Given this was so easy, I knew something else that was easy for others was destined to be hard for me. When I read that my friend Angie's not-even-two-year-old daughter was changing her own clothes, my jaw totally dropped. We've been working on this for a couple of weeks and it's SO HARD. Seriously, it's taken about 45 minutes from our daily routine because he takes so long to do it. He'll try pulling his arm through the sleeve, it won't work, and then he'll claim it's too hard and beg me to do it for him. This process goes on for too long, in my opinion. It's so frustrating because I know I can do it but I also know that I don't want to be changing a seven-year-old's clothes. I know, I know; I'm sure it wouldn't get that far. But I'd really like to put a check mark next to some big transitions before Betamax arrives. And dang, this was just not something I anticipated as being hard for us. How come nobody warned me?! Or maybe I'm the only one who struggles with this. Anyone want to give me a heads up for anything else hard heading my way? You know, other than the adding a second child to the mix.
Speaking of big transitions and check marks...you haven't read anything from me on the potty training front. That's because we have nothing to report. We've been talking about it for a long time and Chuck bought a kid toilet months ago (many, many months ago, actually). I've read enough to know that it's best if you can wait until the child is ready, so even though we talk to him about it and read books about it, the kid has been adamant about not using a big toilet. Before his birthday, he would say that he'd start "when I am a big guy," which translates to, "when I am 3." On his birthday when we confronted him about this, this was his response: "Can we not do that today?" Sigh. I guess he still has nearly one year of being 3 to accomplish this task. I do anticipate this being hard but man, do I really want it done. I really don't want to buy diapers for two kids. Although, after his three-year check-up last week, the doctor seemed not at all concerned. He said to drop all talk of it and just wait until summer. Fine with me...I'll be at work!
Potty training...always an adventure. Every child potty trains at a different age and in a different way. Connor started potty training at 18 months, but it wasn't until he was 3 years old that he actually did it and it was by FORCE. I was about to have my 3rd child and I didn't want 3 in diapers. Lillee potty trained herself by 2 years old...it was such a beautiful thing. Isabel was about 2.5 and Chase has been working on it for months, but isn't truly committed to it. He was doing really well last month and we were barely using diapers...then we went on a road trip and all our work was lost. Now I'm lucky if he goes on the potty once a week. Just put the potty out and let him use it as he wants. We also reward with m&m's :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck and be patient, it will all come when they're ready...especially dressing himself. Before you know it, he'll be fiercely independent and you'll wish he still needed a little help.
That's true! Play it up to be a special thing that Chuck and Rhett can do together while you're at work. (Potty training) It might work! You know boys - they like having weird daddy bonding moments :)
ReplyDeletesorry, technical error. :)
ReplyDeleteoh do i envy the staying in bed thing! laney jumped out of the crib at 18 months and it wasn't until she was 2.5 and we figured out she would at least stay in her room if we put a baby gate on her doorway. that was the hardest year ever! and since then she still gets out of bed 3-4 times a night it feels like.
lindsay already takes off her clothes and helps put them on so i'm hoping with her. laney got dressed by herself easily, but sometimes i wish it wasn't so with some of the outfits i see her in. i agree that each kid is different and ready at different times. and potty training is a back and forth thing for most people i think. we had to force her at 3 because her daycare wouldn't take 3 yr olds in diapers. it was definitely a struggle and involved many tears on my part. good luck!!
Funny how EVERY child is "different". My first did things in the fast lane...I thought he was the norm. Then I met my second child, he is more on the "normal" side of everything, which makes it seem like EVERYTHING takes forever (potty training, feeding himself, dressing himself, getting in and out of the car...) Who knew that it would take a 2.5 year old 5 min to take OFF shoes ;0).
ReplyDeleteSo funny reading this. It brought back lots of memories of all four. Claire has been dressing herself (without ever prompting) since she turned two. Potty training was the same thing for her. Allison STILL wants my help putting on socks and picking out her clothes. She is 6!!!!
ReplyDeletei never even thought about teaching my kids how to get dressed. i guess it was something my kids just started doing somewhat naturally. i say somewhat cuz i can remember showing them how to get shirts on the right way or something. but i don't think any of my kids battled it the way rhett does. funny boy! (funny to me, probably not-so-funny to you, though. seriously sorry. frustrations in the morning are so not fun.)
ReplyDeleteand good luck with potty training. and i agree with the doc - just wait until he's more ready.
p.s. AWESOME shirt! does he love it???
Ha ha, he is a smart kid! Can we not do that today? Wow! Too smart for his own good maybe? ;) jk
ReplyDeleteHey just curious if you tried out that Lindsay Brin movie. I hope you thought it was decent since I suggested it!!
He'll get better at the dressing thing! Molly is potty trained, but I still have to help her EVERY time! It drives me crazy! Especially when my niece is younger and does it all herself!
ditto to all the rest. I don't remember teaching my kids to "get dressed" exactly, but my boy was a little more insistent and for a longer time than the girls that I help him. For me it drove me crazy when he said "I can't get dressed! I need you to do it!" when we both knew he was 4 and perfectly capable and had done underwear pants and tops on his own. But if he was just having a bad day and WANTED my help, I insisted that he say, I want your help mommy. I was much happier helping when it was phrased that way. go figure.
ReplyDeleteAs for potty training, let them see you do it as often as it works out. Take turns sitting, even if he doesn't actually pee. Insist that he just sit down for a bit. Give him Love and Logic choices: Do you want to sit on the potty before you get dressed or after you get dressed? Do you want to put your shirt on first or your pants on first? etc. Sometimes I'll turn the faucet on to trickle a pee sound and see if that helps. Some kids like the potty seat others just go for the big toilet. We did a padded toilet insert ring when the older ones were little, but I'm so done with those nasty hard to keep clean things and for this list time around we'll be getting something like this
good luck. there's so many different approaches. the sticker chart or m&ms or choc chips as reward for sitting and peeing or pooping works for some kids. I was never that consistent, but may have done some bribery or choices at some point. ask if they want privacy or want you to stay with them. Let them know that it's time to start practice sitting on the toilet but letting them have the choice of when: before brushing teeth or after. before snack or after. before getting dressed or after. in 5 minutes or 10 minutes. maybe that would help?!? also switching to thick training underwear where they get wet and connect the sensation of full bladder to wet pants and just gear yourself up for a couple weeks of wet laundry really does speed things along much quicker than a pull-up. Another thing I intended to do with training pants but didn't, was to try putting a flushable diaper liner in some trainers so if/when poop happened I didn't have to dunk soak and scrub the training pants but could just peel away the mess and flush.
I'm with Emily. I'm so impressed that you are teaching him how to dress himself. I've never even thought of doing that. Ellie just kind of transitioned herself. I guess I'm expecting Jack to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI WAY lucked out on the potty training with both Ellie and Jack. That means Christian will be the "problem" child (I'm crossing my fingers not). I am a BIG, BIG, BIG believer in not pushing a child before they are ready. I was dreading potty training Jack. I knew it was going to be a horrible experience. Turns out, he was SO EASY!!!! It took him 3 days and he had it down - nights too and he's still in a crib. The kid has a bladder of steal. I totally understand wanting him potty trained before the new one arrives, but it really isn't worth your agony. My pediatrician said boys typically do it themselves between 3 and 3 1/2 so you still have time. Good luck!
"can we not do that today?" that is my ALL TIME favorite line as of NOW. ;) Hilarious. For me potty training started with major when he was 3 and it took about until 3 and 9 months to have it figured out. it definitely was easier when he decided to jump on board with that!!! and i still dress major half the time cause i'm MUCH MUCH faster, but I KNOW i'm not really doing either of us any favors. ;)
ReplyDeletewe put a baby gate on the doorway when mitt switched beds too, major was a non issue, but he had a brother in there, so i don't know.....there is ALWAYS something isn't there?
GOOD LUCK.