Potty Power

To potty train or not potty train, the ultimate toddler dilemma.

I have decided that we are not potty training, but instead we are entering phase one of potty awareness. I've seen too many parents try and potty train too early and then experience potty trauma, potty regression, and major potty frustration.

But there is this little voice who whispers, "If you don't start now you might miss the most impressionable moments and later it will be much harder."

The other voice, the voice of true reason, informs me that boys generally figure out this potty stuff closer to 3, and that with most monumental transitions thus far, it has been best to ease into things and let me son initiate. This is what we did with weening, the bottle, pacifier, bassinet, crib and toddler bed. These were all short patches of mommy insanity. Now they don't seem like such big deals and we all made it through. Of course the person who had the hardest time was the mother, not the son.

However, this recent experience is testing my resolve. My child has a certain dislike for anything foreign in his diaper. The second this happens, off the diaper goes. We've had search parties for these diapers which have ended with mommy scrubbing the floor when piles of happiness are found; one of the many reasons I am thankful for hardwood.

This is when I tend to think I need to listen to my first voice and pursue some rigid potty chair sessions. Then I share my story with other mothers, and I hear antics of finger painting. I immediately become thankful mine has not turned to artistic pursuits.

Unfortunately, we discovered a DVD entitled, "Potty Power." I thought this might do the trick, help him keep his diapers on, magically get him to the porcelain throne before instead of after, or mesmerize him into big boy pants. The results: a toddler running naked through the house shouting, "Potty Power," as he sings the lines, "No more diapers for me, no more diapers for me." The propensity for diaper freedom has only been exasperated by his newest DVD loyalty. Major mommy mistake.

As soon as it is feasible I plan on returning this entertainment villain to the library and informing my trainee that "Potty Power, " has gone bye-bye.

I take solace in the knowlege that this too shall pass. I will look back and see that it wasn't really that bad. I think I'm becoming a better mom. I think I'm learning as I go. I think I am seeing that with this little being the more guiding and the less forcing I do the better. I hope I remember this when he comes home and announces that he's in love.

(This first appeared 2 years ago in The Newber Graphic. It took us almost 6 months to fully potty train our oldest. The memories are flooding back as I try and get the next one to fall in line. The success invovled Mac from Cars. Reading this again was a good reminder to breathe deep, it'll happen. I've alway liked things to come easy; my mom informs me of this.

And actually #2 has been a lot easier, and it is a good thing since we now live in a house with carpet. He's been using the toliet since he was 2 and a few, but he's very inconsistent and never wants to go when he's deep in imagination land. Hmmm, reminds me of myself. More updates to come.)