Bloglets...kids and cars

Booster Seats and Potty Training

July 31, 2007 | Categories:

Who'd a thought booster seats and potty training had anything in common?  Yes, they'll be four in November, no, they're still not potty trained.  Maybe we're bad parents?  Most tell us boys take longer to potty train than girls and the fact that they're multiples only adds to the frustration.  We've tried it all, potty charts where they can add stickers to mark their progress - can't seem to keep them on the walls.  Jelly bean rewards - they'd barely get on the potty and out stretches the hand, thinking merely sitting down deserves the prize.  We cheer each other on, encourage, yell and scream trying to just get them to try and that excitement wears off after a few times.  One seems to get it, another blindly follows his brother and the third will run kicking and screaming, doing anything to avoid it,  but maybe there's light at the end of the tunnel, or at least in the back seat :) We bought a new car a few weeks ago and the guys just love it, love looking in the garage at it, love sitting in it, love telling it good night before bedtime.  I hear, "I like your car daddy" all the time, the early makings of car guys, a pround moment for me, not so much for my wife.  I've taken them all for a few little rides around the block, without car seats, nothing far or fast of course.  I know, not safe, but they slide around in turns on the leather seats laughing and cheering, better than any amusement ride having such a good time!  So we decided to get a booster seat so they can take real rides with me.  Yep, that's right, a seat, not three, but one.  They all helped install it, took turns sitting in it in the back seat, you'd thought it was Christmas morning.  Well, the next hour or so was spent cruising around the neighborhood, one at a time with the windows down, each of them perched up on the seat able to see out the window where they hadn't been able to before since they sat so low.  And then it hit me, they each like to take rides in the new car.  Eric got to run get donuts for Saturday morning breakfast and Andrew got to go to the car wash.  The little look of excitement on their faces is simply priceless, so a new system is being put into place.  Points will be earned for going potty, without any flack in return, and eventually those points will earn them rides.  All the makings of a win-win situation, they get to go for a ride, I get more behind the wheel time in our new car.  Who'd a thought the two would go hand in hand???  

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