The Potty Whisperer

Ever since teeny tiny Lillian and her teeny tiny poops came home from the hospital I have been having a hard time changing big girl Ayva's big stinky diapers. So last week I decided that once her diapers ran out I was just going to start potty training. So we got started Sunday night We got Ayva all pumped up to "become a big girl". She had success peeing in the potty before bed and was thrilled to put a sticker on her potty chart and enjoy her jelly bean reward. Monday morning started off great. She woke up dry and again had success peeing in the potty. She put another sticker on the chart and quickly ate another jelly bean. While she was having breakfast I was nursing Lilly and watching The Today Show. They just happened to have a segment on potty training. It was about a woman in Illinois who calls herself the Potty Whisperer. She runs a potty training camp and claims that she can potty train most children in one day. (special needs kids being the exception) I listened with eager ears to learn more about her technique. She says that the most important thing when potty training a child is to never ask them if they need to go potty. She says to explain to them that if they need to go then they should walk over to the potty, pull down their pants and go potty in the toilet. That way they will learn that they are the ones in control over their bodies not you. Then she spends the next five hours letting them eat salty treats and drink sugary drinks. The salt makes them want to drink more and the sugary drink never quenches their thrist so they keep drinking. If they have an accident she makes them clean it up. She has the parents present to act as cheerleaders when a child has success on the potty. She says that once a child has that success and realizes they have control over their body it will increase their confidence and they will continue the behavior. Sounds good, I'll try it. So I brought Ayva's potty down to the living room and put it on the hardwood floor. I then changed her out of her pull-up and into underwear and then briefly explained to her that if she needed to go potty then she needed to walk over to her toilet, pull down her underwear and go in the potty. I then proceeded to fill her full of lemonade and goldfish. A few minutes passed and I started to think that after having so much lemonade she should be starting to feel the urge to go but following the "potty whisperers" advice I didn't want to ask her. So I sat near her anxiously awaiting the miracle of her just walking up to the potty and taking control of her own body. Well it never happened. She peed on the carpet twice that afternoon. Once was in the living room just 4 feet from her potty. Ugh. I had her clean up the messes but I don't think that bothered her at all. Now I can't get her to sit on the stupid toilet at all. So after one day of trying I am completely frustrated and ready to quit. Maybe I'll try again in a few months or maybe I will take Ayva to Chicago for a weekend and have the potty whisperer do it.