Patience and Potty Training

Patience and Potty Training

      

  I am not a patient person. Never was and will never be.  So imagine how useful this was when I took on potty training this week.  I thought I was prepared since I had the following supplies:

*  Two potty chairs – one musical

*  Underwear decorated with favorite characters

*  Potty Bear video

*  Stickers for trying

*  M & Ms to reinforce dryness

*  Large stash of presents – for successes

*  A plethora of knowledge from friends

        I repeat, I thought I was prepared.  Nothing could have prepared me for Andrew’s reaction to the process.  First, was his very real but unexplainable fear of the potty chair.  OK, we’ll decorate it!  (An idea from Jim).  Second, was his incredible ability to hold it!  Next, was the amount of trips to the bathroom and time spent reading, giving encouraging words and hugs it would take.  And last was the crying – from both of us.  He was so full of emotion to be successful and not disappoint.  And I felt like I was putting him through something tortuous.   He would look at me with tears in his eyes and say, “I can’t do it!”  Ugh!  Heartbreak!

        But we pressed on!  There were Cheerios and outside demonstrations!  We danced and we sang!    Jim sang, “La di da di, we like to potty” and “I just called... to say... let’s go potty!”  I did my interpretation of the potty dance and chanted ridiculous cheers.  I’m sure Andrew thought we were nuts!

                I wondered how many other new things we would find ourselves faced with and how we would all react.   In the end, patience paid off.  (Okay, maybe it was the stash of trains.) It was a proud moment for us both when Andrew declared, “I’m a big boy now!” 

        The week was a good lesson for me as a parent.  There is going to be a lot of new challenges for the boys and me.  Looks like I will be shopping at the patience shop more frequently!