*This blog freely mentions bodily functions, including pee and poop as the title insinuates.
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Just like that, we have a potty trained two year old. I am still shaking my head in disbelief (but mostly because it took me so long to update this blog; I wasn’t too surprised my kid picked up the whole potty-in-the-toilet thing).
Since the last update I started boning up on the book “Oh Crap! Potty Training” by Jamie Glowacki and a few light bulbs went off in my head. I think he really is ready to do this. It’s me that’s terrified.
So…we went for it. Long story (really really long story) short, we are officially halfway through our third week and we are in underwear and shorts with minimal accidents, mostly when he is trying to get to the toilet and can’t quite make it but after he is on his way and so far, only at home.
This week he used the toilet at his playgroup twice, and last week he used a few public toilets at the market and gymnastics. I am so proud of him!
Thank you, thank you very much. No, stop, you’re embarrassing me! Ya’ll are too kind.
I couldn’t have done it without the help of SUMMER, MY WIFE, THOMAS THE TRAIN UNDERWEAR and JAMIE.
Seriously. The book was a savior, and the second my wife got home she watched him like a hawk and reminded him and helped when he needed it while I got to focus on other things that needed my attention. Like the infant that I will hardly mention in this post (it’s brother’s turn to shine! But Dakota is great and sweet and pulling herself up to stand using all the things – chairs, brother’s potty chair, my leg…).
We all spent many hours in the first three days hanging outside by the kiddie pool, him buck naked, Dakota and I mostly nekkid. Per the book’s recommendation, we graduated into elastic waisted shorts after the first few days (or ‘block one’), even going commando to the mall which was terrifying for both him and I, but I think we both played it pretty cool.
Skipping the undies helps the brain rewire itself in a way that that snug turd-catching apparatus is gone. Undies or briefs feel like a diaper, plain and simple. For us, I think this was the game changer that facilitated us in helping him ‘catch’ his accidents in the first days: Stop a pee mid-stream, hold it, and finish in the toilet.
Poop has it’s own chapter and can be difficult to deal with. In our case, we had a few days of tummy aches as he held back for a couple days, and a couple incidents where we have made 20 trips to the toilet because “poop is coming” but then he is too anxious to sit and let it happen. We also have had 20 trips to the bathroom for marble turds that also somehow require 100 yards of toilet paper.
I think we’ve turned a corner (which makes me think of a looping intestine. Parenting is so gross, turns out). He’s so amazing and smart and potty training just validates how ready he is. He has been asking to go to school, and so I’ve been experimenting with dropping him off places for a couple hours at time and he is living his best life this summer. So much love for that kid.
Just as I think we’re getting close to sleep training with undies he’s decided to pull a wild card and sleep in front of his bedroom door, despite me moving his bed closer to it, as he likes to peer under the door until he passes out. Happily, though, never making more than a few bangs as he rolls around for a bit trying to get comfortable, a stray foot slamming a wall or the hollow door. Alas, I am going to try to get him back into bed before I risk potty training.
Pee on the sheets, whatever. Potential poop on the carpet I just cannot get behind.
…Then I remind myself that wouldn’t be the first time there’s been something questionable and kid-related on the floor. #momlife
And if you thought the Baby Shark song was bad, it’s creators Pink Fong has found a potty training version.
“Pee pee slides down the potty,
Wee wee wee wee wee wee
Potty potty see you when I pee again!”
(Repeat ad nauseam)
Thank me later.
