Thursday, January 13, 2011

The Nighttime Champ and Her Special Lamp

Tessa had a small Christmas tree in her room and we left the lights on each night. She loved the lights and grew accustom to it acting as a nightlight. So when it was time to take it down she complained about the darkness of her room. Yes, she does have a nightlight but apparently wanted a little more and the only other light in her room the bright overhead variety.

So, we made a deal with her that we would leave her tree up until she was able to sleep all night with no diapers, at which time we would buy her special lamp.

Drum roll, please.......

Ta-da! We are diaper free! She has been day trained since summer of 09 but night time is a whole other ball game, especially since she sleeps 10+ hours.
She didn't want to give up diapers at night (even though the size large Fuzzibunz were so small they were pinching her legs and leaving marks). She finally told me it was because she was scared that she might have to get up in the night and go potty in the dark.
That seems like a pretty valid concern to me. I myself have been known to take a late night stumble into a doorway or fall asleep on the toilet. (did I just type that?)
So I put the potty seat in her room, right next to the nightlight so she could see it, and just the comfort of it being there was enough for her to toss the diaper aside and not look back.
Aside from the occasional early morning nature call, she hasn't used it at all. But she knows it's there and that's enough.
After two weeks of successful nights, I came home from Target with a lamp and she FLIPPED her lid for it. Better in her mind than any Christmas present, I suppose because she earned it.

The first two nights she wanted to leave it on all night and that pesky lamp was the cause of some bad sleep for the whole family.Try reasoning with a three year old at 3 am who simultaneously wants it to be dark and wants her light to be left on. Now we leave it on for an hour or two, until the late night fairies come and turn it off.

What a big girl and a big achievement.

1 comment:

phasejumper said...

That is awesome! Way to go Tessa!!