Tri-State Neighbor: South Dakota Farm Newspaper

We've reached another milestone in parenting at the Sweeter household - potty training.

Karin became interested in the potty about mid-December. So, I bought her a potty chair.

Once we got it out of the box, she carried it around and sat on it in the kitchen for a while - still with all of her clothes on. I'm sure she figured it was just a new something to sit on.

About the first of January it got moved into the bathroom. More sitting on the potty fully clothed. Later in the month she figured out that she was supposed to take her pants off.

By the end of the month, she used it for the first time. What an exciting day! Too bad our next exciting day wouldn't come for at least another two or three weeks.

Most of the time when we'd go to sit on the potty, Karin thought it would be more fun to go in the bathroom and take off her pants and then sit on the rug or hide behind the shower curtain or take all of the towels out of the cupboard than sit on the potty.

Well, last week she had a wonderful week, especially the weekend. Last Saturday, she went in and did her business and we were done - multiple times. Then we got to this weekend and it was back to her same old ways, only now she liked to move her potty by the tub and then hide between them and jump out and yell “boo.”

Fantastic. Just when I thought we were moving ahead with the potty training, we revert back to the old way. It is driving me bonkers, but I guess one of these days we'll get the hang of it.

It's hard to believe that it's been five years since the first Ag Day celebration at the Washington Pavilion in downtown Sioux Falls. Bring the family for an interactive day of fun and educational agricultural activities March 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Test your ag knowledge at 2 p.m. with the Ag I.Q. Challenge.

Congratulations to our two readership survey $50 winners: Gerald L. Boe of Wolsey, S.D., and Paul Boyenga of Ellsworth, Minn.

We had 318 surveys returned to us. We appreciate your input.

Sweeter House Update: It was a big weekend of work in the upstairs. Kurtis continued to frame and has all of the rooms framed, but needs to put in a few little boards here and there. My father-in-law came over on Sunday and started work on the electrical. Hopefully by the end of the month we will be on to insulation.

Comments »

Karen wrote on Mar 14, 2008 11:48 AM:

" I used potty training rewards. The audio and chocolate treats were powerful incentives to fully potty train our son. He loves pushing the button hearing he is a Big Boy. He was peeing and pooping in his potty within a week. I know every child is different, but have a look and see if this would work for you. www.pottytrainingrewards.com "

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