Totally Aggravated With my DS

[scanne]

The battle of wills...or the battle of Wii. You decide.

My DS (age 4 1/2) is big time into computers and video games. Not something I'm proud of, but he just has a knack for these electronic devices. We let him play a little bit each day.

Well, he wanted a Wii system. I wanted him potty trained. Do you see where this is going?

So I got a chart. The catch was that he had to fill the chart with stickers and then he'd get Wii. He got one star for going #1 and a super sticker that filled 2 spaces for going #2. It took about 6 weeks for him to fill the chart. Some setbacks and accidents. Then for the last 3 weeks he has been going potty like a champ! I wasn't even having to remind him.

Then all of a sudden, he started having accidents again. In the past 2 days, he's soiled his pants (not #1 - the other) 4 times! So, I told him that Wii is gone. I made a new chart and he has to fill it all over again to get the Wii back.

I'm just soooooooooo frusturated. Any thoughts?

 

[Mermaid02]

My son was 4 when he finally trained too. We took something very dear to his heart away.... in 20 minutes he said, "Fine, you win" and it was over. Maybe taking the Wii will work.

 

[NewJersey]

That's a cute idea and teaching him that he has to work for what he wants, at a young age!

Good luck (to both of you! )

 

[Sandy V.]

I think your method is worth a try. Good luck!!!

 

[lindakmonty]

My son was 4 when he finally trained too. We took something very dear to his heart away.... in 20 minutes he said, "Fine, you win" and it was over. Maybe taking the Wii will work.

omg...that is too cute! "Fine, you win" Does that tell you that they know what they're doing or what! I think taking the Wii away will do the trick too!

 

[TinkInPink]

If he can handle a Wii there is no excuse for not being potty trained! There is no way he would have one in my house if he wasn't potty trained geez 4 1/2 maybe I'd cut him some slack at 2 1/2 but not 4 1/2. You kept your word now it is time for him to keep his word. No Wii until fully potty trained. you are more than right.


Didn't know my DD had been on the computer but she agrees!

 

[staley7580]

You are doing awsome!!!! You know what finally got my son to go #2 in the potty? Oreo Cookies. My DH told him that he would eat all the cookies unless Alex made poo in the potty. My ds said "NOOOO Fre-Fre, dont eat all the cookies!" Never had an accident again. Wetting his bed, thats a different story!

 

[pkasbohm]

I agree with you. I would make him work to get it back but i would tell him if he starts going in his pants again that it will be gone. That way he knows that it could go away if he doesn't keep on it.

 

[sap1227]

I think your plan is great (we did something similar with a chart and a trip on the Monorail)

But, I am wondering if maybe he is sick?? Does he usually go #2 multiple times per day (both my boys are once a dayers )?

 

[Laurabearz]

I am going through something similar with my 3 1/2 yo... santa brought him big boy toys for christmas, and he needs to use the potty in order to play with the toys...

It has been working great, but we have had set backs because he keeps getting the runs... turns out today I figured out why (peter pan peanut butter lot 2111)

Soooooooooooooo now I am hoping he can get on track without derailing too much!

But it does sound like your doing the right thing. He earned the Wii by going potty... he needs to keep up his end of the bargin

Best of luck! Keep us posted! ((hugs))

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I think you should change the Title to the battles of the Wii's or Wee's.

But I do think your on the right track with the rewards of playtime or taking it away.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Whatever works...sounds like a great plan for a video kid.

 

[Blondy876]

For a 4 year old (most of the time) potty training is all about who has the power, the control over the situation. You have given him the power. He has the power to get the Wii back. You have left it up to him (even though you set up the situation). You're doing the right thing, hang in there.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I also think you're doing great! We rewarded our son with small toys, and then after a whole month of no accidents, we went to the zoo or science center, I can't remember. Big deal, though! He had been very resistent to potty training up until then, and went through periods after that where he would have accidents a lot in a week. We cracked down and started taking away privileges (yes, he loves video games, too), and that seems to take care of it. (I think at this stage, he just gets so engrossed in what he's doing, he delays going to the bathroom until it's too late.)

Just for reference, we started potty-training at age 2, because he had a daycare teacher that insisted, though I didn't think he was showing any signs of readiness. He fought it the whole year, and suddenly when he moved up to the next class (where the kids were expected to be potty-trained), he had a few accidents, then did great. That teacher just behaved as if he were potty-trained, and when he had an accident, he needed to clean himself up. He had up and down weeks even in kindergarten, and a few accidents this year in 1st grade. Some kids just have a harder time with it.

 

[MrsPete]

So he must wee to get the Wii. Oui?

Rewards never worked for my girls. What finally did work was making them responsible for the mess. Had an accident? Okay, here's a washcloth -- you scrub the floor, now wash yourself, the clothes go into the washing machine. Oh, poopy pants? Those have to be washed out in the toilet -- yuck, that's dirty water. By the time I made them completely responsible, they were perfectly capable of using the potty, but they didn't want to stop playing. When I made it more difficult for them to clean up than to go to the potty in the first place, they decided to take the path of least resistance.

 

[Cool-Beans]

If you wait a while, he'll go to Kindergarten and get teased so horribly that he'll just toilet train himself. Easier than struggling for power and far more effective.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

So he must wee to get the Wii. Oui?

 

[scanne]

Hmmmmmmmm, perhaps lot 2111 IS to blame? He is usually a once a dayer....but he also gets distracted to the point of no return. Then it's too late. But he saw the new chart and took it rather well. Let's see how things go.

And yes, he has to wee to get wii, oui!!!

 

[golfgal]

If you wait a while, he'll go to Kindergarten and get teased so horribly that he'll just toilet train himself. Easier than struggling for power and far more effective.

I don't know about your area but they won't let kids in a regular kindergarten room if they are not potty trained here.

 

[EthansMom]

At 4.5, potty-training is all about power and control. In addition to offering your DS a reward for potty training, you also need to make not using the restroom as uncomfortable as possible. Is he in pull-ups? If so, stop using pull-ups. I can't tell you how much easier it was to potty-train both of my kids once I stopped using pull-ups. Once they had to put up with being wet and having messes when they had accidents, both DS and DD found a really good reason to use the restroom!

Good Luck!