Potty-Training 101

We've been dreading this for a long time.  We knew he wasn't interested in trying, so we weren't motivated to start the process.  We also knew how particularly stubborn he is when it comes to transitions, so we still weren't motivated to start the process.  Furthermore, we knew we'd be traveling a ton this year, so...we weren't motivated to start the process.  We were completely unmotivated ourselves, so trying to motivate our 3-year old to tackle the chore of potty-training seemed impossible.  Yet, because there'll never be a good time to potty-train and because it had to happen sometime, we decided to start this week.  It has been...an adventure.

We pulled out all the stops: entertainment, rewards, praise and encouragement galore.  We tried anything to motivate him.  Some things have worked, some not so much.  Some things worked one day but not the next.  He keeps us on our toes.

We count every small victory.  The first day, with zero successes and half a dozen accidents, we rejoiced in the fact that he willingly chose to sit on the potty most of the day (after kicking and screaming and crying the first time).  We also counted the blessing that he doesn't like being wet. By Day 2 we realized he was holding it every time he sat on the potty, and then would have an accident within minutes of getting off.  It was frustrating.  But before the day was done, he had two successes!  These were HUGE victories!  It was a major hump to get over.  By Day 3, he only had one success but we still celebrated because every victory counts!

We're on Day 4 and this morning he told me in earnest that he had to use the potty.  It was the first time he's ever said that, and he told me while peeing his pants and making a watery mess on the floor BUT he said he had to use the potty!  Victory!  Something's starting to click and I rejoiced.  Every little step counts.

We take encouragement in the fact that every other parent we've talked to has commiserated with how hard this transition is.  So at least we know our kid is normal and that we're not alone in our exhaustion and frustration throughout this process.

Potty-training 101: It's hard, it takes a long time, and it requires a lot of patience, but eventually - someday, somehow - we will have a kid who can control his bladder and take himself to the bathroom on his own!