We’re still working on the concept of toilet-training when Trixie lets us. Her interest in the subject comes and goes. She’ll get into it for a week or so, and then be indifferent for 3 weeks. We recently got a new potty for her to use. It’s larger, and — it takes batteries. It’s got a light-sensor built into the seat that chimes when ’something’ passes in front of it.
At first I was skeptical. Once the toilet is activated, an insanely bright, red LED shoots out and lights up the whole basin. Trixie immediately took to this new light-activated laser potty, and wasted no time poking around for hours in the glowing, pulsing basin. It was hard enough to keep her hands out of the toilet before. Now there’s a light show in the bathroom.
Oh sure, I know, you probably already have a laser in your toilet. But does yours make noise? When this one first turns on, it sounds like Microsoft Windows starting up. It’s a nice little chime, and while it doesn’t explicitly ask, “Where do you want to go today?”, you know that’s what it’s thinking.
Trixie gets into the whole process for the most part. It’s a great celebration when something actually happens and the toilet always keeps you informed. Chime — chime — chime — chime. However, Trixie has figured out how to game the toilet. If she shoves her hands in the basin while she’s sitting down, it will also chime, and that’s excellent, just excellent, hygienic behavior that bears reinforcing. She also totally gets into the “bye-bye” part when we transfer the potty basin to the REAL TOILET. She knows all about the flushing, and likes to make sure that everything is really gone.
This chiming, laser-potty is insane, and I’m sure this is just the beginning of a vicious potty marketing cycle. I know the way Fisher Price works. This time next year there will be potties that sing to kids, greet them by name. It will make us wonder how we ever got along without talking laser-toilets.
![[GIF IMAGE]: Trixie Update Masthead](/images/TTU-Masthead-200w.gif){kind=small}
![[GIF IMAGE]: Text: Trixie Picture of the Day](/images/tpod-title.gif){kind=small}
12 responses so far ↓
1 Rozanne // Oct 18, 2004 at 10:49 pm
OMG, you are TOO funny!
2 Nushi's mom // Oct 19, 2004 at 12:42 am
This chiming potty sounds crazy. My girl has just started saying “mamma, potty.” and she gives you a flash of a second to act. so within that you have to pick her up and rush to the nearest loo, fix the potty training stand to the actual pot and make her sit on that ( which she hates ) ..and the rest of the desc I would rather not get into. But those critical seconds are so important - if you miss it , ah ahem !
3 Jaynee // Oct 19, 2004 at 9:38 am
I have decided to wait until January to begin potty-training Olivia. She has shown almost NO interest in learning, so why bother? I’ve put a potty on her Xmas list and hopefully when she opens it it’ll spark her desire to be potty-trained. I’d love to have to only change ONE set of diapers soon - changing two kiddos is time-consuming!
4 Malinda // Oct 19, 2004 at 11:31 am
They all ready have a singing potty out there my friend has one and her son was so scared of it he wouldnt go into the bathroom so that didnt help her.
5 aidens momma // Oct 19, 2004 at 1:20 pm
ohhhhhhhh Ben!!! ive got some news for you!!!! there already ARE potties that greet them by name!!! heheee..better run out and get one for her!
6 Rob // Oct 19, 2004 at 2:36 pm
Fascinating! Do they make these for adults?
7 Captain Jerry // Oct 19, 2004 at 4:21 pm
Rozanne (up there) couldn’t have said it better…
Too funny!
The people at work are wondering why I’m crying!
8 aidens momma // Oct 19, 2004 at 6:51 pm
rob–i dont think so, but you could just practice your aim! lol…
9 Leslie // Oct 19, 2004 at 10:43 pm
This sounds great. So kids can’t fit on “real” toilets or is it fear issue? At what point do they move to the “real” toilet and what do you do when not at home?
As you can see, I am in denial on the whole potty-training thing b/c with Graham at 14 mos I think I have all this time. G disagrees as he has taken to responding to unacceptable delays in changing a dirty diaper by pulling his pants off and throwing them to the floor in angry protest as if to say “Mom, you would not want this in your pants - now get it out of mine!”
10 fred // Oct 20, 2004 at 9:03 am
Maybe this is the important linke between posts: perhaps the talking toilet idea will get Trixie to start talking to the toilet, addressing two important developmental steps at once.
11 Shawn // Oct 20, 2004 at 10:16 am
you mean like this… http://www.kiss-textil.de/galactikaen.htm
a tolit seat with LEDs in it.
12 Diane // Oct 21, 2004 at 6:01 pm
LOL,you’re hilarious. And the laser loo sounds insane.
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