Friday, March 06, 2009

spring training

We're getting serious here. Our attempts at toilet training (potty is NOT a word we use in this house) Ella have failed—miserably. We know she's ready and has been for quite some time. Ella is just incredibly independent and stubborn. If it isn't her idea, it isn't happening. This process has been frustrating. We've had some bright spots—a few weeks going in the toilet almost a year ago, and a random tries here and there since. But these days, Ella is adamantly against using the toilet and is content just to mess her pants indefinitely. Brady and I are not happy about that. Not happy at all.

So... we've made our deal a little sweeter. In the past, Ella has been bribed with books, stickers, money for her piggy bank, and big girl underwear. But now, you'd think she's having a birthday each time she goes on the toilet. In addition to getting stickers and money for her bank, Ella now gets M+M's, and she gets to watch TV—something we've decided to take away from her during this process and instead use it as an incentive. The results have been mixed. Some days, she'll try. Other days, she wants nothing to do with it. But she's watching a lot less TV/movies (she only gets movies back if she starts going every day), and spending much more time playing and reading. At least something good is coming of this.

On Tuesday, we'll be taking Ella in for her 2 1/2 year checkup. I'm hoping the Dr. will offer a few insights, because if this doesn't start working soon, I'm going to make Ella start changing her own diapers.

1 comment:

H. said...

My mom had to bribe me with a trip to see my cousin megan in wisconsin ... by then I was like 8 years old. kidding!