Linkage

The magic of Xanth and potty training charts

Ran around did some errands today. Hit the library. Brought back the three books I finished and was looking for something different. I tried some more Jeffrey Archer since I just returned some of his works when I looked up a shelf and there was the flashback. Piers Anthony the Xanth books. I'm talking the originals. The ones that set the stage.

My sister had brought the first book home from the library. I devoured after she had read it. I got my hands on the rest through Jazz.

In Middle School (6th through 8th grade) I had a friend called Jazz (was the short version of his long ass Polish surname). He had a grandmother who liked to spend money on him. She bought him books. He had the rest of the series and I had to bug him for them. I still remember standing by the lockers as he dug out the next book to loan me.

I still keep in touch with Jazz. He is a happily married man with two daughters. I have no problem picturing him that way. What blows my mind is he is a HS teacher. Not only that but he seems to really dig it. Just weird knowing the friend you sat next to in class is now the teacher. No matter how old we get never outgrow how we see ourselves and others to a certain degree.

So I grabbed 5 of the first 6 in the series. Centaur Aisle (book #4) was not in but I put a hold on it. Was in stock at another library not far off. I'll have it sometime next week. Started reading the first book (A Spell for Chameleon).

We had to go back to potty training basics with the MNA. She had a did a total revert. The 2 week trip out east didn't help.

Today we made a big deal out of it. She and I went to Staples. Bought some big colored poster boards (5 to a pack). She and I made the chart together on the living room floor. Now every time she goes potty in the toilet she gets a sticker to put on the board for that day. I randomly throw in a huge smiley face sticker to keep it fresh.

She is very excited over the stickers routine. The funniest is when she uses the upstairs toilet. She has to run downstairs before she even puts her training pull up back on to put the sticker up. I hope she keeps digging this method.

This has potential to be a better method then the old one of giving treats. The problem with that was she would save it up and let loose 2 drops just for the treat. 3 minutes later she would do it all again, rinse/repeat. The treats became the focus for her, not the potty. This new method should work better for her personality. Time will tell.

~The Dad