Wherein I perhaps give my child too much information. Perhaps.

[mellymell]

I can't help but sometimes feel like pointing in a mirror and yelling, "UR DOIN IT WRONG!" But, I'm at a loss for any other way to go about things sometimes.

Last night, Jimi had his front paws propped up on my lap while he was getting some attention. Jonah comes over and points to his exposed wang and asks, "what's that mommy?"

*sigh*

Without even pausing, I just say, "that's Jimi's penis, Jonah. Just like you have. That's what Jimi uses to go peepee, just like you do."

To which he replies, "Oh, Jimi's penis."

To which I mentally facepalm at hearing my 3-year-old son say the word penis clearly and confidently. It was all I could do to keep from bursting out in laughter, really. Then immediately following said hypothetical laughter with a distressed look to the heavens to ask, "what have I done?!"

He then asks, "where's Sunflower's penis?" Of course, I had to explain that she didn't have one because she's a girl and girls have a different part for going peepee. He proceeded to then expertly show off his knowledge of the proper places for each of the species under our roof to do their business. . .

"Mogwai goes peepee in the litter box. That's his potty. Jimi and Sunflower go peepee outside in the yard. Mommy and Daddy go peepee in the potty."

Then I ask Jonah where he goes and he claims, a little excitedly, "in my little potty." I had to correct him that he was still going peepee in diapers, but that we want him to pee in his "little potty" and it's something he's going to have to learn very soon. We talked about trying it this weekend. There's a technique where you just tell the kid, "no more diapers" and put them in underwear. They learn pretty quickly that they don't like being wet or dirty without a diaper. Unfortunately, this morning brings a setback to that plan.

I had every intention of beginning the diaper free weekend today, since there's no school due to this pathetic excuse for snow accumulation today. But it appears he's developed an allergy or intolerance of some sort to mango. The past several times he's had mango juice in any form, he's had, well let's just say tummy troubles. . . messy ones. The gas this morning woke him up an hour or so early and had him periodically crying. Then once that passed he fell back to sleep watching The Empire Strikes Back. ;) I'm kind of afraid to say, "no more diapers" and put him in underwear with something like this going on.

*shakes fist* Curses foiled again!

But anyway, about that whole, "my kid will know the proper words for things and other parents will hate me" thing. Well, he's well on his way to being that kid in Kindergarten Cop. You know the one. And neither of his parents are gynecologists as an excuse.

Comments

[amaz0n-princess.livejournal.com]

Is it bad that this made me giggle? Aside from the fact that he's not feeling well. :(

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

Oh no, not at all bad. It was meant to be a giggle-worthy excerpt from my life with a toddler in the house. ;)

And it seems the worst has passed with the tummy troubles. He's in much better spirits ever since he woke up the second time (and wanted to watch Return of the Jedi).

[willowredwolfe.livejournal.com]

I was planning on teaching Lizzie the proper words. My nephew already knows that boys have a penis and girls have a vagina... he's 9.

His mom taught him the word for girls' parts... my mom taught him about boys' parts. So I don't have to worry about other people freaking out or hating me :p

Lizzie has developed an allergy or intolerance to pickles... of all things. They're her favorite, and she doesn't understand why we won't give her any... poor kid.

We're about to start potty training Lizzie. She's just about ready. She takes off her diaper when she pees b/c she doesn't like the way it feels, and immediately lets us know when she poops so we can change her diaper.

They grow up so fast... she's not even 2 :(

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

I was planning on it too, but to hear him repeat it back to me so clearly. . . wasn't something I had prepared myself for at this point. I mean, he's asked before and I've told him before, but I've not heard him say it before.

The first one was bananas. Those make him vomit. Or at least they used to. He refuses to eat them now so I haven't tried since he was probably less than a year old. Strawberry banana juice and banana pudding seem to be a different story however. The mango thing is brand new. I first thought it was a combination of the extra fiber and mucus drainage from a runny nose. But this time it was a totally clear juice (no pulp) and he doesn't have a runny nose. Also this time it's something he loves. So, he's going to be in the same boat as poor Lizzie with her pickles for a while at least. :(

On the potty training this is the only time where I kind of wish I had a girl. Everyone has told me they're easier because they have a built-in aversion to being wet/dirty. Boys, or at least my boy, seems to lack that. He runs from me to keep from getting a diaper change, even if he's soaking wet or sitting in poo. But, the gloves are coming off now and I'm going to bare-knuckle this thing until we're out of diapers for good! ;)

Indeed, they do grow up so fast.

[bonnie-halfelvn.livejournal.com]

I don't know about the sitting in poo part, but I know people who've trained boys with Cheerios. Put them in the toilet and it becomes a game of target practice. ;)

[willowredwolfe.livejournal.com]

Well, I call Lizzie's her "girlies" right now, because I don't think she's ready for "vagina" ;)

I don't know what I'd do if Lizzie was allergic to bananas. She loves them more than pickles. It really sucks about the mango... Maybe he'll grow out of it.

Like I said, Lizzie already hates to sit in pee or poo.. I think it will be easier. She's a lot younger than Jonah, and she's just about ready for potty training. We're about to switch to pull-ups. Good luck with potty-training. I saw someone posted about Cheerios, I've heard that really works. It's definitely worth a try.

[willowredwolfe.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you really want advice about potty training a boy, but a friend of mine is potty training her son (I'm not sure if you know her or not). Anyway, she gave me a lot of advice. Here it is:

I've really let him lead, but encouraged potty use before baths, at diaper changes, and at bedtime. Boys usually potty learn later than girls, the average for boys is about three years.

I just think having a potty (or seat that converts your toilet) available and giving lots of praise after successful attempts makes a big difference. Even giving praise for trying is important.

Kids love to hear themselves talked about to other adults, too. So if he has a successful potty use, it's great for her to tell her friends or his father what a big boy he is and how great he's doing at using the potty. She should brag on him.... See More

I think it's very important to encourage the good, but not make a big deal out of accidents. Occasionally, Gubs will pee on the floor, and rather than scold him and tell him how bad he is, we laugh about it and say "try to make it to the potty next time." I think making the child feel bad for having an accident in underwear or for going in their diaper while potty learning can only have negative effects on the child.

Tell your friend that patience is the key.

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

I'm very open to any advice anyone wants to give and all of what she said are things I've heard and things we try to practice. Like she says, though, you have to let the child lead and he's just not very interested in learning. The promise of rewards for every time he goes have not worked (our neighbor used M&Ms for their daughter for every time she went). Keeping a positive, excited stance on it hasn't worked ("Let's go have potty time! YAY!"). I think we're going to have to go with just making the switch and being patient and willing to clean up accidents until he adjusts. I think I've been perhaps too patient and too gentle up until now. And I don't mean I'm going to get harsh by any means. I'm just not going to ask anymore if he wants to have potty time, we're just going to have it anyway.

But there have been isolated victories. A story I never got around to telling was back in early November or perhaps even October when he pooped on the floor trying to get to the potty all by himself. I praised him all day long for knowing he needed to go potty and trying to make it there and even managing to get his pants and diaper off all by himself (he's not in pull-ups). I later told Chris all about it in front of him and we all got excited all over again and to his grandparents a few days later. His first day at school he went pee in the potty there and we got very excited about it. But those have pretty much been the only victories thus far. But even for wanting to sit on the potty and give it a sporting chance, I make sure to praise him and tell him what a good job he did trying and that it takes practice and yada yada yada.

Today starts "no more diapers". I'm going to put him in them for naps and bedtime but otherwise, it's underwear. This is another one of the various methods people use and I've heard it works well for kids who might be unreceptive to the more gradual training methods.

[willowredwolfe.livejournal.com]

I figured you'd heard at least some of it. A lot of the advice I've been getting I've heard before, or tried. I'm not sure if Lizzie's really ready, but I'm trying to show her an alternative to peeing on the floor. ;)

I hadn't thought of M&Ms. I was telling John I wanted to think of a reward, but M&Ms would be perfect for that.

Isolated victories are still victories.

I'm hoping Lizzie will make some progress before we run out of diapers... that way we can switch to pull-ups. I may go ahead and make the switch either way... don't know yet.

She's really young to be potty training, but if she's showing initiative... I'm going to let her lead.

I wish you lots of luck with the potty-training!

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

The M&Ms really worked for our neighbors daughter. They gave her one every time she peed in the potty and two every time she pooped. Later it became one every time she went with help or two every time she went by herself. Eventually it was just one every time she went by herself. She was only 2 or maybe even a little younger when they got her started. They wanted to have her out of diapers by the time the second child was born.

Indeed, we celebrate those isolated victories. We had another one last night where I put him in underwear after changing his diaper after his nap. We changed clothes four times in 30 minutes, but he would immediately come tell me he was wet when he'd pee in his pants instead of just continuing to play. We kept putting him on the potty after he'd pee, since he kept doing it so often, we thought maybe he wasn't finished. So I think just putting him in underwear so he can feel when he's wet or dirty easier is going to make a big difference. I just need to be prepared to clean up lots of messes and do lots of laundry until he gets the hang of it.

We too are hoping to get out of diapers before ours run out. I've got some pull ups but haven't really been using them yet and probably won't until we're only using diapers and night and/or we're out of diapers.

Wish you lots of luck as well! It's one of the hardest milestones of early childhood, I think. Certainly the hardest thing I've had to tackle since we had breastfeeding troubles.

[willowredwolfe.livejournal.com]

I will definitely try the M&Ms. Well, I want Lizzie out of diapers before I have a second child... but I don't see that anywhere in the near future ;)

I think it is better when they can feel the pee or poo. It does mean more messes and laundry, but he'll get it... hopefully soon :)

I hear leaving your child is the hardest thing, but it wasn't that difficult for me. Well, not until the 3rd week, anyway. So, yeah... I agree. Potty training has got to be the hardest milestone.

[beenabutterfly.livejournal.com]

I don't think that you are doing it wrong. I think that you gave a very good answer to a very difficult question.

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

Heh yeah, I don't really think I'm doing it wrong, necessarily. But I wonder sometimes if there's a more delicate way to go about it or if a matter-of-fact approach is the best way.

[cleopatramwi.livejournal.com]

LOL! We had a very similar discussion over our Christmas lunch (yes, people looked at us very oddly, to be sure) at work. Both of my co-workers have four-year-old boys. Maybe it's easier with girls :)

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

LOL! I've heard over and over again how girls are easier than boys. This is about the only time where I wish I had a girl. ;)

[malachus.livejournal.com]

Aside from obvious anatomical differences, the only difference I foresee with OMB is that I won't be saying "peepee".

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

I had no intentions of doing so either and the word "potty" bothers me, too. But he's picked up both words and is more familiar with them, so that's what we use at this point. It's a lot easier than trying to say urinate for a toddler, I think. ;)

[malachus.livejournal.com]

Life isn't easy. :P

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

Heh, I meant easy for him to physically say. It's bad enough he says pinano. I don't even want to hear want to hear how he butchers "urinate".

[oropher-777.livejournal.com]

Well, it's better than the Munchkin, who called it "Mr. Happy."

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yes, it is better. Mr. Happy to me has sexual connotations that I'm just not ready to deal with yet!

[bonnie-halfelvn.livejournal.com]

LOL, Kindergarten Cop. But still, kudos to you for not acting like it's anything to be ashamed of.

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

Heh, thanks. I personally believe no one should have any shame regarding the human body and it's various parts. I plan to pass that on to him. There are bound to be people that disagree with me, but I'm glad to have a support group of friends who understand and even feel the same way about it.

[blessed-lunatic.livejournal.com]

Hey, at least your kid doesn't have a midwife as a parent. Not only will OMB proudly use the correct terminology, but she will have anatomic models to share with her friends.

[mellymell.livejournal.com]

Heh, I thought of you actually while we were having this little discussion. ;)

[blessed-lunatic.livejournal.com]

:) Ouida Mae will perhaps be "worse" than the Kindergarten Cop kid, because my office is in my home and she goes to work with me. :P