Potty Time Issue

[spud912]

Hi, I just had a quick question for you seasoned folks. I have a dcg who is fully capable of redressing herself after going potty (she takes off everything waist down to go potty). Unfortunately, I have noticed the past couple of weeks she will NOT redress herself without me doing it for her or directing her every move. Instead, she just rolls around on the floor and plays. If I just leave her in the bathroom, she will eventually come out half naked and laughing. I've tried everything (telling her to go quicker, starting activities without her, threatening a time out, and eventually a time out), but nothing makes her do it. She used to do it but now I have to either direct every action or do it myself or it will NEVER get done! I really don't want to give her rewards if she does it faster because she should be doing it already.

I know her parents help her out a lot at home (single child). I can suggest that they push independence at home, but that only goes so far (parents are in a hurry and will redress her after no time). Please give me suggestions before she drives me crazy!!!

[Meeko]

Do you have somewhere safe..but mind numbingly boring to put her until she gets dressed? Just tell her she can't do anything else at all until she's dressed??

If you can't do that, make a point of loudly telling all the other kids that they are going to do something extra fun/get a treat etc. while she's in the bathroom. Don't say a word to her. She may hurry if she thinks she's going to miss something. When she gets out, tell her the first few times that she missed "it". You may get a few temper tantrums, but she''ll soon learn that her bathroom fun is NOT so fun.

[spud912]

If you can't do that, make a point of loudly telling all the other kids that they are going to do something extra fun/get a treat etc. while she's in the bathroom. Don't say a word to her. She may hurry if she thinks she's going to miss something. When she gets out, tell her the first few times that she missed "it". You may get a few temper tantrums, but she''ll soon learn that her bathroom fun is NOT so fun.

I tried that today and she just rolled around on the floor half naked saying that she wanted to participate while laughing. Grrrrr! It made my blood boil! Then I had to get her going because it was nap time. I redressed her (mind you, it had already been 15 minutes), washed her hands, and put her straight in time out. Then I did story time for the other children right in front of her while she cried.

Maybe after this happening several times she will get the point.....or the phase will pass. Hopefully my blood vessels in my forehead won't pop in the meantime!

[nannyde]

how old is she?

[spud912]

how old is she?

2, almost 3. She has been potty trained for at least 8 months now (she potty trained herself early . . . she is very neat and clean). I know she is fully capable of redressing herself as she has done it for ~3 months by herself.

[nannyde]

This isn't a hill I would climb.

At her age the getting front to back right and righting inside out can get overwhelming to them.

If she's had ANY issue at home with it and it's been a battle at all she will just surrender and not do it.

I would either teach her NOT to take her clothes down below her ankles OR I would remove her bottom half before she hops on the potty and then lay them out RIGHTED... have her SIT to get the legs going first on undies then on shorts.. and then have her have at it. She only stands when all four legs are in place.. then she stands to pull both up.

If she refused I would just do it and not attach any energy to it at all.

The thrill is in the chase... not the aprehension.

Once she knows it's not an issue she will take over.

[spud912]

This isn't a hill I would climb.

At her age the getting front to back right and righting inside out can get overwhelming to them.

If she's had ANY issue at home with it and it's been a battle at all she will just surrender and not do it.

I would either teach her NOT to take her clothes down below her ankles OR I would remove her bottom half before she hops on the potty and then lay them out RIGHTED... have her SIT to get the legs going first on undies then on shorts.. and then have her have at it. She only stands when all four legs are in place.. then she stands to pull both up.

If she refused I would just do it and not attach any energy to it at all.

The thrill is in the chase... not the aprehension.

Once she knows it's not an issue she will take over.

I see what you are saying....
It may have become a battle of the wits and she sees that she wins and enjoys seeing me get frustrated.

I do lay the clothes out for her in the right direction. I just wanted to see some effort put forth into putting them back on. At what point do you encourage the children to do it on their own?

Thanks for the reply.

[nannyde]

I see what you are saying....
It may have become a battle of the wits and she sees that she wins and enjoys seeing me get frustrated.

I do lay the clothes out for her in the right direction. I just wanted to see some effort put forth into putting them back on. At what point do you encourage the children to do it on their own?

Thanks for the reply.

I would do it for three or four weeks.

Make sure you tell the others that are older and do their own stuff that you like them doing that IN FRONT OF HER.

Let her HEAR you say it. Not in an excited way... in a "kewl fool" way

Then you do MOST of it and ask her to finish... then do half and ask her to finish... then do just the undies... and ask her to finish. Break it into four steps and take one off her at a time over a couple of weeks.

When she does her part say "I likey and give her a

Little bits of energy... calm energy and do it bit by bit.

She'll get it soon enough

[sharlan]

I have that problem with both of my boys. They just turned 3 and 4. It is so much easier to just do it myself and move on since I only have the 2 littles ones. I know, I know, it doesn't teach independence.

I can tell what the 4 yo had to do. Pee, shorts and unders off. Poop, totally naked.

The 4 yo can dress himself, but it takes forever. I hold his cloths as he steps into them. I'll try laying them out in front of him.