Friday, June 29, 2007

Potty Training Journal

I have potty trained at least a dozen children, two as a mom, and many others when I operated a home-based daycare/ preschool. I can potty train kids who barely speak English, as I potty trained the children of Chinese scientists in my care. I can potty train active boys. So, why is my five year old Christina not trained?
One of the cardinal rules of potty training in the books I've read is readiness, shown by the child's ability to communicate. I've been waiting for this sign in vain with Christy, knowing full well she has been physically ready for two years. She is developmentally in her toddler 'no' stage, however, and I was waiting for this to pass. It isn't passing, and I'm tired of the questions from well-meaning family and friends. I read on blogs about other children with Down syndrome who were trained well before this, and so, I took the plunge.
How are we doing after two weeks? OK. If you consider that IF we remember to take Christy to the potty (the girls are in on this too) she usually goes number one. She has yet to tell us 'it's time to go' in any manner or form, and so we are the ones who are trained. This is exactly what I feared. But it IS summertime, and the best time to try this. I am not optimistic, but we will keep trying. And washing clothing!

1 comment:

Michelle said...

Our son, Matthew, wasn't potty trained until he was 5. He has sensory issues and although he had shown signs of being ready, he just wasn't. I'll be praying for you and your dd but also for your family and friends.