I AM DONE WITH POTTY TRAINING!
Done!
I don’t care who you talk to but when it comes down to it, diapers are just easier.
Sure they cost a lot when you are buying them to cover 3 little butts and sure, they produce a heck of a lot of pollutions but when you put a diaper on a child you are done.
You don’t have to make 1200 trips to the potty in every single store you go into. You don’t have to scrape poop crusted in underwear because a certain child didn’t say anything. And you certainly don’t have to deal with large pee puddles in the middle of a check out lane in the grocery store.
Diapers are awesome and my children will be in them until college!
Let me back up and tell you what happened that caused me to decide to forever keep my children in diapers.
First you need to understand that potty training is a job that I just loath. I can’t stand it and as a parent I dread it. So that is why I wait as long as possible to train my children.
To me, training a child at two or even younger is just silly. Sure they are two year olds that can pee when placed on a potty but I believe that they are too young to understand how the whole process works. I want my children to be able to tell me that they have to potty and not me having to tell them its time to potty.
I am potty trained and have been for 30 some years, thank you very much.
So that is why about 3 weeks ago, after weeks of watching Quinn and Claire tune into their bodies and begin to tell me when they pooped and peed in their diapers, did I decide to was time to make the switch to underwear and using the potty.
I first focused efforts on Claire and after a week of her doing really well, I started Quinn. Both kids seems to be doing great and I even made a tweet claiming that I had two out of the three potty trained.
(Jake is a whole other story. He is totally not ready and if given the opportunity would sit in a dirty diaper for days. He just doesn’t get it. I think Christmas is when we’ll start him.)
Things were going really well. And I even patted myself on the back for figuring out a way to successfully potty train triplets. But then something happened.
Claire and Quinn started to refuse to sit on the potty. They cried and fussed every time. And I had to ask them, they just stopped telling me. They both began just peeing in their underwear and Quinn has taken to pooping in his. They ask, no beg, to be put back in diapers.
And then there was this fiasco.
I had to make a quick trip to the store. As usual, after a fight, I had Quinn and Claire go potty before we left. I figured this would give me at least an hour to shop and get things done.
For the most part, the trip went smoothly but as we were in line at to check out, I noticed Quinn begin to play with himself, a sure sign he needed to pee. Hayden then told me that he had to pee and that he could take Quinn to the bathroom with him.
I wasn’t sure about the idea at first but I felt I had no choice. I had most of my cart unloaded on the belt and the line behind me was long and Quinn started his potty dance so I let them go.
I watched them walk off to the bathroom and said a little prayer that God would keep them safe from child molesters.
“Make sure to use the woman’s bathroom. THE WOMAN’S ROOM!” I yelled after Hayden. I then looked up at the cashier hoping for some support, hoping it would be a mom who would understand this struggle but all the young guy gave me was an eye roll and then another one.
Quickly, I emptied the rest of the cart onto the belt all the time watching for Hayden and Quinn to return and soon my gaze fell upon Hayden leaving the bathroom, alone.
I knew something was wrong so I told the cashier that I had to take my kids to the bathroom and ran with Jake and Claire in tow. I met Hayden on his walk back and asked, “Where is Quinn?”
Hayden, God love him, gave me a blank stare so I pushed past him to the bathroom only to find Quinn screaming at the top of his lungs, pants around his ankles, soaked and standing in a puddle.
I did the only thing I could do. I scooped him up and ran back to the cart hoping that by now, all the groceries where in bags and I could just pay and go. As we got closer to the cart, I realize that Claire in not beside me.
I looked up and saw her standing a few feet away from me in a puddle of her own.
“Mom, I peed,” she said once I was in ear shot.
I wanted to just run and hide. I wanted to wake up from this horrible dream but I couldn’t. This was real, this was my life.
So with Quinn still soaked and screaming, I deposited him in the cart, got back to Claire, deposited her in the cart, threw the grocery bags in the cart, paid, told the cashier that he needed to call someone to clean up a pee puddle in the Ladies room and another one by the pony and left.
I smiled as sweetly as I could as we walked by the cashier but all I got was yet another eye roll.
So yeah, I. Am. Done.
Diapers in college, here they come.
I am sharing this with you as my Mortifying Mommy Moment and linking up with Mommy Mombo.
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{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m SO WITH YOU, sista. I will be in the group with you. I’ll co-chair. I’ll bring the chips and salsa to the meetings. I’ll get Tshirts made.
I’ve had enough of it, too. (She can ANNOUNCE to me and EVERYONE that she’s POOPING, but she can’t do it in the potty?!?)
D.O.N.E.
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Jen Reply:
August 30th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Ooo, I LOVE the idea of tee shirts.
Yes, yes. Let’s wear them proud. We are NOT potty training our children!
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Jackie (WritRams) Reply:
August 30th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
We definitely need to come up with a good name…and slogan.
MAPAP?
(Moms Against Poop and Pee)
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Baby Girl was so bad. She just didn’t want to do it. She knew, but she was so stubborn. She wasn’t trained until after she was four and she still isn’t night trained at almost six. I don’t care. I just buy her those big kid pullups. I just don’t think her bladder is ready for her or something. I know one day she will be trained and it will be fine. Bud at just over two is doing better than her. If he pees on himself at night he wakes up crying and he hardly ever has an accident at daycare. We aren’t as vigilant at home, but he still does pretty good. And I wouldn’t even say that we are “potty training”. He just wants to go. And I completely don’t get that.
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My first was a nightmare to potty train, but she did have a lot of other things going on in her life at the same time.
We did pull-ups for all trips outside the house for a LONG time. Just in case.
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Jen Reply:
August 30th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
See for me, it was just the opposite. Hayden was a piece of cake to train. He practically did it himself. I guess that is why I am not used to all this struggle and drama.
And awesome idea about Pull-Ups for outings. I like it.
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I can’t get ONE child to use the potty, I can’t imagine 3 at the same time! My son tells me when he uses the bathroom in his diaper, but refuses to use the potty. I’m with ya, let ‘em just wear diapers until they decide to train themselves!!
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I hate potty training with a passion. My oldest took a full year of blood and sweat and withholding her bowels for days at a time, but after a year she got it done in one week flat. No accidents, no night time issues. Period. Ever. Baby #2 it was a year and a half of the same bloody sweaty battle with no withholding just going and not caring. Baby #3 it was more like 9 months. He still has night issues as does the little middle and do I care anymore? Am I buying pull ups and good nights? You bet your sweet hiney I am! It’s not worth it to do laundry every. stinking. day! I know you must. But you know what I mean. You are not a lone in this. And gees, you have it triple worse!
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I tried a lot of things with Elizabeth. Pull Ups. (Peed on) Character underwear. (Peed on) Plastic pants to go over the underwear. (Peed on) Spending hours out on the porch in a dress with no underwear so she could FEEL pee running down her legs. (Porch peed on)
Then I tried bribes. Only get cookies if you sit on the potty chair! (Good until the snacks ran out) No swimming in the pool unless you use the toilet! (Good until the first rainy day)
The only thing that finally worked is when she overheard me talking to a preschool teacher. They took kids at 2 1/2, but they had to be potty trained. Elizabeth heard me say that she wasn’t potty trained yet–and I had to explain to her that she couldn’t go. THAT DID IT!
She started using the toilet that afternoon! She had some accidents, but after a couple weeks I didn’t have to worry about pull ups anymore! Not even at night! (Wow! I remember peeing the bed when I was in kindergarten.)
Maybe the key is motivation? (Don’t smack me! I know I’m talking out my ass with typical Mom-of-one-child-know-it-all-wisdom.)
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When I was PG with the baby, I thought I’d try to potty train the twins before he was born (at about 18-20 months). What in the WORLD was I thinking? I look at Adam now who is the age they were then and think NO WAY in HELL would i even attempt to potty train him at this age. ha!! I must’ve been delirious.
We revisited it the next summer and both were trained by about 2.5 or so….Jacob def. took longer than Sarah. Not sure when I’ll begin with Adam yet…not for a while, for sure!!
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I am so so sorry. Well I guess it made something really ummm… Exciting? To blog about. Good luck and being potty trained is overrated.
.
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Aidan wasn’t too bad to train but I did NOT have the GUTS to go out with just underwear for a LONG TIME! We also used the pull-ups for outings. They make ones that turn cool when they get wet so the child can feel if they go…it’s uncomfortable. But enormously comfortable for me since I don’t have to clean up a puddle in public! It was either that or never leave the house until the kids are 15. Fun either way! LOL!!
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Am I allowed to laugh? WITH you! Really! Because otherwise, I’d be crying. I have one left to train – the first two were actually relatively easy so I’m sure the third one will also have to have his wife potty train him.
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Oh sweetie!! I can honestly say I haven’t been there. Though, Maggie did puke in the grocery store with Rocky once. In the back by the chips.
Maggie was a couple of months past 3 when she was finally pee trained, and probably about 4.5 when she FINALLY stopped pooping in her panties. When we asked her about it once, she said “But I have LOTS of panties!”
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I guess I am in the minority as I wanted mine potty trained ASAP. Wyatt was my first shot at it and it went well so with Abby I started a little earlier since I figured I knew what I was doing. I am glad I did start earlier with her because she became a super brat at 2ish and I am pretty sure she would have been a nightmare to train. No bragging at all but Wyatt was done at 24mths and Abby at 20 1/2mths and by done I mean underware 24/7 and no me standing over them all the time they just went when they needed to. Now the little girl I babysit is 20mths old but I haven’t even started with her because she is NOT ready at all & neither are her parents
My trick M&M’s!
oh and I feel ya on the peeing in public. while training Abby I decided one day to be brave and venture out with panties for the first time-well it backfired and she peed on the floor of Old Navy! I tried to find the oldest woman in the store I told her, then promptly left!
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Oh man…. *head in hands* I don’t blame you one bit for going back after that episode.
So glad my second was easier to train. We’ll see how it goes with K in a year or two… I LOATHE potty training.
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okay, yes, #1 just keep them in pull-ups when you go out of the house. Who’s going to care? Notice? Say anything? IT IS JUST BETTER. I learned that the hard way too and wondered why didn’t anyone tell me this?
Don’t worry, they’ll get it eventually. when THEY are ready. Kids get ready at all diff ages. I knew Sally was ready when she’d poop, then take off her diaper and wipe her butt with a baby wipe. She was 2y 3 mos. But she was my earliest. Sally, i struggled with her past 3y.
Give yourself a break. You have triplets. Don’t feel like it’s a race and don’t compare yourself. Maybe you don’t anyway, but I just wanted to make sure.
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You have my 100% support. Somehow, I have 2 kids trained, but no idea how to TRAIN them … all my efforts ended up in disasters, and somehow, they got it … long after I was ready for them to get it, I must add.
If your guys are in diapers in college, you won’t get any criticism from me. I think you’re awesome no matter what!
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Oh I would surely faint if I had to go through that. In all honesty, it took a long time before I had the courage to take my daughter outside my home without any diapers on. But after she was toilet trained, she had one accident I could never forget. She peed in her leggings when we were in the store, and I had no choice but to buy her a new set of clothes. Sigh! It’s hard and I can totally understand how you’d like them to wear diapers till college. Lol
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YOU GO GIRL!! Sometimes you just have to keep it real and do what is necessary. Diapers until college sounds like a good idea!! My girl was a complete nightmare to train, she fought me the whole way. Some people would probably say “she just wasn’t ready”, but actually she was just hard headed and in gridlock with me. FUN TIMES! Can’t imagine doing that with THREE at the same time….alcohol….lots and lots of booze (during their naptime of course)! HAHAHAHA
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this is a story like no other! i’d be mortified. i may have started to cry if that was me. oh, jen – i don’t blame you!!!
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Oh man, I’ve totally had that happen in Target with my kids. it SUCKED.
Luckily my daughter decided before she was two that she was done with diapers and pretty much just started going on the potty immediately. Of course she was my first and I thought “This is GREAT! I dont have to do ANYTHING!” Then my son came along and my whole outlook on potty training changed. I too considered using diapers till college!
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Although, all 3 of mine were fully potty trained by age 3, it doesn’t change the hassle of public outings! UGH! I swear we just started heading straight to the bathroom at any establishment we went into. I have left the register mid-transaction more times than I can count! Shortly after potty training each of them, I secretly wanted to put diapers on them for outing purposes…it would have made things SO much easier!
I think all kids are different, but most are physically ready around the age of 2. I set up rewards while they were learning, and then firm expectations, once I knew they were capable. My girls were easier, but my son quickly cooperated once there were consequences. Little stinkers will get away with whatever we allow them to! Oh, the joys of parenting! 
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Ok…now I am really not looking forward to potty training. Granted monkey is only 9mos but I am getting all the tips I can. So far…this one seems best.
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This was pretty awesome. I’m sorry you had to deal with the puddles, but the telling of the story was pretty great. You’ve convinced me: diapers until college are definitely the way to go!
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I am so in touch with that emotion! Both my girls weren’t trained until they were 4. Had they not done it, they would still be in diapers!
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Oh My God … what a nightmare. I feel your pain … yet I still laugh at this post. A total case of “Thank God this is not my life.”
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Potty training one sucked the big one. Now I am already dreading potty training two – at the same time. Ugh! So now I have reason #789 why I won’t be taking the twins to the grocery store with me when we start potty training them. It’s just too much work and not worth it!
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I’m with you….Diapers all the way! My 2 yr old son makes it a point to NOT tell you when he has to poop. Even after he does he will tell you NO if you ask him.
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Aww, Mom! I’m going to give you a gold star – scratch that – a gold star and some premium chocolate as a reward for taking 4 kids to a store alone.
(What are you, crazy? I’m just kidding. And also a chicken, because I dread taking my two to a store alone!)
It’s wrong to laugh, I know, but you wrote it SO well! I can totally see it happening. And panic right along with you. What was that young guy cashier thinking, rolling his eyes? You should have whapped him with your purse!
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I’m scared of having to potty train one! You are the champion!
Diapers until college!
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Oh yeah, diapers are awesome. LIke the bottle and the pacifier, I chose to hang on to them as long as possible. Sane mothers are much more productive, I feel.
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We’ve been struggling with potty training here, too. It flat out sucks. I can’t imagine trying to do three at once. Ugh.
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At first I was a little leary about your choice, but now I see your point totally. hehe Ah, the joys of motherhood.
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You need a big hug! Potty training does stink, and diapers are easier. I don’t blame you for giving potty training a rest for a while.
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My oldest was just shy of 3.5 when I potty trained him- b/c I had no tolerance for all the messes. So, I quit trying and waited til he was that old. Middle was the same way, though he was 3 and 3 months(b/c he needed to go to preschool). Baby is 2 and sometimes he seems like he’s ready…and then there are the disgusting messes and I want to puke and quit.
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And I think if you didn’t down an entire bottle of wine after that visit to the store, you deserve a medal.
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I would have cried; broke down crying right there in the store. Then I would have inappropriately yelled at anyone that I came in contact with. I don’t handle that kind of frustration and embarrassment well.
But how frustrating is this…my daughter (two and a half) has been working on potty training now for quite a while. She gets it, knows when she has to go and can go on her own. HOWEVER when she is mad at me, lazy or just feels like it she will take her shorts and underwear off and proceed to pee on the floor of the bathroom. Seriously kid? Clearly not as bad as your story but when it happens several times a day it pushes me close to the point of diapers till college!
Good luck!
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Good Lord Woman. Training 3 kids at once (or at least within a year of each other)? You have every right to stop. My mom’s advice to me was “you can’t force kids to use the potty. Eventually they start to get sick of sitting in sh*t. It’s easier if you wait until then”. I like my mom. She’s practical.
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I’ve been thinking of potty training my toddler but sort of scared of it too. Reading your post just sealed the deal. Sign me up, I’m gonna be a member of your team.
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We are in the throes of it now.. My kids are actually doing pretty well, but I totally agree that diapers are 1,000 times easier than this. We missed a hayride yesterday at the farm I took my kids to because I was stuck in the bathroom trying to get them all to go and then get them all cleaned up. I kinda wish I had waited longer, but the “So, are they potty-trained?” questions were starting to give me a complex.
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I know you’re doing three at once, so yeah, it’s going to be wayyyy harder. However, my little theory is this: They won’t be in diapers till they go to college (see how we have that college thing in common!) I just kept my kids (and I have four) in diapers until they could quite literally remove their diapers, walk to the toilet, get on the toilet, do their thing, then put the diaper back on. I know, I’m lazy that way, but who has the time to clean up urine, let alone X3!
You are Super Mom and don’t ever forget it!
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Oh my gosh! I don’t blame you one bit. I hope you had a good stiff drink when you got home because now I need one….and it’s only 9:30am.
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seems practical.
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I’m so with you on this one! When I hear “I’m not peeing on the potty today!” that’s just all fine and dandy with me. Those diapers are just wonderful at this point!
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Thanks so much for entering the proper way! I enjoyed your post and thanked God above that it wasn’t me. LOL Please see the link below!
http://www.themommymambo.com/mortifying-mommy-moments-giveaway
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