January 05, 2010

Ditching the Potty Chairs

A new year brings new beginnings, which means it's time to switch up the routine. I'm ditching our potty chairs. I know I should have done it awhile ago, but none of my girls were ready for it. Both of our potty chairs have a feature where you can attach part of it to the regular toilet. The bottom of the chair then becomes a step stool. Tried it, didn't work. Somehow the girls managed to pee all over themselves rather than in the toilet. I quickly gave up that plan.
But now it's time to give it another go, with a twist. How do I know it's time? Because they do their business and often times don't tell me. If they can do that, then they can use the regular potty and flush.
I'm not going to use the attachments. Instead, our kind Aunt Jenna is making a trip to IKEA for me (since I don't live remotely close to one) and buying me three step stools (we already have one of them). (Side note to IKEA: wouldn't it be great if you made these available to order through your website? hint hint) There will be a stool in front of each toilet and one at each bathroom sink. Why no attachments? I discovered something just before Christmas. The preschool doesn't use any type of toilet seat attachment and the girls have no problem using that toilet. If they can do it at school they can do it at home.
Like all changes, it's going to take some getting used to... mainly for the girls. I'm sure there will be some resistance (for awhile Roo was convinced she would fall in a big toilet, which is why she prefers the potty chair). So, wish me luck!

12 comments:

maryanne said...

Good luck! I had much better luck just ditching the attachment and using an IKEA stool.

And I second your note to IKEA - please make those available via mail order? Also, I would LOVE it if their shipping charges were easier to calculate.

LauraC said...

We are just now switching from potty chairs to toilet seats that have a kid seat insert, something similar to this but from Home Depot:

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=6766&cmSource=Search

The boys use potties at school but they are kid sized potties. Figured this was a good long-term option! Will be posting on how it works out!

Sadia said...

I don't know how convenient Ikea is to your aunt, but if you need anything else, please know that we have an Ikea on my way home from work. You know where to find me. :)

Quadmama said...

MaryAnne: Glad I'm not the only one who thinks IKEA needs to be friendlier to people who don't live near one (although I think my city might be getting an IKEA soon).
Laura: The girls had kid sized potties at preschool last year, but their new room is in a modular, so it's just a regular toilet. It didn't occur to me that they could use a regular toilet without complaint until I was in their classroom for their Christmas party lol!
Sadia: My sister (Aunt Jenna) lives pretty close to IKEA and loves to have an excuse to visit the store. BUT, if I need anything else I may have to take you up on your offer : )

Kim said...

None of my 4 girls ever wanted to use a potty chair. They like to teeter on the edge of the big toilet. The potty chair came in useful, though, when they were first showing signs of interest in potty training—they'd sit on it fully-clothed next to me when I was in the bathroom (sorry, TMI). In other words, the potty chair was a good way to get them thinking about sitting on the toilet and letting them "practice" before we actually got serious about training.

Quadmama said...

I thought my girls would be all about the big potty but they like their potty chairs. And for everyone who thought I needed four chairs: we have two, one upstairs, one downstairs and never had an accident because someone couldn't wait for her sister to finish.

Christina said...

Good luck!! Oh how I dread PT..I think I said that already to you though didn't I? ;)

Quadmama said...

It's not too bad... you just have to remember that they won't do it until they're ready, regardless of whether you want them to be ready.

Kisha said...

Much good luck! I think they'll do great, especially if they do it at school okay! I didn't teach my girls on potty chairs, we went straight with the big potty. Harder at first, but much nicer now!

Quadmama said...

Some days I wish I had done that, too!

Krissi said...

My daughter used the insert on the big potty for a while and then recently she suddenly got brave and wanted to try sitting on it without it! I give you a lot of credit potty training 4! I am only doing one now and in 2 years, will be training my twins but 4! Wow!

Quadmama said...

We were fortunate to go to a preschool that didn't require kids to be potty trained. It took a lot of the "I have to have them trained NOW" stress.

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