iPhone Makes Potty Training Easier

Experts say setting a potty schedule helps teach your child to use the toilet. But how do you keep to that schedule – and minimize conflict between yourself and a stubborn toddler?

Presenting iGo Potty – the potty training app developed by the makers of Pull-Ups Training Pants, the potty training experts. iGo Potty makes potty training fun for kids and grown-ups too. It includes:

? Cute potty reminders: Patty the Potty phones your child and says, ?It?s time to use the potty!? You decide when and how often Patty calls.
? Fun stuff including reward stickers, simple games, sound effects and music help your child stay motivated and engaged.
? A progress tracker provides a visual snapshot of how your child is doing. You can even share a progress report with family and friends.
? Even when your child doesn?t go, iGo Potty is always positive and encouraging.
? And when training is successfully completed ? you guessed it ? iGo Potty creates a diploma signifying your child is a ?Big Kid Now.? Print it out and hang it on the fridge ? your child earned it!

iGo Potty is great for potty trainees, caregivers, older siblings and parents too. It?s self-explanatory and easy to use ? and if you ever get stuck, there?s even a built-in tutorial. Oh, and it’s free!

iGo Potty ? It?s the app that makes toilet training a snap!

Disclosure: SuburbanDaddy receives compensation for being a Pull-Ups Potty Training Partner.

Who is this Child?

Let me give a summary of how just about every day with Thing 3 goes these days. He wakes up around 6:30am in a bad mood, crying for no particular reason until he has his cup of milk like a two-pack-a-day smoker has to have his first smoke.

It takes little to set him off on a tantrum and I can never predict what will set him off, but I can predict with near certainty there will be something that does. It could be the wrong color cup or cereal bowl. It could be the wrong show on tv. Or the wrong color shirt. Oh, I always ask which one he wants first but I now realize they are all the wrong ones. The tantrum is coming. And you can forget about even suggesting the “P” (potty) word to him or you’re in for a world of hurt.

At night, we have a similar ritual around bedtime. No matter what it’s always the wrong pajamas. Then he doesn’t want to brush his teeth or go to bed. So he bangs on the wall, throws books in his room, and his new favorite act of defiance spitting on the wall. This goes on for a good 30 minutes until we all exhaust ourselves.

I assumed the time in between these lovely bookends to my day went much the same. This is the time Thing 3 is at preschool. That is, until we got this note from his teacher:

Thing 3 “is such a delight to have in our classroom. He is very bright – sometimes silly and sometimes serious – a good combination. He is doing well at number recognition and we are practicing our letters. He now comes to us if he needs to go potty – sometimes it has already happened and sometimes we make it there on time!! He is very helpful in the classroom and a very caring, sharing young man!!”

Seriously, this is the same kid? Sure, I’ve seen glimpses of this model child but it’s completely surrounded by the crying, spitting, throwing, and terrorizing. I guess there is some reason for hope.

Worst Thing That Happened Today

Now that Thing 1 has started 1st grade in a new school, we want to know more about what he does all day and how he is doing.? But you won’t get any of that information from him.

Me:? “How was school today?”

Thing 1:? “Good”

Me:? “What did you do?”

Thing 1: “I don’t remember”

So I rephrased the questions so I would have to get some kind of answer.

Me: “What was the best thing that happened today at school”?

Thing 1: “Playing outside at recess.”?? Of course

Me:? “The best thing other than recess”

Thing 1:? “Going to the library.? I got two books”.

Wow, actual information!? Further questioning revealed that he checked out two sports books (of course).? One all about the Pittsburgh Penguins and another about the Pittsburgh Pirates.? I’m not sure about the sudden interest in Pittsburgh teams, but hey, he’s reading.

Me:? “And what was the worst thing that happened in school today?”

Long pause.? I wanted to see if there were kids that he wasn’t getting along with, or maybe some bully 4th graders on the school bus or in the cafeteria.

Thing 1:? “The worst part was in gym class when we had to sit still.”

Not sure what that was about.? So I did some more questioning and found out.? It turns out they were learning about different intensity levels of physical activity.? Level 1 is being stationary.? Level 2 is light walking.? Level 3 is jogging.? And so on.? They simulated each level and for Level 1 they had to sit still in one place in the gym.? For 4 minutes!

And that was the worst part of his day because he wanted to run around during gym class.? I forgot how horrible first grade can be.? Hopefully tomorrow will be better for him.

Stay-cation Day Five

For those of you anxiously awaiting this final stay-cation post, here you go. There was an open house for Thing 1’s elementary school – he started first grade this week. He met his teacher, saw his desk, and and saw where the bus will drop him off. ?Thing 1 was most excited about the big gym and playground.

We also checked out the local high school which kicked off it’s first football game with an outdoor fair complete with moonbounces, music, and dunk tanks. The high schoolers were very impressed with Thing 1’s dunking accuracy – 7 hits out of 12 throws. The day ended with an end of summer ice cream party in our neighborhood.

Checking out his 1st grade desk
Checking out his 1st grade desk
Adding his name to the class list
Football throw
Thing 2 marches to his own beat. Like wearing his hat like this
Ice Cream!

Stay-cation Day 4

Today I introduced Thing 1 and Thing 2 to one of my all time favorite activities:? Wiffle Ball! We played in the morning before it got really hot. Then to stay cool we checked out a new “luxury” bowling alley with some SuburbanNeighbors who found themselves also on a stay-cation after cutting their beach vacation short thanks to hurricane Earl. Thing 2 continued his bowling domination over Thing 1 with a nice score of 100. It’s good for the oldest to not win at everything all the time.

We wrapped up the day at the pre-school/kindergarten open house where we met Thing 2 and Thing 3’s new teachers.? A big hit was the petting zoo in the parking lot compliments of Squeals on Wheels.? It was not good to be one of the animals yesterday.? Besides being poked, prodded, pulled, and dumped on with grass and dirt by the likes of Thing 3 and scores of other kids, it was about 97 degrees in the parking lot with no shade for the animals.

Read more to see pictures of the day Continue reading Stay-cation Day 4

Stay-cation Day Three

We slowed down some today and built in sibling separation time so we didn’t have a repeat of yesterday. And since we also needed to get some household chores done in the morning, Thing 1 got to help me fold four loads of laundry, while Thing 2 was SuburbanMommy’s assistant at the grocery store.

Believe it or not, they actually like doing stuff like this. It isn’t often our kids get one on one time with mommy or daddy so it’s fun for them no matter what we’re doing. At least for a short period of time. Plus, SuburbanDaddy watches SportsCenter when he folds laundry so we had plenty of time to discuss the upcoming football season.

The day wasn’t all chores. We went ice skating together, the first time SuburbanMommy or I had been on ice skates in probably 20+ years.? Happily no mishaps to report other than feeling quite old as hoards of tiny kids out maneuvered me.? Then out to lunch, a stop at a toy store, and more split separation time. This time, I did a puzzle and colored with Thing 2 while SuburbanMommy did a project with Thing 1.

Thing 1 enjoys breakfast while reading the sports section. I wonder where he learned that?
Getting ready to skate