Good News and Bad News
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
February 6, 2009 12:14pm CST
Well, today was my shopping day. Recently I started 2 discussions about some decisions I had to make today. One was about whether or not to continue shopping at Walmart to save money, or to go to another store to save stress. Another was about what to do with my potty training toddler while we'd be out all day.
Well, here are the updates:
My first stop on our shopping trip was at a regular grocery store instead of Walmart. I thought I'd just check out the prices and see how it compaired to Walmart. I couldn't really see too much of a difference in most of the prices, so I did end up doing a lot of shopping there. Most weeks I spend around $100 or less at Walmart, well, I ended up spending nearly $150 at the grocery store today, and didn't even get everything I needed.
So, unfortunatly, since it's at least a $50 a week difference, I'm afraid I'll have to continue to deal with the stress and shop at Walmart.
So that's the bad news.
Now, with my toddler. I left him in pants and underwear, and brought 4 pair of clean pants as a back up, plenty of wipes, and a couple diapers just in case (normally our shopping trips last from 9:30 am until 2pm). So we got to the grocery store and the first thing we did was go to the bathroom. I sat him on the potty, but he got scared and began crying. He cried so much he even upset his baby brother. So, I took him off the potty and we went about our shopping. When we were done we went to the bathroom to try it again. This time he wouldn't even go near the potty, he cried, and again his brother cried. I tried to coax him into it, but he wanted no part of it. So again I gave up, and we left.
We went to our second stop, the wholesale club, and again our first stop was at the bathroom, and again he wanted no part of it. Thus far he hadn't had an accident, but I knew it was only a matter of time. So we went about our shopping, and just as we were almost done I could see he had to go. He was holding himself and doing a little dance. So we rushed to the bathroom. He cried and fought me, but I managed to get him on the potty, the whole time he's throwing a fit and trying to get down. But almost the moment his fanny hit the seat, he began to go in the potty. I smiled and praised him, and he eventually started to smile too. We finished up and from there came home.
So, he went all morning without an accident, and my shopping trip with a potty trainer wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and both my decisions have been solved.
So I just wanted to update everyone. How has your day gone so far? Are you doing any shopping today, or this weekend? Do you have to shop with a potty trainer?
2 people like this
11 responses
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
9 Feb 09
That really stinks that the smaller grocery store had you over spending by $50 without even getting everything you were supposed to get. Now you know at least and you won' be making that trip next week.
Congrats to your son on staying dry the whole shopping trip. I started trying to get my daughter potty trained about 2 weeks ago. She is very stubborn about it, so it as been a task. She is still wearing a diaper when we go out because she just flat out refuses to use the potty at a store. She will say she needs to go and then refuses to actually go.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
9 Feb 09
My toddler is picking it up very quickly this time around. He hasn't had a single accident since Friday evening after dinner. I'm still putting him to bed in a diaper, but that's it. Although we don't leave the house too much, I'd like to try to not put diapers on him during the day at all anymore, even if we have to go out.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
9 Feb 09
Shame you ended up spending more on your shopping, but at least you know now. I hate it when I try something different hoping to save money but end up spending more. Its so fantastic about your son, my boys were like that, so fast but my daughter, well she is another matter. I have tried everything but she just does not want to know. I need to get her out soon as she starts nursery in september and she is 3 she cant go there still wetting herself!! She is so different from the boys its unbelievable!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
9 Feb 09
That is weird because girls are usually smarter than boys. When the twins were little I figured my daughter would have no problem potty training, but I wanted to do both at once, so I made her wait until her brother was ready. They were around 3 and a half when I finally got them potty training, and they did pick it up quickly, but #2 was a hassle for months and months. They just wouldn't do that in the potty. It was frustrating, especially when they were almost 4 and still pooping in their pants, on the floor, rubbing it on the walls, oh barf! lol. But Aydan's doing great. He hasn't had an accident in like 3 days, and he's gone poop in the potty at least twice now.
@ricknkae (1721)
• United States
6 Feb 09
congrats for the potty training ... how old is your little one?... mine is 2 and not potty trained yet either ..and I m not even talking about when we are outside, he doesn;t even want at home :(
For groceries I used to o to walmart but recently I switched to Food Depot and cut about 40% off ... which is very good and it prevents us from buying "fancy " things not on the list such as French bread for instance that they do not have at food depot
A long time ago before we moved we used Save a lot and I liked it even better than food depot but we do not have one where we live now ...maybe you have one around
anyway keep the good work for the potty training, alll my best wishes of success:)
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
6 Feb 09
He's a bit over 2 and a half now. When he was about 20 months we attempted the potty training and he just wasn't ready for it. I tried it for a couple weeks, but we were both frustrated and stressed, so we gave up. This time around he's taking to it much better, and he even just did his first poop on the potty, after only training for just a few days! He's doing so well and I'm so proud.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
7 Feb 09
well for your bad news, that sucks that it costs so much more to go somewhere other than walmart. do you have stores like aldi's or save a lots? those tend to save some money. So for your good news, that's great! It has been a few months since we've had to travel with a potty training child. Our next trial at that will probably be sometime this summer if we are lucky. Our son will be 2 in July. I don't know if he will be ready then or not. He's pretty smart though so who knows.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
7 Feb 09
My toddler is really smart too, and I tried it when he was about 20 months old, and it just didn't go well, so we gave up for a few months. But now he's picking up on it like a champ.
As far as Aldi's and Save A Lots, yes, we have a few of those here and there, and I have shopped at them before, but to be honest, I don't like them much. The Save A Lots that I've been to are dirty and smelly, and neither store has all the items I need, so I'd still have to go to Walmart anyways for the remaining items on my list that they don't have. Plus everything there is generic, and certain things I just have to have name brand.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
7 Feb 09
Hey kats! Well, sorry to hear about your trip to the grocery
store being that much of a difference to Walmart! But, I do
agree with you that the $50 is definitely a reason to go
back there unfortunately! I think that was really great that
the potty training went so well! He really was a trooper! Not
even an accident! I don't blame him for not wanting to use
a strange toilet! I don't like to either! lol Good for him!
He did really well! I think you aren't going to have too much
trouble with your training! So at least something went well
today!
@jcay_lorna (433)
• Ireland
7 Feb 09
I'm glad that you're potty training went well with you today while doing your shopping. With regards to shopping, I myself have to shop around and compare prices. I am lucky though because I live near the city center where the shop is just around the corner. Thats why I have the luxury of having to shop around and know where is the best place to get the stuff that I wanted. I don't know which of the two shops is more convenient for you. Sometimes we buy things in the shops that are convenient to us even if we know they are more expensive. But then if you have time to shop, you might as well to the place where you know its cheap. 50$ is a big enough savings in this economic crisis I think. Anyway, hope your potty training will go smoothly. I better go shopping now that your discussion reminded me of it. Just want to share my thoughts before I go. hehehe Have a nice day!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
7 Feb 09
We do have quite a few shops, and although most aren't exactly convenient, I do drive half an hour out of my way to the Wholesale club because that helps to save me money. There are shops close by to there, so that would be convenient. But we normally only go for convenience when we're picking up one or two things, not doing loads of shopping. And since I have a large family of 7, saving money is by far the most important thing.
@sweetpeasmom (1325)
• United States
7 Feb 09
That is so awesome !! It is kind of bitter sweet in a way when they start using the potty. Kind of happy because they are growing up, but sad at the same time because they are growing up. We got a potty chair for our son and he will sit on it but has not used it yet. We are trying to introduce it to him slowly. I did not get any shopping done the past week. Hope to Monday.
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
12 Feb 09
Congratulations on a successful potty training mission! I'm sure next time your son will be far more willing to use the facilties whilst you are out.
It's a shame about the expense of shopping elsewhere. It would be an interesting experiment to compare your till receipt to your normal Walmart one and see where the extra money went.
@4ofmyown (1119)
• United States
6 Feb 09
I am glad your outing was without a wet incident. That is awesome. I am glad he got over being frightened in the bathroom. My daughter is 8 and still doesn't like to be in the stall when the toilet is flushed because they can be so loud. Sorry about your grocery bill...that really stinks. If it was just a few dollars then it might be worth going to the regular store but $50 is alot of money...I would go back to Walmart too (don't tell my husband!)
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
6 Feb 09
When I saw my bill I almost left all the stuff there and said forget about it. I wasn't thrilled with the whole experience, mostly because I have no idea where things are in that store, and the baby had been miserable the whole time, so I was already stressed, and I'm not used to the types of items they sell there. I just don't like change much. I'm sure if I stuck with it I'd get used to it and be okay with it, but at those prices, I just can't stick with it. There were some things that were a few cents less than at Walmart, but I think for the most part everything was a bit more expensive. I already have to split things up between 2 stores, I don't want to have to go to 3. As it is I do have to go to Walmart later for the things I didn't get, incluging diapers which were $3 more expensive at the other store, and toilet paper, the other store didn't even carry my brand. So I'm seriously over spending this week, which is not good at all.
To make matters worse, I over spent by about $20 at the wholesale club too. No idea how I did that!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
6 Feb 09
what a confusion to go through but it turned out o.k. as he got the idea in the end. 
He will do potty again in a new bathroom next time. Well done. But sorry about your food increases. That is not good as you will have to deal with the stress that it gives you. 
Going home now to go to bed for the weekend so see you on Monday! One Love
He will do potty again in a new bathroom next time. Well done. But sorry about your food increases. That is not good as you will have to deal with the stress that it gives you. Going home now to go to bed for the weekend so see you on Monday! One Love
Have a great weekend! Thanks for responding.