I started working with Mikaila months ago , around the time she was 16/17 months old, on potty training. I took it at her pace, but I didn't just give up on it when she'd decide she didn't want to. Didn't make a big deal out of any accidents, just cleaned up and went on our way.
Here we sit, several months later, she's 22 months old, and I'm ECSTATIC that she is potty trained. For the last week she has not been in a diaper at all during the day, not even when we'd go out to the store or visiting. Yes, accidents happened, but it wasn't discouraging, they happen, we're both still learning this new curve. I'm learning her cues, she's learning her body's cues....then there was the incident of someone not letting her use their bathroom because it's for "employees only". I do put a diaper on her at night because she has ALWAYS awakened SOAKED, it's not mattered the size of the diaper or type, she can SOAK it and be drenched herself upon waking up. I was told that I was headed for problems with her nighttime training because she's so young. Seriously? From that reasoning I suppose it's best to put them in diapers 24/7 instead of half that time.
Well, call me jumping the gun, BUT this morning she woke up 100% dry. Yesterday morning she woke up with just a barely wet diaper. She's also been 100% accident free for going on the second day in a row.
I've not hidden the fact that she's done this. I talked to one of the directors at the pregnancy center earlier today, she went on and on about how Mikaila is too young to be potty trained, that I should wait until she's at least 2.5 because she'd be able to do it all on her own then. Of course there's also been the other folks who have accused me of FORCING her to do something she's too young to be doing, therefore I'm being a bad mother, by the way they've phrased it and their overall body language.
Seriously.
My mom raised 4 kids. Not a single one of which made it to two years old not being potty trained. In fact it was unusual 15/20 years ago for kids to not be potty trained by the time they were 2/2.5, at the LATEST! And these days you're a bad mother because you start introducing them to the whole concept before they're 2 years old?
To each their own, in my opinion, but its rather ridiculous to chastise me for putting up with a lot of shit - literally - while Mikaila learned about her bodily functions, signals, and what to do about it all to prevent having to sit in it all. She's VERY happy about her accomplishments. To the point that in addition to being done with diapers, she's moved onto how to escape from her bed, and not taking naps. Great thing about her not taking a nap during the day is she goes to bed when her brother goes to bed, 90% of the time.
To sum it up, my 22 month old child can :
*recognize her name
*sort blocks by color
*knows that when you say "shhh" that it's time to be quiet
*is potty trained, with GREAT strides being made in regards to nighttime
*use a zipper, by herself
*undress herself - even if I've safety pinned her shirt to her pants, she can get out of it
*put pants & panties on that don't have to be buttoned, by herself
*unscrew lids, even small tiny ones, like on toothpaste tubes, AND put the lids back on
*put some of her shoes on herself....but she prefers putting on everyone else's shoes
*Brush her teeth, herself - front, back, top, & bottom and LOVES doing so
*eat cereal from a bowl, with milk in it, with a spoon, without making a mess, then will drink any remaining milk out of the bowl, without making a mess
*drinks from an uncovered cup, but if the cup is filled past what she'll drink right then she likes to wear it and play in what's leftover
*run, without much falling
*skip
*kick a ball - not far, but she has the concept down
*swing a foam baseball bat, and hit her target 80% of the time - her brother's head.
*can climb steps like they're nothing, especially if she has a rail or hand to hold
*catch/stop a rolling ball
*Jump, without issue
*swim with flotation devices, don't know about without, as I don't chance it
*climb a ladder to go down a slide, even a larger one at the park
*operate the TV & DVD player to play her favorite movies
*open many different types of food packages, which has lead to EVERYTHING being behind a lock or latch of some sort
*will help me with picking up and puts things in where they belong, laundry in laundry baskets, trash in the trash can, stuffed animals in the mesh hamper, etc etc.
She doesn't know these things because I've forced them upon her, she doesn't know them because she's some sort of super genius, she knows them because we do everything together, I involve her in as many of my daily activities as I can so that she can learn. She observes what I do and wants to imitate me, she also watches her big brother and daddy with a lot of the things they do. They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, so I'm flattered and proud to be able to say that she knows these things and is great at doing them. If I'm doing my child some great injustice I'd like to know what it is, I've done the same things with Mikeal, except his first 2.5 years of life were quite tormenting for the two of us, and here he is 7 years old, in 2nd grade, honor roll, ahead of his class mates in almost everything. The only injustice my children have been subjected to is criticism that they're doing things "too soon", instead of being being complimented on their achievements.
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