"I have diaper rash and it hurts!!!"

So, you all know we are attempting to potty train around here, mainly just by talking about what a "big girl" thing it is, allowing Emily to pick out big girl panties any time we are at Target or Gymboree and telling her all about the treats (Smarties, M&M's, Jellybeans, etc.) that she will earn when she uses the potty and physically showing her how small the pull-up stack is getting (we've been telling her that we are running out and there are no more once they are gone).

That's about it! 

No forcing her, no taking away her pull-ups and making her wear panties... at least not yet.

I am also taking advantage of ANY opportunity that comes my way to explain how it's important for her to learn to use the potty and wear big girl panties and today was an excellent day for that as she pooped and ended up with diaper rash and I had no idea (we were at a play date).


Emily: (running up to me, crying) "Mama, I have the diaper rash, in my pull-up, it hurts!!!!"

Me: "Oh, thanks for telling me, I'll change you and we'll take a bath when we get home to make it feel better and then, I'll teach you how to use the potty"

Emily: (sobbing hysterically) "I don't want to use the potty, I just want to be a big girl and wear my pull-up"

Me: "Emily, learning to use the potty is how we get rid of diaper rash.  Diaper rash happens because you poop in your pull-up and it makes a rash on your bottom because it just sits there.   Don't you want to get rid of diaper rash?"

Emily: (no longer sobbing and very interested) "Oh, yes, I don't want anymore diaper rash, let's use the potty!"  And she marches off to the bathroom happily.


Once we get home, I bath her, put diaper rash cream on her (she absolutely HATES this process so, again, I use this opportunity to tell her that once she learns to use the potty, she won't need diaper rash cream anymore) and we discuss using the potty tomorrow.  She seems pretty gung-ho... we shall see.