On Potty Training
This upset me the most.
I certainly could see the lack of patience from the teacher. I was very upset today after reading what her main teacher wrote down on the Connection Book. She is suggesting me to put her on diaper for the time being!
#$%^&*( !@#$%^&*
SHE IS ASKING ME TO MOVE BACKWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday was bad. Really bad. The teacher never read what I have written down on the connection book. She wet herself due to the confusion created on Monday and the teacher didn’t bring her to pee before her nap. The worst part, they awaken her up during her nap and got her to pee. So in the end she didn’t sleep much in the afternoon resulted so tired at night.
Today is much better down with one or two accident. Now their classroom is much further away from the toilet, Yvette couldn’t hold for too long when she is urgent and need to pee immediately. I have reminded her the need to go to toilet and she doesn’t need diaper. (She is asking for it now! SEE!!!!!!)
4 accidents on Tuesday
Yvette on adapting the Change
So far she been doing well. Tantrums as usual in the morning. I hope once she got use to the new Teachers she would be fine. She did ask for me today according to the teacher. But she was calmed down after the teacher asking her to read book. I think reading book does bring good memory to Yvette with me!
The Morning Rush
Going to full day care, so far, has really helped Yvette to sleep early at night. She slept very early yesterday, at 9 plus. There was some struggle tonight but then I still manage to get her to sleep by 10.30 pm. Again I am amaze she could sleep without nursing for all the nap. She napped for 2 over hours in school today.
Since she slept early yesterday, I tried to wake her up at 7.35 am today. It still took me 15 mins to fully make her out of our bed. Waking her up got to be gentle, I always use stories or songs on our iPod to wake her up, so that she won’t be cranky.
(Point to note : Usually I will ask her and will never push for it, whether she wants to brush teeth in the morning when she is going to school, the answer will be No. Letting off some expectation in the morning, will definitely help to speed up but then I am going to get her brush her teeth in school. Her school encourages this.)
Since most of the time her mood is consider good in the morning, she wanted to do activity but this morning she gotten scolding from me because she accidentally poured some paint on the floor. Yesterday she did some pasting. I think for long run, this is not going to happen… where got time in the morning if I need to go to work. Unless she is up early…. hmmmm
Tearing and pasting!
Me on adapting the Change
After carrying her heavy bag for the past 3 days, I give up. This trolley bag is too much on me. What if it rains????
I decided to buy another one. I went interview at Orchard today and shopped around Robinson for the bag but much to my disappointment, Robinson does not carry much bag for girls!!! (Why Robinson? I want to use the voucher we have.) Where is all the Barney, Strawberry Short Cake, Dora???
With that, I decided to buy this bag when I first landed my eye with. Not because of the brand. This bag is light, big and with two side pocket for water. I like it. The problem now is to convince Yvette!
I love this bag. S$33 after discount!
Once In A LifeTime 
hi i dun think its the lack of patience in the teacher
i think it really cannot be cope just to take notice of only your child regarding the potty training, i dun know whats wrong with using diaper, if u want to train ur child, then dun bother to send her to cc, just train at home isnt it.
I will assume you won’t be able remembering every single entry I posted on my blog thus I feel there is a need to clarify here:
1. I removed Yvette’s diaper at 20 mths and she was trained by 2.
2. Yvette has been the same CC for 3.5 mths before transit to full day with almost zero accident rate.
3. Yvette will have serious rash if she wear diaper.
Next, it is not only me that feel the teachers are being lack of patience. I know Yvette’s classmate mum well. Both of us feel so. I also know the boy’s granny and his mother who joined the same time as Yvette. She feel the same too. (BTW, this boy’s parent had withdrawn him from this CC.)
Lastly, if I would need the CC to train Yvette, I would have sent Yvette to this CC long ago because I am offered not once but twice and finally send her in because I can’t conceive again and I feel there is a need for me to go back to work to help out the expenses rather than staying at home.
Hope the above clear the unwanted doubt from you to me!
Hey Shirley, hope you’ll be able to sort out the diaper issue with Yvette’s teacher. It’s such a shame to see her regress since she’s already been trained early on. We are struggling with the morning rush as well. I put Ally to bed at 7.45pm tonight so I hope she’ll wake up earlier than we’ll have more time to do something instead of just rushing her off to school.
Hey Jillian,
I don’t feel shame if the regression kicks in after trying. The problem here is, the teacher is trying the most easiest way out – because the toilet is so far away now!!!
Wow, that is too early for Yvette to sleep. Every time she comes home, she always says “I want to play while!” But the awhile can be a few hours!!!
Hi Shirley, Ally always says the same thing when she gets home as well. From a young age we used to set a timer for her since telling her “5 more minutes” is no use as she can’t read the time yet. So when she says she wants to play for a while, I always agree and tell her ” until the timer goes off”
Since we’ve been using the timer method for a while now, it’s easy for her to comply. I find that there are a lot less tantrums this way and it’s useful when we are out and she is so engrossed in something that she finds it hard to leave. She will leave the minute the timer goes off without a fuss.
I read about this practice too. We did count down at home. So I will start with 10 mins, then I count 9 mins, 8 mins… really looking at the digital clock to count down.
But I am also thinking to get a timer too. What timer you uses at home that provide a loud sound that makes the tot notice?
We just use the timer on our mobile phone so that when we are out it’s easier. But to start with you might want to use one of those kitchen timers since they are loud enough for the kids to notice?
Ok… since I wont be so kuku keep looking at the clock and count down! Think I also start with the mobile phone.
Been doing counting down!!!! So dumb of me!
hi,
i can emphathise with your situation coz similar thing with my gal. She started half day CC last Nov.
she was about 90% toilet train (only needed diaper when nap and nightime sleep) for about 1month before that.
the teachers ask me put her in diapers for first few weeks coz anticipate she’ll be crying and she’ll be nervous in new environment, people, etc.. I agree with the teachers then thus let her wear diapers.
To my dismay after 2 weeks, my gal completely forgotten her toilet training. she refuse to tell me when need to pee, accidents all the time at home. sometimes she even refuse to sit on potty and toilet bowl, will cry want to wear diaper.
In Dec i told the teachers to start training her coz she likes school already. the teachers blatantly told me will do it next year (2011). now is 2011 already right, the teachers still not training her coz quite a number of new students so alot of crying, thus they are overwhelmed. well at least these new teachers ( my gal just moved to N1, previously was PG class) are honest enough to tell me they can’t cope now and need more time for the class to settle down.
I’m so frustrated coz my previous hard work training her all gone down the drain. >_<
Joanne,
I am not as kind as you. Since I know Yvette is fully trained by myself and then the PG teachers are so encouraging; I am not letting it pass so easily.
Yes, Kids remember and forget things easily. And they are also like us too – looking for easy way out. Of course by putting them in diaper for 2 weeks will somehow “making” them forget they are trained. But good news is, it won’t take very long to train them back.
I remember I put Yvette on diaper when she was quite sick when she was younger for about a week, it took me another 2-3 weeks to train her back. But for you case, it seems long. (From Nov 2010 to now Jan about 2 mths.) Did you put her on diaper now when she is back home? Or you letting accident to happen and trying your best effort to train her back?
I suggest you go back to the school to talk to the principal instead of the teacher anymore.
Wish you best of luck and hopefully your girl will take the shortest time to regain her awareness on going to toilet.
hi,
maybe because my gal wasn’t potty-trained that long before she regress, only 1 month. thus it’s so difficult to train her again.
when she gets home, it’s her nap time, so i still put her in diaper. but when wake up, i’ll let her wear training pants. at night it’s still diaper.
the situation is slightly better now as in sometimes she’ll tell me when she needs to pee. for need poo she’ll tell me nearly everytime. and she doesn’t hate potty/toilet now, she’s willing to sit there if she’s urgent.
So i guess the problem now is she won’t tell me everytime she’s urgent unlike previously before she started cc.
Dunno is it she forgot she’s wearing training pants or she became lazy. 😛
you are right, i’m planning to talk to the centre supervisor (my gal’s cc don’t have principal) if condition no improvement this month.
thanks for your advice.
Joanne,
You should have insisted. 90% is very good already.
A good news to share. For the past 2 days, Yvette is accidental free in school.
I always feel never allow the teachers to take the easy way out especially on potty training.
Good luck to you!
My boy is progressing well in potty-training, so I can imagine the efforts you put in and regression is definitely something we don’t wish for.
For a potty-trained child in an overwhelmed school / CC, how about thicker training pants / underwear. Those that can catch 1 pee without wetting the floor much. No stay-dry layer and no waterproof layer like normal disposable / modern cloth diaper. This way, the child will still feel uncomfortable after an accident and must be changed, so he / she will not develop diaper-dependence.
It’s natural for teachers and children to want the easy way out. Guess the staff must be overwhelmed in week 1. My sister is doing relief teaching this week, and spent the whole day cleaning up various kids who pee, poo and puke. Really stressful. (Even dealing with just 1 kid at home can be stressful, right?)
All the best, Mummies! 🙂
MieVee,
Yes, of course I understand the teachers must be overwhelmed with so many crying tots but what upset me is, I have given so much tips on the connection book and none of the teachers read it with much interest!!!!
Even now I provided Bum Wear (on Friday) for them to give it to Yvette to wear during nap, they still made the same mistake. In school I give training pant cos I know this minimise teacher’s effort but still the teacher put Yvette on training pant instead of Bumwear during nap. Of course accident happen and then they put on Bumwear!!! But Bumwear training pant is hard to remove during toilet trip and this is making more work!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, I am going to type out the instruction and laminate it and put it in her bathing set so that the person who bathe Yvette will at least read. (I hope the persn will read man!!!) But still there is problem here. Sometimes it is the Cleaning Aunty in the school that bath the kid.. she might not know how to put on that too.
Sigh!
Compare to the quality care from the teachers in PG class (one PG teacher left the school already), the N1 teachers are so untrained in my eye!!!
Hi sunflower,
Your frustation is understandable. No matter how busy the teacher is, they should respect of what the parents wrote in the connection book… that’s my personal opinion.
btw, can I check with you why you put your gal in CC and not those 3-hrs type kindergarten. I know now the reason is very obvious that you’re going back to workforce so you need full-day care for your gal. But, when you started to send her to school, what made you chose CC over Kindergarten? I’m contemplating now whether I should send my boy to CC (half-day) or 3 hrs kindergarten. I have my parents to take care of my boy at home but would prefer to ease their load by sending my boy to school just for half-day.
nici,
It’s really frustrating. You are right, no matter how busy the teachers are, definitely must read on connection book. If not, then what is the purpose having it? And to me no matter how far the toilet is, they also must bring the kids there. Lastly I can’t accept they tell me 3 accidents are many…. Changing new environment, new teachers, and new routine definitely sure have accident!
I never consider kindergarten because I already plan to go to work. The only Kindergarten I consider is Chiltern House and I got Yvette in too. (Some background just in case you are totally new here. Yvette was with JGC since she was 1 and we were there for 1.5 years before I moved her out totally. I have no regret going thru this route with her because I teach her at home too. She definitely enjoy spending time there. And in JGC, the next route is either I go unaccompanied playclub or I send her to Chiltern House.)
Since I never send Yvette to Kindergarten, I cannot make comparison. Since you have parents at home helping you, I think Kindergarten will be better?
P/S: I saw your comment on Lazymummy’s blog, perhaps she could share with you more. Her situation is similar to yours.
Hi sunflower, sorry if my post is off topic. Can I check what brand of cloth diaper you will recommend for the toddlers to hold their pee ard 1.5-2hrs during nap time. I read your posts about Yvette’s potty training. It’s very useful and really grateful you shared your experiences. I’m facing frustation too in potty training my boy..hahaha..I guess we can’t escape from this painful process ya.
nici,
Do you know when the kid is taking nap, usually they won’t pee. (My experience and it is recorded in most site and book too.) You don’t need a cloth diaper to hold the pee for 1-2 hours nap.
The trick is, when your child is up, quickly bring them to toilet to pee.
Of course, you can let your child wear something thicker to avoid accident after nap, so the cleaning will be minimize.
I am using Bumwear but sometimes got leakage. You can refer to this site for more option:
http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/07/14/cloth-diapering-essentials-a-quick-guide/
http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/08/10/rumparooz-g2-one-size-cloth-diaper-snaps/
http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/12/14/compare-bummis-super-brite-whisper-wrap/
http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/09/13/drybees-pocket-diapers/
http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/11/27/moo-moo-kow-one-size-cloth-diapers/
Actually MieVee did many review, you can just hop on to her site and check out more!!!
Hi sunflower, thanks a lot for your comment on the cloth diaper during nap. Oh, I didn’t know that kid don’t pee while taking nap. I always assume they would follow their biological clock and pee every 30 mins or so… In fact, I notice my boy always has ‘heavy’ pampers right after he wake up from his nap. I’m sure the pee is during his nap, because just before his nap, he is all along using training pants and I will quickly change into diaper the moment he’s ready to go for his nap. Perhaps, that’s the reason why I see a slow progress in his potty training. I will try to put him to diaper cloth during his nap time .
Yvette never pees. I check many many times during training Yvette. Some think that when the tots sleep too deep, they might not able to hold their urine thus they pee. I feel it is more before they sleep or after.
You might wish to do a test. During weekend, you just check every half hour when he nap, then you will know when he pee. You don’t need to do it for many weekends, just one on Sat and one on Sun.
Let me know the result of your test. 😀
haha…interesting. Ok, I will try to experiment and update you on the result :). Thankssss so much for sharing
Actually recently, Yvette keeps wetting herself at night. (For past 3-4 nights already.) And before she passed urine, she did create a funny sound before she pee out, so I will say, she is not totally knock out when she passes urine in the middle of the night!