Potties and Snakes

And, just like that, it happened...

My no-frills potty chart…on her way to a
snake! (I'll explain)

A few weeks ago, Teagan started showing more interest in using the potty. She would use it two or three times in a day and then have no interest the next. Then suddenly, it changed about a week ago. She started showing interest several times per day. I did my best to suggest it, but quite honestly, I'd often forget. Despite my forgetfulness, she ended up on the potty on her own. That's when I decided to start a "potty chart" -- more for my poor memory.

In the months following the girls first birthday, the "when are you going to potty train?" question started popping up. They weren't showing any interest so it wasn't even on my radar. Then I heard two horror stories from friends of potty training gone wrong. Parents push potty training. Kid isn't ready. Kid cries. Parents are frustrated. Lots of accidents and/or diaper use. Everyone is stressed. At that point, I decided to not potty train in the traditional sense. We purchased potties and placed them in the bathrooms. We started by simply suggesting that they sit on the potty before bath time. Initially, we were met with a quick "no!" As much as poop changes drove/drive me nuts, I wasn't overly concerned about it. After hearing the stories from friends, I vowed to not stress my kids or myself out. They will not be going to kindergarten in diapers.

There is a toy store near our house that has a kids area set up with a train table, a huge Sands Alive "sandbox" and an arts n' crafts table. While running errands, the girls often want to go in there to play. Jenn and Quinn ran a quick errand on the weekend, so Teagan and I went into the toy store. She was immediately drawn to a 5 foot long stuffed snake. She stopped in her tracks, put one hand on her hip with the other out with palm raised and asked in a serious voice, "Mommy, you got cash?!" I then entered into the impossible task of negotiating with a toddler. We finally decided that the snake would be her reward if she used the potty at least 20 times in the next six days. Up until now, high fives and lots of cheering have been our go-to rewards for potty usage.  Admittedly, I am already loving less diaper changes, so I think the snake is worth it!