I’ve been thinking through a recent motivation challenge with our three year old. David has been given a number of really cool t-shirts. Sometimes when we’re putting away laundry, he sees a shirt he would rather wear than the shirt he chose for that morning. I’ve never allowed him to change, telling him instead he [...]

Filed under: Potty Training

David has been going potty for all his toileting needs for the last several days, with a few “age-appropriate” lapses. I believe we have reached a tentative milestone. What made the difference? I don’t think it was maturity. I don’t think it was a new desire for the diecast airplanes Grandma bought him for each [...]

Filed under: Potty Training

After our long time spent on the potty, David woke up from his nap and after a few more tears, sat on the potty and tried. Nothing came out, but I was happy because he obeyed. (I never asked him to poop; only to try.) Tthe next morning and told me he wanted to try [...]

Filed under: Potty Training

First the good news: David is peeing regularly without any lapses. He’s been getting more than his share of sweets, but I just reduced the reward to a few skittles, and he’s still doing just fine. Second, the background. I’ve never tried to make David go poop. I’ve made him try once (about six months [...]

Filed under: Potty Training

Lee kindly brought home an article on potty training an older child. The advice wasn’t helpful at all, since pottytraining isn’t a power struggle for David as far as I can tell. And I don’t coddle him when I change his messy underwear. He just doesn’t care. What was encouraging was this statement “A child [...]

Filed under: Potty Training

Here it is: “Help the mommy to see evidence that the child is about to poop.” Today after catching David before an , inspecting a large specimen spin away, and later rejoicing in the two-candy award, I asked David, “It’s a lot more fun to poop in the toilet, isn’t it?” My dear son replies, [...]

Filed under: Potty Training, Prayer