind your child to go to the bathroom by saying, "I need to go potty!Let's go potty!" and "I really need to go! C'mon, lets go potty! Potty Monkey also talks and sings every time your child places him on the interactive learning toilet. It sounds like a great way to get Steffie fully trained and put an end to her accidents. I would love to have one of these! So click on over there and maybe one of us will be the lucky winner!

~A Lil Enchanted~