Potty Training Failure {Potty Training at The First Years}

Image by Wu's Photo Land

Hi, my name is Erin. I'm a humbled homemaker...and I've failed at potty training my child.

No, really--I have...or least that's how I've felt over the past few years.

You see, my 4-year-old little girl still has frequent pee pee accidents. 

For us, potty training has been a...battle. First of all, I think we started too early. Oh, she showed some signs of readiness, but we started right around the time she turned two--because "everyone else was doing it." 

(Didn't my mama tell me not to jump off a bridge just because all my friends were as well?)

Image by Michael Bentle

At the time, I was in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy with my second daughter. We made some progress during those short months before her birth. 

But once she came...Little Girl regressed--big time. In fact, it was as if we had never started. 

Oh, we tried to keep at it. My husband and I tried it all (or so we thought): stickers, chocolate, the 3-Day Method (although I don't think I was as consistent or vigilant with it as this method requires), begging, bribing....You name it!

Image by abbybatchelder

And nothing seemed to work. You see, Little Girl is a fireball. Her will is iron-clad. (I'm praying that God will mold that will into His will for her life...and her fiery personality will burn bright for the Lord one day!)

Basically, she knew this was one area that she has absolute control over. And there wasn't anything Mommy and Daddy could do to make her go. 

To top things off, Little Girl is highly sensitive to gluten, eggs and dairy. These foods wreak havoc on her digestive system. Now, I thought something was wrong...but her former pediatrician assured me that undigested food and chronic diarrhea can be "normal." 

The constant accidents on the floor were grueling. My husband and I said we should buy stock in carpet cleaner. 

Image by abbybatchelder

But when we discovered her food issues (with a new pediatrician) soon after she turned 3, the poop accidents stopped. 

But Little Girl turned 4 two weeks ago...and she still has frequent urine accidents. We have an appointment with an urologist in a few weeks--just to rule out any obstructions in her system that may be affecting this. 

So if I've had such a hard time potty training my daughter, why in the world did I host this series? Well, you may have noticed that nearly all of the series was guest posts. 

Image by din!

I named my blog The Humbled Homemaker because I've been truly humbleD in so many ways. 

Potty training is no exception. 

And I wanted to learn. I wanted us to learn together--as a community. Because I'm not an expert. I'm not perfect. And so many times--whether intentionally or not--I think we bloggers come across as know-it-alls. 

Image by AD-Passion

I'm here to tell you: I'm about as imperfect as it gets. Really. 

And I've felt alone in this potty training journey. Could it be that I'm the only mother who's had such a difficult time? Could there be others like me? Other children like mine--who refuse or just don't "get" it until much later than the rest?

Yes! I'm here to tell you, yes! If you've had trouble potty training your children, you're not alone. 

Image by  SashaW

It's time we mothers put aside all pretensions and pride and tell it like it is: Motherhood is humbling, but it's through things like potty training that God sanctifies us and makes us realize that even in the "dirty" work, we must daily rely on Him alone. 

Have you ever felt like a failure as a mother? Are there any other potty training "failures" out there?

Come back next Friday for a review and giveaway of  a Grovia cloth trainer from Sew Crafty Baby!

Don't miss a post in this series!

• Infant Potty Training 

• Potty Training Readiness Signs
• Tossing Aside the Pull-Ups and Pulling Out the Undies
• Potty Training a Strong-Willed Child 
• The 3-Day Method, Part 1 
• The 3-Day Method, Part 2  
• Potty Training a Child with Food Sensitivities 
• Potty Training Regression 
• Grace While Potty Training 

Got a bedwetter on your hands? One of my amazing sponsors, Trilight Health, has a bedwetting formula!

I'm linking up with: The Better Mom, The Prairie Homestead, Far Above Rubies, Growing Home, Deep Roots at Home, Time-Warp Wife, Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well

 

Works for Me Wednesday 

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Grace While Potty Training {Potty Training at The First Years}

Image by  Michael Bentley

Guest Post by Alina Joy of Good Old Days Farm

A few weeks ago, I told you about what a great experience I had using Infant Potty Training to toilet train my first child.  When I discovered that I was pregnant with my second child, I was pretty sure that I had this whole toilet training thing down pat.  

I would go out in public and see 2, 3 and 4 year olds still wearing diapers and pull-ups. Knowingly, I would look down at my fully toilet trained 18 month old and smile, thinking to myself, "if only they had put their child over the toilet as a baby the way I did--they wouldn't still be changing a toddler's diapers now."  

Oh yes, I had it all figured out. I just knew that Infant Potty Training is the way to go and I would never potty train any other way...

And then our second baby arrived.

Image by Wu's Photo Land

I began Infant Potty Training with him the day after he was born by holding him over a small bowl when it was time to go potty. I wanted to be diligent about it, but the fact was that I had a two year old who needed my attention almost as much as the new baby. 

I couldn't be in two places at the same time and often I would miss the baby's physical cues that he needed to go potty. As he grew older, this baby also developed health issues. This put me under a lot of emotional strain and I was more focused on keeping him healthy than on catching his potty.  

The day he turned 18 months old (which was the age I had finished potty training his sister) he was nowhere near being potty trained! I realized I would need a new method to potty train this little guy!  

Image by Manish Bansal

And so I did something I thought "good parents" never do...I bribed him. I told him, "If you go potty in the toilet, Mama will give you a carob chip!" (Carob chips are similar to chocolate chips, but are healthier. You could substitute any other little treat your child likes.)  Our son responded really well to this method!  

Sometimes we wouldn't even see him go into the bathroom, but we would see him come out with his pants still half-way down, run through the living room to the kitchen and stand in front of the fridge, expectantly holding his hand out, waiting for someone to notice him and give him his little treat!  

It wasn't too long until the treats became fewer and farther in between and eventually stopped completely.

I feel compelled to tell you that we also have a third child. By the time he was born I had three children ages 4 and under. When I was pregnant, I somehow got the idea that infant potty training this baby would be a breeze, since my older children were no longer infants and were becoming more and more independent.  

Image by abbybatchelder

Again, I set the expectation on myself that this child should be fully potty trained by 18 months old.  This child is 3 years old now and he is fully potty trained, although he was not potty trained by 18 months! In fact, of all my babies, he was the most resistant to using the potty.  

For a long time I thought he simply didn't understand what he was supposed to do on his potty chair. A friend was giving away their potty, so we made a big deal about bringing it home as a special gift for him. He sat down on it and said, "psssssssss!"  Ah ha!  so he did know what he was supposed to do!  

Finally, his older sister potty trained him by lining up some toy potties up in the bathroom, setting the dolls on the potties, putting her brother on his potty and telling them, "Now you all go potty!"  Potty Parties!

Image by oksidor

Moms and Dads, parenting is a season of life that requires grace.  We need grace from God, grace from others and, most of all, grace from ourselves! 

Children develop at different rates and what worked with one child may not work with another.  

Circumstances and seasons of life change. What you were able to manage with one child may not be reasonable with another simply because of a change in circumstance.  

Please don't compare yourself and your child with friends, relatives and what you read in magazines and online.  

As my story demonstrates, even the moms who might seem to have it all together with one child, may not be quite so pulled together with the next!  Yet somehow we all manage to have our children potty-trained before they start school!

Do you have a potty-training story to share that worked really well for you?

Alina Joy Dubois writes the Good Old Days Farm Blog which is the story of what happens when a software engineer (her husband!) comes home one night and out of the blue says, “I wanna be a farmer!” then actually quits his career and takes up farming! You can follow her family’s adventures in homesteading, vegan & gluten-free cooking and nature study at www.GoodOldDaysFarm.com.

Don't miss a post in this series!

• Infant Potty Training 

• Potty Training Readiness Signs
• Tossing Aside the Pull-Ups and Pulling Out the Undies
• Potty Training a Strong-Willed Child 
• The 3-Day Method, Part 1 
• The 3-Day Method, Part 2  
• Potty Training a Child with Food Sensitivities 
• Potty Training Regression

Come back tomorrow for "Potty Training Failure" and visit here next Friday for an exciting review and giveaway of a cloth diaper trainer from Sew Crafty Baby!

I'm linking up with: The Better Mom, The Prairie Homestead, Far Above Rubies, Growing Home, Deep Roots at Home, Time-Warp Wife, Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well

 

Works for Me Wednesday 

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Get Energy...Without Coffee! {Trilight Health NRG Review and Giveaway!}

 

For almost 5 years now, I've been either pregnant or breastfeeding back-to-back. And while this season brings with it so much joy, there's one area in which I've truly suffered--energy (or lack there of). 

I never drank coffee until my oldest was 6 months old. Even then, I didn't even drink every day...but I was desperate for something to get me going in the morning--and out of the classic mid-afternoon slump. 

Image by porah

I stopped cold turkey when I became pregnant with my second. But with this third pregnancy...and trying to keep up with my two small girls....Let's just say I've succumbed to one cup of joe per day. 

But the guilt...oh, the guilt of drinking coffee...while pregnant!

Enter: Trilight Health's NRG--a doctor-formulated liquid herbal energy formula that's safe and effective for pregnant, nursing, or just plain tired moms--or anyone who struggles with lack of energy or that classic mid-afternoon slump!

Now, does it really work? For me, I'd say yes. And this is how I know: I've been taking NRG in the afternoon for about 2 months now. On the days I am vigilant about taking it, I feel like I can sail right through the afternoon. 

On the days I don't? I've fallen into a deep sleep during my daughters' naptime. 

No, really. It will often occur to me after the fact that I did not take my NRG on those days. 

My favorite way to take this supplement is with a smoothie. Others take it straight, but I'm a smoothie addict. ;)

Would you like to try some NRG yourself? Trilight Health is generously giving away one bottle of NRG to a Humbled Homemaker reader!

*Disclaimer: Please consult your trusted healthcare provider before taking any products.

*Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by Trilight Health.

I'm linking up with: The Better Mom, The Prairie Homestead, Far Above Rubies, Growing Home, Deep Roots at Home, Time-Warp Wife, Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well

 

Works for Me Wednesday 

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Sweet Kale Salad

I'm so excited to have contributing writer, Elsie, of Back to the Source, posting today! Elsie is not only an excellent writer--but she's also a fabulous cook! Be sure to stop by her blog--Back to the Source!

By Elsie, Contributing Writer

I'm not especially familiar with kale, but God has blessed us with a lot of it this year through our new CSA and through my aunt and uncle's garden.  

I appreciate its ruffled leaves and its heartiness (seems to last longer in the fridge than other greens), but my tongue finds it bitter. My husband and I have discovered that kale is best eaten in combination with other flavors that can compliment its boldness but take the edge off the bitter.  

Coating kale with olive oil and sea salt to make kale chips is a great way to do this, and so is adding chunks of vegetables and fruits into a hefty salad. 

Here's one of our favorite combinations so far.

Sweet Kale Salad
(Serves 4)

• 1 c. chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb 
• 1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3 T. rapadura 
• ¼ c. water
• sherry (optional)
• ½ c. chopped walnuts
• enough kale for four people

1. In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb, blueberries, and rapadura.  Simmer for a few minutes, then add the water and a few splashes of sherry.  Continue to simmer until the berries begin to release their juices. 

2. Remove the berry syrup from heat and allow to cool.  Prep the kale by washing and tearing into small pieces. 

3. Pour the syrup over the kale and toss to coat.  Sprinkle the walnuts on top.  Cover the salad and let it chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

What is your favorite way to eat kale?

I'm linking up to:  Works for Me Wednesday, Make Your Own Monday, Tuesdays at the Table,Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Full Plate Thursday, Frugal Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food,Frugally Sustainable

Elsie loves to express herself through words and through culinary creations. The food she makes is a reflection of her experiences--whether the homemade comfort food of a happy childhood, the flair of Latin American cuisine borrowed from her family's time on the mission field, or the rich and hearty fare of restaurants and pubs she visited during her ramblings in Switzerland and Oxford. Elsie and her new husband Eric live in Michigan.The couple enjoys pursuing a simple, natural life.

Someday Elsie hopes to write books that reflect her experiences, but in the meantime she's discovered that her blog, Back to the Source, is the perfect venue for combining her love of words and of food. 

See the pic above? Those are some of the best sellers from one of my amazing sponsors--Trilight Health!! Come back tomorrow for another Trilight review...and giveaway!






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Announcing: Your Grocery Budget Toolbox!

This is just a quick post to let you know about an exciting new eBook that I recently edited: Your Grocery Budget Toolbox, by Anne Simpson of Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy!

I will give a full review of this eBook in the near future, but for now I wanted to at least let you know about it because I cannot rave enough about the value of this book!

I actually tried to convince Anne to charge more, but, currently, she is selling this 150+-page book for only $4.99!!! 

In this book, you'll read about how Anne feeds her family a whole food diet for less than $300/month! When I heard that I was jumping for joy because Anne's budget and family size (4) is very similar to mine! 

Check out the book's trailer below...and be on the lookout for my full review of Your Grocery Budget Toolbox! 

I'm linking up to:  Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Frugal Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food,Frugally Sustainable
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Pregnancy Posts Around the Web, Take 2

As comprehensive as I'd like this weekly series to be, I can't cover everything that involves a natural pregnancy and birth in just a few short months (although I wish I could!). 

But I delight in sharing relevant posts I'm finding around the web! A few months back I gave you "Pregnancy Posts Around the Web, Part 1." Be sure to check out that post if you haven't already!

Here are some other great posts I've recently found:

Image by sundaykofax

Kristy from Little Natural Cottage recently had a great guest post from Bambi of Nursery of the Nation on the Benefits of Red Raspberry in Pregnancy. 

I read this post while on my babymoon (look for a post on that soon!) this past weekend, and I was so inspired that I immediately brewed myself a cup of the tea (which I had packed for our trip)--steeped with two tea bags!

Image by richard_north

Bambi also had a wonderful post on her own blog about how to prevent group b strep. Her remedy includes a regimen of herbs, vitamins, probiotics and garlic during the final weeks of pregnancy (actually beginning at week 34...which I'm almost at...yikes!). 

This post was of special interest to me since I've tested positive for GBS all three pregnancies. In fact, my midwife's office tested me my very first pre-natal visit this time (I guess because of my history?), and they will not re-test me at 36 weeks. 

I've already been told that I will have to receive antibiotics in labor. :( This doesn't deter me, however, from hopefully trying out this regimen. I figure it can't hurt and can only help!

Image by vinodvv aka vcube

Frugal Granola contributor Beth of Red and Honey recently wrote about the benefits of placenta medicine. In short, some research shows that consuming your own placenta may have health benefits--including postpartum depression prevention. 

I recently wrote an article about a placenta encapsulationist local to my area, and I've been researching and sorting through my own thoughts about placenta encapsulation this pregnancy. I'll have a post on this soon--and Beth may even pop in for a guest post (although it may be a little while...she welcomed baby #3 this weekend!). 

Image by goblinbox (queen of ad hoc bento)

Stephanie from Keeper of the Home recently posted on Simple Mom about taming the mom wardrobe. 

I've struggled with the amount of clothes I have over the past few years--especially after spending much of my teens and twenties traveling to and ministering in countries where women had very little!

I found this post encouraging because Stephanie gives practical tips of what clothes to keep and which ones to trash (or, rather, donate) when you're in the often-awkward, in-between sizes childbearing years. 

What are some recent pregnancy posts you've enjoyed around the web?

Check out the other posts in this series: 

• 5 Simple Tips for Combating Morning Sickness
• Reflections on my First Pregnancy
• 10 Reasons We Opted to Give Birth at a Birth Center
• Easing Leg Pain During Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Posts Around the Web
• A Tale of Two Births: Medicated vs. Natural Hospital Births, part 2
• A Tale of Two Births: Medicated vs. Natural Hospital Births, part 1
• How to Achieve a Natural Birth in a Hospital Setting
• Real Food Pregnancy Cheats/Shortcuts
• OB or Midwife: Finding the Birth Provider Who Works for You
• A Comparison of Birth Settings: Home, Hospital and Birth Center
• Resources for a Natural Pregnancy
• 10 Things Never to Say to Pregnant Women 
• What Every Pregnant Woman Wants to Hear

• Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Much More than Severe Morning Sickness

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