Monday, October 05, 2009

A Girl and her Potty...

We have been working on potty training. We have both the potty and the potty seat insert that fits on a "big girl potty". We have stickers and mini M&Ms as bribes. We have special books and toys that are only for potty time. We have Elmo and Tinkerbelle panties. We have Princess pull-ups. We have books to encourage and teach, videos for instruction, and have asked, "Do you have to potty?" about 20 times in an hour only to be told, "No," until she says, "Yes," and then it's off to the races. We are ready. Hannah is interested and has peed in the potty numerous times. (And, I have promised her a pony, her choice of Shetland or Miniature, if she poops on the potty). But, there isn't consistency in our lives when it comes to the potty. But I think I've figured out the problem. This is what I found one evening when I stepped out of the kitchen while preparing dinner.

Now I know our strategy has been wrong. We should have been reading to the potty all along. Perhaps a chapter of Winnie the Pooh at bedtime? Or an emotive rendition of Once Upon a Potty at naptime? And there's always a soulful oration of Everybody Poops first thing in the morning. Because you know the old saying, "A Girl and her potty should be well read."? What, you've never heard that one?