Skit(tle) or Get Off the Pot(ty)

I’m finding that thirtysomething parents are all pretty much in the same boat (unless you’re a Gosselin, in which case your boat contains eight kids, a crapload of free stuff from TLC, and Beth). Cases in point: on Monday, I got into an e-mail conversation with an area marketing guru about our experiences sitting in front of Noggin (I eventually told her I had to get back to work or my editor would fire me … unless I could tell him which shape was an octagon). At about the same time, Jenn and some moms at her workplace were having a much more practical chat … about Skittles.

The subject was actually potty training, and someone brought up using M&Ms as a reward for using the potty: one candy for #1 and two for #2. But Nate can’t have M&Ms, she said, because even the plain ones contain traces of peanuts. Someone immediately suggested Skittles. What the heck, we figured, so that night I went to CVS and bought a pound bag of Skittles, which have since taken up residence in a Tupperware container in the bathroom.

Nate, it turns out, really digs Skittles. On Tuesday, he peed in the potty upon waking up, which isn’t rare for him, ’cause he’s still groggy when we plunk him down, and he can’t really resist. He chose a purple Skittle. But then came something new. Around 10:30 a.m., he got up from his mound of Duplos and announced he had to go. His diaper, I soon found, was dry, and the potty quickly was not. Red Skittle. Before his nap, I had him sit down again, and the squirting commenced, quickly followed by cleanup, because Dad had forgotten to replace the little plastic spray guard. Green Skittle ... Nate's favorite so far, he said. After his nap, he earned an orange one, and at bedtime, he collected another green. Five successful potty trips! Wow!

Wednesday was even better, because he peed on the potty three times at school, which was impressive since no candy was involved. All told, he splashed the plastic six times that day. So far today (he just went down for his nap), he peed on the potty three times, didn’t wet a diaper once (even during our hour-long grocery-shopping outing), and, like Tuesday, got up once and took the initiative without being asked.

None of this is to say he’s potty-trained, of course, since he's still never played a deuce, even though he’s missing out on a promised double shot of sugary fun. He even dirtied a Pull-up last night, and the only thing messier than that is trying to remove a soiled, soaking-wet swimmie diaper. Trust me.

But the boy clearly enjoys his pee runs now, and not just for the Skittles. He’s really proud of himself when he checks out the pot and goes all in, and he enjoys the dump-n-flush routine almost as much. And I’m actually remembering to wash his hands, which for me is progress. After all, I don’t want the Skittles getting germy for those times when I earn one. Or two.

Or 10. Oh, shut up. I bought ’em.

Comments

[Dawn]

As much free stuff as the Gosselins might get, I am amazed by Kate. After doing daycare for five years with the six weeks to two years age group, I have no clue how she does it around the clock. And yes, I am addicted to that show.

Anyway. I often wished we could have used Skittles (or some variation thereof) as incentive for my potty trainers. No such luck though.

[Joe]

My wife was hooked by J&K before I was, then she got me into it. We have just one, pretty easygoing 2-year-old and he's a challenge sometimes, so I bow down to any couple outnumbered by six. God bless 'em.

Still, Mady's a ticking time bomb.