Potty Training and changing up our school day

[MelInKansas]

It seems like every new stage I go through with my 3rd child I have to figure out how to balance it with homeschooling!

So now it's potty training. She is doing well, but still at the stage where I have to be on alert, and be ready to help her whenever she needs to go so she can get seated quickly! And then the subsequent attention, sticker on the chart, to tell her that she's done a good job and I'm proud of her.

This has been putting a bit of a crank in my school day, where usually I try to have at least a couple of uninterrupted blocks to do phonics with my 4.5 YO and reading to my 6.5 and 4.5 YO. Like, I can't confine my 2YO to her room for 30 minutes... she would probably just have an "accident" on the floor or worse yet in her bed!

Any tips from more experienced moms out there? I know this phase will be short-lived, but it's throwing me for a bit of a loop right now.

[inHistiming]

We are potty training now too. I try to have dd go every hour or so, sometimes less if I know she's had a lot to drink. We don't have 'room time' but we do 'blanket time', so I will have her go before we start that. If she has to go during, then we stop the timer, go to the bathroom, then set the timer for the remainder of time so she can complete her activity. It does cause a bit of an interruption to have to go help, but it's necessary and does prevent accidents. I guess if you still want to do room time, you could just set a timer for yourself and go take her to the bathroom when it sounds......if you feel you can trust her not to go until you come get her. I'm not sure I would trust my daughter, but we just started in November. Though she is doing great, it is still very new. That's all I have. This is our first 'easy' potty trainer, and I wasn't homeschooling when I trained the older siblings, so it's new for me, too. I'm sure others will chime in with their wisdom soon!

[MelInKansas]

Thanks for the thoughts. We just started a week ago so I really have NO idea what kind of pattern it will take. She also is still of the opinion that when she doesn't think she can go, she can't go. So I could try to make her go at a certain time (and we definitely try before naptime, before going in the car, etc) but she doesn't always. She's still working on that I guess.

Again, I know it will pass. For now instead of having her upstairs while I am reading I have had her play in the kitchen, I have a box full of beans and she got a car ramp for Christmas she really likes running the cars down the ramp and across the kitchen floor because they go really far.

[farmfamily]

Well I feel for you - I found the potty training stage created plenty of distractions to our school day - I'm glad it's mostly over for us.

One thing that might help though: I found when I was teaching my younger dd phonics (with the Reading Lesson) and potty training my son, I would tell my daughter either to shout out the words as she read them (while I was running around dealing with the potty) - or to read the words quietly and see how many she could remember when I came back. To my surprise I found both of these methods usually moved along our lesson faster than if there had been no interruption. I think she thought shouting the words was rather funny, and viewed remembering the words as something of a challenge - but either way the pressure of my sitting there watching as she painstakingly figured out the words was gone. Even now, if I see she is getting frustrated by her reading lesson - I will often get up and load the dishwasher or something, so she can call the words out to me. I'm not sure if all kids would respond the same way - but I thought I'd pass it along...

I decided to stop the "room time" for my son while he was potty training - that was when he scaled a six-foot tall bookshelf to grab the bag of m&m's I'd put up there as a potty reward and ate them all! ...And because he went on the floor several times. We restarted the room time again about 6 months later.


I wish you the best in your potty training adventure!

[mommadonna]

This is a fun thread! LOL! I guess I can say that because we are about to move, so I haven't gotten too serious about training my little guy yet. As I am sitting here typing this, both of my little ones shouted "I need to go pee!" from the bathtub.

It is always interesting to hear from other moms who have kids about the same age as mine. I would just roll with it and, like you said, remember that this is a stage that will pass somewhat quickly.

The previous poster's suggestions were great! That would relieve some of the pressure and make it a little silly for the older child! Blessings!

[MelInKansas]

farmfamily - I love your suggestions, that's neat that it worked out so well for her to shout them out to you. I wonder if my DD would like that too!

Today I did my reading and stuff during the 2YO's naptime. That also works well, except I usually like having naptime to myself, or I have other things I want or need to get done. But again, I appreciate the suggestions.

[my3sons]

Potty training - those two words can cause a lot of havoc in a homeschooling mama's day! This too shall pass. These 3 things worked best for us in the potty training days...
1. Sit on the potty after every meal, hopefully until you go. Look at books as you sit. Basket of books by potty.
2. Rewards - little fun-sized packet of M & M's for going #2, 5 mini-marshmallows for going #1 (set timer for 10 minutes, and still get three mini-marshmallows for every attempt)
3. Potty training book - read it every night and hype up the potty training like it's fun!

HTH!
In Christ,
Julie

P.S. Chocolate and caffeine for mom - preferably as often as dc try to go on the potty.

[MelInKansas]

P.S. Chocolate and caffeine for mom - preferably as often as dc try to go on the potty.

YES, this is exactly what I need! Well chocolate, I'm off caffeine.

You know, my DD is doing remarkably well. One week in, we're in a routine where she doesn't have to go often, and when she does it's not that hard to get there in time. I am really amazed at how quickly she is picking up on it. I'm sure we will have our bumps along the way, but it seems like she is pretty much trained!

I will probably still keep her closer by at least for the next week or so, but we may restart room time here soon, since again it does seem that she'll be able to come out and tell me if she does need to go potty. And I will try to make sure she goes, or at least tries, before room time starts. We take a short break at that time anyway to get our snacks.

[netpea]

My third child is 2. We started Elimination Communication with her (aka infant potty training) at 7 months. So I am used to the interruptions now. I don't mind the potty interruptions but having to clean up poop and pee all day while homeschooling is challenging, so I try to be very proactive. At least once an hour I take her potty. If I take her every time I go and whenever I just feel like she needs to go, she does really well.