We've been in the throes of potty-training here in our wilderness wonderland. Really, I had expected the location to be of some service in this endeavor, since I believe boys do generally train more quickly when they are given ample "nudey" time. Moreover, what boy doesn't enjoy the thrill of peeing against a tree?
With Son #1, I think "nudey" time was the real clincher. He was nude. We noticed "the stance." We provided the bucket/toilet. Something clicked in his noggin and he refused to go back to the old way of life. Easy breasy!
With Son #2, generous amounts of nudey time didn't seem to make any difference at all. He's a strong-willed one, that boy! For him, I think it finally came down to a desire for the promised toys.
Son #3 has a different personality than the other two. While they enjoyed, even begged for, nudey time, this one demands more than his birthday suit. He cannot tolerate a lack of clothing (not even just to skip the shorts or pants).
Still, we are making progress. I would consider him to be fully trained in the #1 area, if you catch my drift (actually, there is more of a drift to catch with #2, isn't there?). He even stays dry without a diaper during nap time (I haven't been brave enough to try the night-time hours yet - although he has asked to skip the night diaper).
My biggest complaint now is that every time I attempt to put him to bed (these simultaneous transitions - of potty-training and moving out of a crib - may account for the speed-bumps) he plays the old "I gotta go poop" card. Despite previous success sitting on the toilet, he still chooses to request a diaper for this act.
O.K., that is all fine and good. Until the past few days, when he has decided that he wants to produce #2 in the diaper and then insist upon standing at the toilet to produce #1 immediately (as in, before I've had a chance to help remove the diaper - urghh). I also must ask (because I'm sure someone out there must understand the workings of young toddler boy minds) WHY do they rest their hands on the rim of the toilet after doing the deed??? Ay-yai-yai!
Tonight, at bedtime, the ritual played out again. As I stood there begging him not to lean with his hands against the toilet rim, I dumped the contents of the diaper into the toilet. Then, he flushed and I found myself reciting our parting words.
These are words I find myself saying sometimes even when I'm alone and flushing, but always with a great inward chuckle. What parting words are those?
Well, when my oldest brother's first daughter, Kirsten, was a young toddler she brought some words of wisdom into her family and they have passed it on to ours. At the ripe age of 2 or 3, she took care of the business at hand and turned to flush. As she watched her grand efforts swirling away, she said, "Bye-bye poopy! You're gonna miss ME a lot more than I'm gonna miss YOU!"
2 comments:
Kirsten wrote to say ""Aunt Wendy, I have always loved your stories. Thanks for making me a part of another blog entry! That one line keeps me in awe of my-little-toddler-self, especially when sitting in poetry class trying to come up with anything that isn't cliche. Really, how did I do it, and where's the inspiration now? Oh well, for a brief moment, while standing over a toilet, I was brilliant."
That's awesome! Out of the mouths of babes, eh?
Potty training is the absolute worst. I hated all of it! And I still have work on overnight with our youngest.
Oy!
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