Potty Training Darcy - First Official Failed Attempt

I heard about a book called "Toilet Training in Less Than a Day", so I checked it out of the library. I should have known when the last due date on the card was from 1989 that this was not going to be a success. Actually, I have heard that the method works (it was featured on the Today Show) when the child is physically and mentally ready. There is a "Readiness Test", and even though Darcy failed with flying colors I thought, "Readiness-Shmeadiness, let's try it anyway!". So, I bought this doll that goes potty, bought tons of crappy food (orange pop, kool-aid, potato chips, candy, etc.) per the book's recommendation. The basic idea is that Darcy teaches her doll to go potty and in doing so learns all the steps for herself. Then I check her undies every few minutes and if they are dry she gets salty snacks, fun drinks, candy, etc. (to make her drink liquids and have more chances to go). Oh, and you lock yourself in the bathroom all morning.

So after 15 minutes the child is supposedly close to going, so you stick them on the potty and they have their first success. Right? WRONG. 2 hours later Darcy had still not gone potty. She had completely moved on - I basically sat on the bathroom floor eating Doritos and drinking orange pop all morning while Darcy ignored me and played with the potty doll (whom she named Gwennie). Then after 2 1/2 hours she went in the living room and peed all over the floor. This continued several more times throughout the day, and the next day we were back to diapers. Just like that.

One funny thing happened though... I had to squeeze the potty doll's leg to make the pee come out. I didn't realize Darcy noticed, but then she sat on the potty herself and nothing happened. She looked at the doll and then said to me, "maybe she could skeez my leg." So the doll squeezed Darcy's leg for her. Then once Gwen came home from preschool, she was the official "leg skeezer" for the rest of the day.

Maybe next time!!