Half way potty trained?

[crl]

Dd is what I would call half way potty trained. We started a month or so ago. She uses the potty of her own volition most of the time. But she has three or four pee accidents a week. They happen in two ways.

One is when she is having a melt down. She seems to me to just be unable to go to the potty to pee in the middle of the melt down rather than deliberately making a mess. I have been super calm about the pee and just cleaned up with no fuss at all because I don't want to giver her the idea that she can push my buttons by peeing on the floor.

The other is she makes it to the bathroom, but not to the potty. I am trying to keep her in easy to pull down pants/leggings, but she still has this happen. She does get upset when this happens, especially if she has on a favorite skirt or dress, and I just calmly tell her it's okay and clean it up and get her dry clothes.

She is also just not very independent in the bathroom. She will run in and pee and/or poop on her own. But she will then run out without wiping, flushing or washing her hands, much less putting her undies back on (she pulls her pants and undies all the way off). When she tries to get toilet paper she just pulls out a ton and can't rip it off.

Are these issues just a matter of more time and practice? Anything I should be doing to help her get this really down?

(DS potty trained on the late side and was really resistant, but once it happened it really jut clicked and he didn't have accidents and was much more independent.)

Thanks,
Catherine

[citymama]

Yeah, this is us too. The pee accidents I can deal with, but the poop ones....not so much. What I find interesting is she rarely has accidents at preschool. I think they are better about making her sit on the potty once an hour whether she says she needs to go or not. If you ask her, she always says she doesn't need to go. Until she is about to burst. So making a once an hour trip would be one thing.

Second, no dresses. I make sure she has a tshirt and easy to pull down pants every single day. If she is in a dress, it's for a bday party and I make an extra effort to assist her. But those are so much harder to pull up while also pulling down leggings and underwear - keep the clothing as simple as possible. If you must do a dress, go with a short tunic or swing top.

Third, they are all neanderthals at this age. They will never dream of wiping or washing unless you ask them. My 7 year old tries to avoid those things unless I am vigilant - my 2.5 year old is not going to do so! DD2s idea of wiping is pulling vast amounts of TP off the roll and then pulling some more off and dumping it all in the toilet. Oh brother.

Nice job getting so far - high five!

[crl]

Thanks. Congrats to you too!

Thankfully she hasn't been having poop accidents. Fingers crossed.

I am a little conflicted on the skirt thing. She looovveesss her "princess" skirts. It makes it so much easier to get her dressed in the morning. I have been letting her wear just undies around the house when she asks, maybe I need to do that more.

Ds was good about the flushing and hand washing. But he's a total rule follower and dd just isn't.

Catherine

[citymama]

Thanks. Congrats to you too!

Thankfully she hasn't been having poop accidents. Fingers crossed.

I am a little conflicted on the skirt thing. She looovveesss her "princess" skirts. It makes it so much easier to get her dressed in the morning. I have been letting her wear just undies around the house when she asks, maybe I need to do that more.

Ds was good about the flushing and hand washing. But he's a total rule follower and dd just isn't.

Catherine

Consider yourself super lucky to not have to deal with poop accidents! DD1 was mortified if she had a poop accident and learned quickly to hold it in till she got to the potty. DD2 is totally nonchalant and easy about it so we have a few of those. :(

DD2 is a total tomboy and has declared she does.not.like. "fairies" (her name for all girly creatures like princesses, fairies, ballerinas). Give her a tee and sweat pants and she's happy. DD1 is a girly girl but we made sure to keep the ruffles away while PTing.

And evidently I don't have any rule followers here. I don't even know what that would be like!