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My husband and I recently decided we want to add another child to our family. Not for another year! So no I am not pregnant! However, I am wondering if I am nuts because sometimes I can't stand one more minute being a mother of a 3 yo. Please tell me it gets better. How do you reason with a strong-willed 3 yo? I want to rip my hair out. Take potty training for example. My daughter is 39 months and somewhere around 36 month she learned the mind-body connection to using the toilet. For the last three months, she has used the toilet when she feels necessary, but doesn't want to make the transition to underwear. We have bought the cutesy panties and let her pick out her favorite characters. Once in a while she will put on underwear, but mostly likes to live in pull-ups. Don't even talk to me about the expense. DH and I are very frustrated that we cleaning up pee and poop around the house, not to mention diapers she leaves on the floor after she decides to change it. She will go whole days without using the potty and then days staying dry. We have come close to not buying anymore diapers a couple of times just so she can go cold turkey to underwear. However, I worry about things accidents in her gymnastics class or having to get up 2 to 3 times a night to change her sheets. She has stayed dry though the night and her naps (when she takes them). I feel like she is motivated to use the toilet when she wants to be because we have tried sticker charts and requiring her to sit on the potty at certain times with mixed results due to her determination and being strong-willed. We have kind of backed off pressuring her, but that is helping either. Today I asked her to use the potty before her nap which she refused to do and when I got frustrated with her about not going to her room for her nap, she peed all over herself and the floor. If she would have gone when I asked there wouldn't have been an accident. After her rest time which she left the room early and ate her reward without my permission, she peed all over her clothes again. I am at my wits end with this child. I feel like a terrible mother because all I do is get annoyed with her and reprimand her. I think about negative attention she gets and try and ignore behavior that is not right, but harmless. I am on her case all day because she is either not listening or causing trouble. DH and I do spend time with her playing and doing fun things. I feel like I only get results when I yell which is exactly what I don't want to do. She seems oblivious and I don't understand why.
My conversation with her today about wearing underwear was funny as she was coloring in her Disney Princess coloring book.
Mom: Avery, when are you going to start wearing underwear?
Avery: I don't know. Well, maybe someday I could be a princess.
Mom: Princesses wear big girl underwear. Daddy and I would be so proud of you wearing big girl underwear.
Avery: Maybe sometime it won't be too hard.
Mom: You think wearing big girl underwear is hard?
Avery: I don't know. I don't want to talk about it right now. Aerial needs me.
My conversation with her today about wearing underwear was funny as she was coloring in her Disney Princess coloring book.
Mom: Avery, when are you going to start wearing underwear?
Avery: I don't know. Well, maybe someday I could be a princess.
Mom: Princesses wear big girl underwear. Daddy and I would be so proud of you wearing big girl underwear.
Avery: Maybe sometime it won't be too hard.
Mom: You think wearing big girl underwear is hard?
Avery: I don't know. I don't want to talk about it right now. Aerial needs me.
We have found better success being laid back about certain things like potty training and letting her feel like she is making some decisions and in control of certain issues. We especially give her leway on wardrobe. She doesn't wear pjs to bed, but the clothes she had on that day. She wears the same shirt just about every day of the week and has clothes on backwards and shoes on the wrong feet. She likes it that way and I don't care if it makes her happy. I just get to a certain point sometimes when I need to get out of the house and have time to myself. Today is one of those days.
Fat chance!
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