Potty training Tessa is slow going around here. (My fault, not Tessa's; I just gotta get serious about it.) When we first started doing it a bit, we bought a huge bag of Dum-Dum lollipops to reward her each time she managed to "go" in her frog potty--thus unlocking the secret to getting Tessa to do whatever we want her to. I'm not saying we're model parents by bribing our two year old with garbage, but I get a laugh out of the motley purposes Nekos and I have used miniature "ya-yee-pops" for. I especially like them to avoid public meltdowns and car crying; Nekos has a thing for bribing her to eat her meals, most of which she looks at with utter disdain. Whatever works.
Here are some of the things we've bribed Tessa to do or not do with the promise of a Dum-Dum:
- Pee in the potty.
- Not throw a tantrum.
- Stop throwing a tantrum.
- Stop crying in the car.
- Go to bed/take a nap.
- Eat a bite of a vegetable.
- Try a new food.
- Let us put clothes or shoes on her.
- Sit down/sit still.
- Take a bath.
- Let us comb her hair without screaming like a banshee.
Sometimes we even give her one just because she's cute.
