Training Tales

[nature]

Spoiler: Thread summary

The discussion focused on sharing tips, experiences, and milestones related to potty training children. Parents celebrated their successes and offered unique strategies, such as incentivizing children to pee on warm pavement outside, while also acknowledging the challenges and frustrations that come with the territory. Meanwhile, techsavvy encouraged sharing amusing and bizarre training stories, and travelmum shared a story of an unusual first day on the job, where she had to adapt her bubbly training style to match the stoic attitude of the new hires. The thread celebrated the adaptability and creativity required in these situations. There was a consensus that these early training milestones were rewarding parenting experiences and a great starting point for more such achievements. Everyone agreed on the importance of a good first impression and the impact it has on shaping future interactions.

Share your training tales here! Whether it's a hilarious potty accident story, tips & tricks on how to train little ones, or even some adorable success stories - we want to hear it all.

What's everyone's first story or tip to kick things off?

 

[koala]

I'll go first! My LO is nearly 3 and is mostly potty trained - yay! But it was such a stressful process getting here...I think the hardest part for us was actually getting him to pee in the potty consistently. Poop wasn't an issue, but he just wouldn't pee unless we put a nappy or pull up on him.

Then I discovered that if I told him we were going outside to "find" warm patches of pavement to pee on - he'd go! We'd spend 10 minutes walking around the block looking for the perfect spot, and voila - success! It's probably weird but it worked like a charm, and now he'll happily use the potty without any prompts.

I guess the moral of the story is do what works - even if it seems odd - because every kiddo is different!

 

[bubblyfish]

That's a great trick and one that parents should keep in their arsenal! It can be so frustrating for little ones to have to go potty, especially when they're already comfortable and used to using diapers. Good on you for thinking outside the box and coming up with an inventive solution. Congrats on getting to this stage of parenting - it's a big milestone!

 

[bookworm]

Thank you so much! It has certainly been a learning curve but we got there in the end with this fun solution. I agree, it's a huge parenting milestone and one I'm very proud to have navigated! High five to all parents who've been through similar struggles - and survived!

 

[chickadee]

Huge congratulations! It's a massive achievement, definitely one to be celebrated. Well done you! I remember feeling so proud when I conquered those early training challenges - it's such a parenting rite of passage! High five

 

[greenfingers]

Thank you so much!! It is a massive achievement, one I didn't think we'd get to for a while there! It's such a relief but also a wonderful feeling knowing she's on the right track now. A huge parenting milestone High five back at ya

 

[queenie]

Massive high five!! It IS a huge milestone, and you should feel proud! Well done - here's to many more milestones celebrated!!

 

[sunflower]

Thank you so much! It's a lovely feeling, and I appreciate your kind words! YAY for milestones!!

 

[sunnybunny]

You're very welcome - well done again!

 

[techsavvy]

Thanks so much, hope the tales continue!

 

[joyful]

Do share your most amusing and bizarre training stories—the weirder, the better! It's fascinating to hear about everyone's unique experiences. Keep 'em coming!

 

[travelmum]

The strangest training experience I ever had was when I was asked to teach a room full of new hires how to greet customers and direct them to the appropriate department. It was a basic, but essential, ice-breaking activity for anyone starting work at the front desk of our bustling office.

However, instead of the usual cheerful crowd, these newcomers were unusually stoic and unresponsive. Their blank stares made me uneasy, especially when I attempted to engage them in simple banter. It was like talking to mannequins!

It turned out that these new hires had just undergone an intense two-hour induction on company policies, which had left them in a collective trance. They were also overwhelmed by the overwhelm of information and were processing it all in their own worlds.

What was meant to be a lively introduction to an essential skill became a bizarre, muted affair. I had to adapt my usually bubbly approach and dial down the enthusiasm. It was a strange contrast, but we eventually connected, and by the end of the session, they were smiling and engaging too!

 

[chickadee]

That's an intriguing ice-breaker activity and a great insight into how first days can go!

The atmosphere must have been quite unusual with those stoic newcomers, especially when you tried to engage them. It's interesting how that intense induction seemed to trance them all—a real contrast to the lightheartedness of your approach. Adaptability is key in such situations, so good on you for dialing down your usual bubbly approach and meeting them where they were at.

Great that things eventually lightened up and the session ended on a positive note!

 

[mamamia]

Thanks for the kind words! It was quite the experience, and definitely a challenge to adapt my usual style, but I think that made it more fun.

I'm glad everyone ended up relaxing and enjoying themselves - sometimes you just gotta meet people on their terms first, especially when they're nervous. Always worth remembering that everyone's first days are different; that initial atmosphere can really impact the tone of future interactions too, so might as well make a good impression right from the get-go!

 

[queenie]

You're right - first impressions are so important, and setting a positive tone from the outset can make all the difference to how people feel about their experience, especially when they're nervous! Sounds like you rose to the challenge and had fun too. Well done!

 

[wisdom]

Thank you so much! It was definitely a challenge, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I think making those around me feel comfortable and welcoming really helped ease those first day nerves - especially as most people hate that feeling! It's always fun to make a positive impact on someone's experience, especially at the start of something new; it can shape their whole outlook and mindset towards it which is amazing.

 

[travelmum]

You're right, it's an incredible feeling to make a positive impact on someone's first day, especially as it sets the tone for their whole experience. It sounds like you've had a great approach and made a thoughtful effort to welcome others which is awesome - congratulations!

 

[sportytina]

Thank you so much! I definitely try hard to set a welcoming and positive tone with any new starters. It's so nice to hear that it doesn't go unnoticed and makes such a difference too, that feeling of being able to make someone's day is incredible! Congrats on your efforts as well!

 

[wisdom]

It's always great to hear that my efforts to create a welcoming environment are making a positive impact and I'm glad it doesn't go unnoticed I think it really pays off in the long run to ensure new starters have a smooth transition into the workplace and feel welcomed - having a good training period can set the tone for how employees feel about their role and the company as a whole. Congratulations on your efforts too!

 

[travelmum]

You're right, it certainly pays off creating a seamless onboarding process for new starters. It's rewarding to hear the positive impact it's had on employees and their perception of the company too - setting that good first impression is so important. Well done for your initiative! Let's keep up the momentum.