Toddler Independence...

So this week I read in one of my education books for school a chapter based on Autonomy-seeking toddlers. It was about how toddlers are searching for independence. It was really interesting and gave me insight into some of Colton's behaviors. It explains how them saying "No" is simply a way of them making a choice, and has to deal with them becoming independent. It also explains why Colton wants to do everything on his own lately! Everything is "My turn." He picks out which diaper he wants to wear "Car" (the pull ups) or "My gow" (that means Mickey Mouse. lol. the regular diapers.) He will not let you put on his diaper if it is not the one he picks out. He also tries to put it on and likes to help wipe himself. He has been trying to do a lot of things on his own and "My Turn" is his favorite phrase.

As for independence, he is doing really good in another field.. potty training. I started the introduction of the potty and what it is and all that when he was about 1 1/2. They say it is hard for boys to potty train and most aren't even trained by three. Well, he took to it very well. For the longest time, he would go to the potty but by the time he got there, it was too late. Well, lately, he has been telling me before he gets to the potty. Two times today, he told me "poo poo" but there was nothing in his pants. So we RAN to the potty. He got up on it and went right away. It was awesome!! He always does good with pee-pee but always poopies in his pants. It was so great not having to clean it up. LOL! I was really hoping to only have one kid in diapers and it looks like that may atually happen! Tayler will be here in about 4 months so I think if we work hard on it, he can be completely potty trained by the time she is born.

On another note, I introduced time out and the naughty seat today for the first time. Sometimes Colton gets very demanding. I understand the need to be independent, but I can only allow it to go to a certain extent. He is always telling me what to do and not listening to me, and I guess I just had enough. He kept hurting the dogs today (poking their eyes, hitting, pulling their legs etc.) He knows he is not supposed to do this because Kyle and I always get onto him about being mean. Well, he kept hurting them, and it's always when they are sleeping! I told him if he did not leave them alone and be nice then he was going to time out. He would get near them and I would aks him "You want to go to time out?" and he would say "No" so, he knows time out is bad. Well he kept testing me and I read children will keep testing you to see what is actually a boundary and what isn't. Well, he tested me too many times and hurt the dogs too many times, so he got put in a naughty seat in the hallway in time out. He did not like it.... He was crying so hard. He kept laying on the floor but I kept picking him up and putting him back on it (as I always see on Super Nanny) and eventually he stayed. I made him sit there for about 2 minutes and asked him if he was going to be nice and he said yes. So, I let him up and told him if he is mean, he is going to time out. Well, he ran over to the dogs, pet them and gave them both a kiss. So, I think he knew he did bad because he went over to them and was nice! We have been popping his booty, but he just doesn't seem to care, so I decided to try a new approach. Hopefully this one will work. Sometimes I feel so stressed out because he feels so out of control at times, so hopefully this discipline approach will work!!