Saturday, June 21, 2008

You Want Me to Potty Where?

My dad joked when the girls were little about how we would need three potties lined up when it came time to potty learn. He was right. Sort of.

We do have three potties. Actually we have seven and a potty seat (I am nothing if not prepared) but only three in the main living area. The logical place to put them was lined up next to the changing room. They were used to going to the room to get changed, it was out of the way but not hidden and it was close to all the supplies I would need for clean-up. So I put a large bath mat down and lined up the potties and introduced the girls to them.

Keep in mind that Batya is the only one actually potty learning right now. The others are simply in the "me too" camp. But Batya wasn't using her potty. She would come to me and tell me "peepee", go to her potty, sit for a moment and then get up. And pee somewhere. At first I asked more often. Stayed nearby and encouraged her. Praised her for sitting on the potty. She would still get up and pee elsewhere. Occasionally she would take the inside out of the potty and put it somewhere else. I figured this was playing with it and discouraged it.

Tonight I learned different. She did her normal routine and I was ready. Hoping for a potty first. She took the insert for her potty to the book nook. I told her it was for going peepee and not a toy and put it back. Then Chaya and Shira got into it with each other and I went to calm them. By the time I came back, Batya had peed in the book nook.

As I cleaned it up I thought about all the other potty moving/peeing on the floor incidents. Moved to under the table, peed next to the dining chair. Moved outside, peed next to barbeque. Moved to sofa, peed on sofa. Anyone else see the connection here?

So now I have two potties lined up and a third in the ex-book nook. I still need to figure out a new reading center. Perhaps it is time to move some toys outside for the summer?