Potty Training Humor

“Woah! Momma, I got it in the sink!”

Screamed my potty training toddler as he peed from the
toilet all the way into the sink.

My instinct was to yell or scream, “WHAT ARE YOU
DOING,” but my mouth couldn't move as I just watched
in disbelief, which momentarily turned into laughter
from us both. Why is it that in such moments the
camera is completely inaccessible?

In the days preceding this sink peeing event, potty
training made me want to pull out my hair. At two and
a half my son saw the brand new underwear with various
loved characters, shouted for joy, and thanked me for
getting them for him. I thought, “Well, this is easy!”
But in the days that followed my son never once made
it to the toilet without peeing all over himself first
and could care less if he stood in a pile of urine; as
long as he still had his toys, he wasn’t moving.

He considered pooping a game by finding the darkest,
smallest corner of the house to poop in and stay
hidden till I found him by following the scent trail.
One day he decided to be helpful by cleaning his poopy
underwear in the toilet and using the entire box of
wipes, which as you may have guessed, clogged up the
toilet. It was then I decided to put back on the
pull-ups and give him more time.

On one magical day after turning three, he decided to
wear his big boy underwear. I told him he would
receive m&m’s if he peed on the potty and he in turn
asked me if he could have a Popsicle for pooping. We
literally shook hands and our deal was set.

Each day since has posed new challenges, misses, and
mistakes but I have learned three important truths of
potty training along my journey. First, your child
will be ready when he is ready. The harder you push
when he is not ready, you run the risk of him
resisting even harder. Second, make the experience
positive. Never degrade or scold your child for an
accident or making a mess in the bathroom, that’s what
household cleaning supplies were made for. Lastly,
laugh. Laugh together, laugh with your spouse, and
laugh when you feel all alone in the journey. If you
laugh, all of the tension of the sometimes-frustrating
experience will dissolve and give you as well as your
child an entirely new perspective.

Now, if only peeing from the toilet into the sink was
a collegiate sport, we wouldn’t need to worry about
saving for college tuition!

Karen Preston
http://notsoordinarymom.blogspot.com/