All Because of Golden Rocks?

Potty training has been a long a tedious journey for me and my son. After he turned 2 I tried on and off to introduce the potty chairs, potty videos and books. All left my son with a great understanding about the activity but no interest in actually doing it.

Then came in the big guns. A wide assortment of jelly beans, stickers and bribes were introduced. This actually helped to peak his interest, but not for more than an isolated  visit. Some days he was receptive, and other days he flat out refused.

I didn't want it to be war.

I backed off.

I have heard so much advice over the past two years on the topic my head could explode! My favorite advice has been no child graduates in diapers. Okay, yeah... I know it will happen eventually but that is no consolation for a mom dreaming of child care options, play groups, camps and school. My son is almost 4 and now there are things we can't do because he isn't potty trained.

It isn't a physical problem. His pull-up stays relatively dry all night. He is just too busy during the day to care.

My MIL suggested a prize for reaching his goal. Well, at this point we will probably go broke when he finally does become potty trained from all the bribes promised. We have a Bruder Cement Mixer at the end of the hallway to remind him to go, a print out of the "big boy bike" we will buy him and of course the promise of a bag of "golden rocks".

What are "golden rocks", you ask? My son is obsessed with finding and collecting river rocks. Why? I have no idea. His potty training treat suggestion was for a bag of these beloved rocks. So, why not? We agreed to give him a bag of these when he could go 3 full days only using the potty.

Would you believe it, he finally earned his bag of golden rocks this week! We have had a few bumps in the road, but we are still on our way to having a potty-trained big boy. It has been a tough endeavor, but I finally think we are almost at the end. (Thank goodness!!) Who knew, it is all thanks of a bag of golden rocks.