My son is adjusting to the routine and schedule at school. I can tell that he's learning things at school that spill over at home.
When we were first potty-training, he wanted me to come watch, clap when he was done, flush the toilet for him, and pull up his pants. Then he wanted me to wash his hands. I was more than pleased to do all of this because it meant no more diapers.
At school, this was a problem. The first week or so he came out of the stall with his pants around his ankles and expected his teacher to do for him what I'd been doing. Reality check. His teacher was not going to do that. She's his teacher, not his mother. Truthfully, I was worried about this.
But then I noticed that at home he was pulling up his own pants, flushing the toilet himself, and washing his hands. I still needed to remind him for a few weeks. Now, he goes into the bathroom at home completely on his own. I never have to remind him. He does his own wiping, he takes care of all his business, and I'm not involved at all.
Through all of this, he's not had an accident. He truly is potty-trained because he now monitors it himself. Hallelujah! I think going to school really helped with this and I think he's learning the routine and schedule at school now. He gets in line after going to the bathroom and sits in the right place, in the right way (the school expects students to sit cross-legged and look forward while in line), and then gets up and follows his class back to their room. He's "getting it" I think.
He did have problems in the school bathroom with being silly and going in and locking all the stalls so the other boys couldn't use the toilet. And he did use the urinal to wash his hands--that still makes me dry heave. I went up to the school for a few days during potty time to make sure he was behaving in the bathroom. Hopefully, it's now resolved. At least I haven't heard back that he's still being silly in there. Or--gag, gag--using the urinal to wash his hands. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
We are still in the midst of testing so we'll see what happens after the testing scores come back. I do know he can read and sound out letters to read unfamiliar words. His handwriting needs work, but he's improving. He needs to work on math facts, but he's slowly coming along.
We did have issues with him at the cafeteria. He saw that there were chicken nuggets and cheese burgers and he figured it was free food (after all, the food at home is free). He'd finish his lunch, then go through the line to get what he wanted from the cafeteria. Of course, it wasn't free. And he wasn't punching in his pin number, they were doing that for him. Once I got the bill, I talked to the cafeteria manager and his teacher and others to make sure he doesn't keep getting food. I pack him a lunch every day. It may not be as exciting as chicken nuggets, but I make it for him with lots of love :).
School has definitely been an adjustment for all of us, but I think it's been a positive one. So far anyway.
Showing posts with label potty training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label potty training. Show all posts
Friday, October 11, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Potty Training, Part 2
I'd been told that three days was the magic number, so when I tried potty-training before, I'd give up after three days. I have potty-trained 9 other kids, but my son was different, so I felt like I was in uncharted waters.
At the beginning of June, I decided we were going to potty-train, no matter what. I'd used diapers to try before because I didn't want potty messes all over the house. I think that was a mistake. I tried pull-ups and, for the same reason, I think that was a mistake. He knew he could potty in the diaper, and the pull-up, so there wasn't anything new or different about it.
I put him in underpants and told myself I just had to be willing to clean up messes. I told myself that'd be a small price to pay if it meant getting out of diapers.
Day one, I set him on the toilet. He didn't go. We waited and waited and waited. Finally, I let him off, but put underpants on him. When he had an accident, I whisked him into the bathroom and put him on the toilet. We waited and waited and waited. I'd read that it was important to let him actually go on the toilet, even if it meant waiting. That's what we did. We read books, sang songs, talked about going potty while he sat on toilet. Finally, he went. I did a big dance, clapped my hands, told him he was awesome. He loved all the attention.
I put him on the toilet every 30 minutes or so. If he had an accident, I put him right on the toilet and let him sit there until he went. At first, it took him a long time from sitting on the toilet to actually going, but by the end of the first week, he would go as soon as I sat him on the toilet. I still did big dances, clapped, and told him he was awesome.
The first week, we were probably 50-50 for accidents. A big improvement over diapers. I didn't give up after 3 days, I did not let him put on diapers at all, and I consistently asked him to go potty and put him on the toilet every 30 minutes or so. He knew I was serious because I wouldn't let him have diapers and because we kept going to the bathroom. I spent the majority of my days that week in the bathroom with him.
The second week, we were probably 25-75. He was improving. I sat him on the toilet every 30 minutes or so at the beginning, but lengthened it out toward the end of the week. By the end of the week, he started to tell me when he needed to go.
The third week, we were a little better, maybe 20-80. By this time, I was making him pull up his own underpants, flush the toilet, and wash his own hands. As soon as he started to pee in his pants, he'd run to the bathroom, so even though we still had accidents, they weren't very big and he was taking himself to the bathroom to finish.
The fourth week, we were at 10-90 and we worked on him wiping his own behind. During this week, I didn't go into the bathroom at all with him. He was taking care of it by himself--he did come and get me afterward to show me what he'd done in the toilet so I could give him high fives and tell him he was awesome. (He loves that attention).
We have not gone back to diapers. He's dry all night. He uses the toilet on his own and washes his hands by himself. He still has accidents here and there, but he takes his underpants to the laundry when he does and gets a new pair. We still get excited and do dances when he goes. Hopefully, we won't have to keep doing that indefinitely.
This won't work for all kids with Down syndrome, and it's important to pay attention to your child to see if he is ready and can understand what it means to use the toilet. For my son, he was stubborn. He liked diapers. I had to finally be committed to potty-training when we could stay home all week and I had to be more stubborn about it than he was about wearing diapers. This might have worked for him a few years ago, but I kept waiting for him to tell me he was ready, like my other kids had done, until I realized I had to be the one to insist he do it.
We are a step closer now to going to school. And we don't have to buy or change diapers. After 26 years, we are done with diapers. Wahooooooo!!!!
At the beginning of June, I decided we were going to potty-train, no matter what. I'd used diapers to try before because I didn't want potty messes all over the house. I think that was a mistake. I tried pull-ups and, for the same reason, I think that was a mistake. He knew he could potty in the diaper, and the pull-up, so there wasn't anything new or different about it.
I put him in underpants and told myself I just had to be willing to clean up messes. I told myself that'd be a small price to pay if it meant getting out of diapers.
Day one, I set him on the toilet. He didn't go. We waited and waited and waited. Finally, I let him off, but put underpants on him. When he had an accident, I whisked him into the bathroom and put him on the toilet. We waited and waited and waited. I'd read that it was important to let him actually go on the toilet, even if it meant waiting. That's what we did. We read books, sang songs, talked about going potty while he sat on toilet. Finally, he went. I did a big dance, clapped my hands, told him he was awesome. He loved all the attention.
I put him on the toilet every 30 minutes or so. If he had an accident, I put him right on the toilet and let him sit there until he went. At first, it took him a long time from sitting on the toilet to actually going, but by the end of the first week, he would go as soon as I sat him on the toilet. I still did big dances, clapped, and told him he was awesome.
The first week, we were probably 50-50 for accidents. A big improvement over diapers. I didn't give up after 3 days, I did not let him put on diapers at all, and I consistently asked him to go potty and put him on the toilet every 30 minutes or so. He knew I was serious because I wouldn't let him have diapers and because we kept going to the bathroom. I spent the majority of my days that week in the bathroom with him.
The second week, we were probably 25-75. He was improving. I sat him on the toilet every 30 minutes or so at the beginning, but lengthened it out toward the end of the week. By the end of the week, he started to tell me when he needed to go.
The third week, we were a little better, maybe 20-80. By this time, I was making him pull up his own underpants, flush the toilet, and wash his own hands. As soon as he started to pee in his pants, he'd run to the bathroom, so even though we still had accidents, they weren't very big and he was taking himself to the bathroom to finish.
The fourth week, we were at 10-90 and we worked on him wiping his own behind. During this week, I didn't go into the bathroom at all with him. He was taking care of it by himself--he did come and get me afterward to show me what he'd done in the toilet so I could give him high fives and tell him he was awesome. (He loves that attention).
We have not gone back to diapers. He's dry all night. He uses the toilet on his own and washes his hands by himself. He still has accidents here and there, but he takes his underpants to the laundry when he does and gets a new pair. We still get excited and do dances when he goes. Hopefully, we won't have to keep doing that indefinitely.
This won't work for all kids with Down syndrome, and it's important to pay attention to your child to see if he is ready and can understand what it means to use the toilet. For my son, he was stubborn. He liked diapers. I had to finally be committed to potty-training when we could stay home all week and I had to be more stubborn about it than he was about wearing diapers. This might have worked for him a few years ago, but I kept waiting for him to tell me he was ready, like my other kids had done, until I realized I had to be the one to insist he do it.
We are a step closer now to going to school. And we don't have to buy or change diapers. After 26 years, we are done with diapers. Wahooooooo!!!!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Progress and Patience
My son is making some great progress. He's now asking for things, usually with a sign, but sometimes verbally. He led me by the hand over to a box of bananas and made the sign for "banana" and then the sign for "more." He's attempting to say more words and sometimes without any prompting at all. I'm pleased with his progress. I wish he'd start speaking in full sentences right now, but, if nothing else, he is teaching me to be patient.
We're still potty-training, sort of. He now calls attention to himself when he uses his diaper and makes a face. He notices when his diaper is dirty and he doesn't like it. And, he usually wakes up in the morning with a dry diaper. So maybe we're heading in the right direction. Again, he's teaching me patience.
Maybe God sent him to me to remind me to slow down, to enjoy each day, and to celebrate the small things that I've always taken for granted with my other kids.
We're still potty-training, sort of. He now calls attention to himself when he uses his diaper and makes a face. He notices when his diaper is dirty and he doesn't like it. And, he usually wakes up in the morning with a dry diaper. So maybe we're heading in the right direction. Again, he's teaching me patience.
Maybe God sent him to me to remind me to slow down, to enjoy each day, and to celebrate the small things that I've always taken for granted with my other kids.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Memory Skills
I've heard that kids with DS have problems with memory skills so I've been watching my son. Since he's still young, I don't know yet about long-term memory, but he seems to be able to remember things like how to turn on the computer after I've turned it off, how to access his favorite websites (like Starfall), and how to lock me out of the house (while he smiles at me).
Today I watched him match words on Starfall. I've seen him match items like apples or dogs or flowers, but I've never seen him match words. I thought maybe he was just lucky the first time I saw him do it, but he repeated it by matching four more words. When he finished, he looked at me with a smile and then pointed to the screen. He realized he'd done what he was supposed to do for that particular game.
I'll continue to watch him for memory skills.
As far as potty-training, he has had many dry diapers in the morning and he's had long periods of a dry diaper during the day. He also points to his diaper when it's wet and says, "Eeeww." I nod my head and say, "Eeeww." Then I sing, "Potty in the diaper, no, no, Potty in the toilet, yes, yes." I think he's getting ready, but I don't want to push him and stress him out and then make it take longer. So we'll keep working on potty-training.
And, he's the only one home with me now that school has started. Very weird. I haven't only had one child home in over twenty years. I'm looking forward to one-on-one time with him and helping him grow and learn.
Today I watched him match words on Starfall. I've seen him match items like apples or dogs or flowers, but I've never seen him match words. I thought maybe he was just lucky the first time I saw him do it, but he repeated it by matching four more words. When he finished, he looked at me with a smile and then pointed to the screen. He realized he'd done what he was supposed to do for that particular game.
I'll continue to watch him for memory skills.
As far as potty-training, he has had many dry diapers in the morning and he's had long periods of a dry diaper during the day. He also points to his diaper when it's wet and says, "Eeeww." I nod my head and say, "Eeeww." Then I sing, "Potty in the diaper, no, no, Potty in the toilet, yes, yes." I think he's getting ready, but I don't want to push him and stress him out and then make it take longer. So we'll keep working on potty-training.
And, he's the only one home with me now that school has started. Very weird. I haven't only had one child home in over twenty years. I'm looking forward to one-on-one time with him and helping him grow and learn.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Reading and Potty Training
Yep, we're still working on potty training, probably will be for quite some time. While my son sits on the toilet I read him books. He's doing more and more signs for pictures in the books. I was reading him an ABC book and we got to the letter N. The illustration was notes, as in musical notes. I had never read this book to my son before, but he pointed at the notes and started singing and waving his arms around as if leading others in singing. I was shocked to see him connect musical notes to singing and can only guess he recognized them from the hymnbooks we use each Sunday.
Kids with Down syndrome generally do not have good memories, or so I've read. But, my son definitely remember things, even things I wouldn't guess he'd remember like those musical notes.
Every day is an adventure with my son. I find it exhilirating to see what he'll do each day and to watch him grow and learn. I never would've thought this when he was born, but I'm very, very grateful I have a son with Down syndrome! I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father chose me to be his mom.
Kids with Down syndrome generally do not have good memories, or so I've read. But, my son definitely remember things, even things I wouldn't guess he'd remember like those musical notes.
Every day is an adventure with my son. I find it exhilirating to see what he'll do each day and to watch him grow and learn. I never would've thought this when he was born, but I'm very, very grateful I have a son with Down syndrome! I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father chose me to be his mom.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Potty Training Update
We're still working on potty training. My son will sit on the potty each morning. He likes to see a doll use the potty first so I "feed" the baby and then let it go potty on the toilet. He then jumps up on the seat and sits there while I read him books. He hasn't actually gone potty yet, but he knows what it means when I say, "Let's go potty." He'll sit there for awhile and he understands that afterwards he needs to flush the toilet and wash his hands. He isn't afraid of the toilet which is progress for him.
I read short book on potty training in one day. It isn't really in one day because you spend a few weeks ahead of time preparing for the "big day" and then you spend a few weeks, or even months, afterwards cleaning up accidents and following up on using the toilet. For my other 9 kids I've just waited until they were ready and looked for signs that they could understand. Since my youngest has had dry diapers and points to his diaper when he wets, I think he's getting ready.
We also watch potty training DVDs and sing songs about it.
It's slow going, but he'll get there. Meanwhile, we'll read a lot of books and sing a lot of songs together.
I read short book on potty training in one day. It isn't really in one day because you spend a few weeks ahead of time preparing for the "big day" and then you spend a few weeks, or even months, afterwards cleaning up accidents and following up on using the toilet. For my other 9 kids I've just waited until they were ready and looked for signs that they could understand. Since my youngest has had dry diapers and points to his diaper when he wets, I think he's getting ready.
We also watch potty training DVDs and sing songs about it.
It's slow going, but he'll get there. Meanwhile, we'll read a lot of books and sing a lot of songs together.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Potty Training
I have potty-trained 9 kids. I'm not sure how it will go this time. I've read on others' blogs that it may take a couple of years to potty-train my son. I bought him a cute little Cars potty chair, but he doesn't seem too interested in it. Since he's my youngest, I'm not that concerned about it, but then I don't want him to start school still needing to potty-train. I would think he'd be embarrassed if he had accidents at school or had to wear pull-ups so I'm going to try really hard to get him trained before he attends school.
We watched a DVD today about going potty. It's Blue's Clues style and he seemed to enjoy it. I guess I'll see if it has any effect. I've never used videos/DVDs or potty chairs so this is all new to me. I'm going to be optimistic and hope it won't take too long.
If you have any hints, please, let me know. I'd love to hear any and all ideas to get through this next milestone.
We watched a DVD today about going potty. It's Blue's Clues style and he seemed to enjoy it. I guess I'll see if it has any effect. I've never used videos/DVDs or potty chairs so this is all new to me. I'm going to be optimistic and hope it won't take too long.
If you have any hints, please, let me know. I'd love to hear any and all ideas to get through this next milestone.
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