This past week of intense potty training with Sophie has been one of the worst weeks of my life. Which, REALLY, means I need to suck it up and get some real problems. But it has honestly and undeniably been a time when I have felt frustration, anger, and worthlessness like no other.
My feelings over the larger situation have led me to be completely intolerate of the little things: a loudly buzzing fly in the kitchen, people driving like idiots, and ummm, washing a DIAPER in my brand new washing machine with the latest of the innumerable loads of pee-pee laundry.
So this past week what I’ve become is a shrew, a hag, who snaps at her children for everything, curses herself at each clumsy mishap, and seethes with anger 24 hours a day.
This isn’t who or how I want to be.
Why can’t I do this thing? Why can’t I make my very bright three-and-a-half year old use the FREAKING POTTY? What the %#!& is wrong with me?
And why can’t I do it, or not do it, without completely losing my shizzle?
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Photo by markybon on flickr
I hope you come out of this in one piece! I totally understand your frustration of letting everything get muddled together in your life and ending up completely angry at the drop of a hat, or fly in the kitchen. I will pray for Grace and mercy to be showered on you and the kids during this annoying time of potty training! LOve you!
We were lucky and our middle son potty trained when he was just over two. HOWEVER, now that we have a new baby in the house (and he’s three) we’re in accident hell again. I feel your laundry pain!!
Aunt Judy Aunt Judy Aunt Judy Aunt Judy Aunt Judy Aunt Judy Aunt Judy Aunt Judy Aunt Judy.
Really, the therapy isn’t all that expensive! You have insurance, right?
UP
Having no children, nor raised anyone else’s, I have no idea what you’re going through with the potty training. But I do understand being annoyed at little things! This may sound stupid, but make sure you’re breathing. I find when I get all worked up over little stuff, I forget to breath. Just take like 2 minutes and breath deeply, all the way in and all the way out. Breathing really is amazing. One question though about the potty training: if she’s having such a hard time, does that mean she’s just not ready yet? Please keep in mind, I have no idea of the ages one should be potty-trained. 🙂
Why can’t I make my very bright three-and-a-half year old use the FREAKING POTTY?
Read that sentence again, and you’ll understand why you’re losing it. We can control a lot of things in life, but we can’t *make* another human being eat, sleep or poop. You — like me when I went through it — are viewing this as something you need to do. It’s not — it’s something your kid needs to do. It’s sooo hard to look at it that way, but it will give you relief from the frustration if you can.
Jenny, don’t be hard on yourself. You know Sophie will do it when it’s time for her. Look at it this way, if she isn’t potty trained by the time she’s in high school that will definitely help with the boys chasing her. Well, unless it’s Andon chasing her. Of cousre, he won’t be potty trained either so they will probably end up marrying each other 🙂
There is always a light somewhere girl. You just gotta find it in that pile of poop 🙂
I’m like Kim. No kids, no opinion. But I’m just letting you know that if something is frustrating me, I have trouble being patient and loving and…normal….in anything else. You’re fine. I know you have an end-date in mind, so time is of the essence. But she’ll get it. She will. Your consistency will pay off–just keep at it!
My thought is that you can’t *make* her do it. She has to decide she is ready and on board with it. All you can do is try to find something that will motivate her to want to do it. I started w/Sabrina when she wasn’t ready and after 3 days said forget it. We tried again 4 months later and she was potty trained in 2 days. I think you’ve mentioned you are up against a time restraint so no suggestions…hope she gets on board!
I’m throwing your parents under the bus – wouldn’t they LOVE to have SO visit for a week? 😉 It could be like THE desitination for potty training vacay’s – The Potty-training Lodge on XXXXX Mountain.
Hugs. Love you. You will get through this. At some point So will potty in the potty on her own and the battle scars will fade. Love you! You are a good mom, wife and friend. This is just a trying time.
The house in Virginia apparently has conception magic, maybe it has potty-training magic too!
Don’t be so hard on yoursself, potty training when pregnant is difficult to say the least! Kids sure do bring on extremes in emotions sometimes… You’ll get it done, and sanity will return 🙂
When you least expect it, she’ll do it. I know it’s easy for me to tell you not to stress out with it, but it’s not like she’ll graduate from high school with diapers on! At least, that’s what I keep telling myself…and that’s with both potty training and the binky! *Sigh*
Paige likes to sit on the potty and tell you she’s going pee, when she’s really playing with toilet paper. Today I asked her if she went potty and she replied with “Nope! I was just wiping my butt!”.
Again…*Sigh*
You are not alone my friend….you are not alone!
I think you should let it go! Make sure she knows that you are letting it go. Insist that she wears diapers. That might change her mind!
I have three girls. If I want my middle one to do anything, I have to act like I don’t want her to do it. Sad, I know. By letting the whole thing go you might find that she wants to do it and trains before school starts in the fall!
I had to let things go with my first one. It was a power struggle and she was getting constipated. My pediatrician said to try again in two months. She was ready and it worked like a charm!
Good luck!!!
I completely understand where you are coming from! My son will be 4 in December and I have been working on potty training him for over a year! It is very annoying and frustrating! I wish you the best of luck!!