Potty Training – Part 1

Potty Training – Part 1

This is NOT a “how-to” guide to potty training.  If that is what you are looking for then I suggest going elsewhere.  In fact I would go as far to say that this post is more like a “how not to” guide to potty training.  I have referred to it as Potty Training – Part One, because I am pretty sure that there are going to be a few more tales to tell on my potty training adventures.

My son is at that age when most parents feel compelled to give potty training a go.  However those mere two words strike fear in my heart.  We have had a potty in the house for quite a while now, and my son is no stranger to it.  For the first few months of its life it was used as a hat – by my son of course and not by me.  I wasn’t overly concerned by this as at that time everything was being used as a hat – the cat, a shopping basket, daddy’s wellies, the dustbin etc.  I actually let him go to the childminders one day with the dustbin on his head rather than have a mexican standoff at the front door.  But that’s another story entirely.  Back to this one…

The next time it was used was when he had an unexpected bout of diarrhoea in the bath.  The only option was to scoop him straight out and put him on the potty.  The screaming (from me), the mess, and the speed of what happened was enough to leave him – and me – traumatised.  Since then the potty has been stored next to the main toilet just gathering dust.  A couple of weeks ago he started to take interest in it again.  At first he started using it as a bath for his dinosaurs, and then he started to sit on it himself (fully dressed), and then he would sit on it after the bath so we could completely wrap the blanket around him and cover his feet (another of his obsessions).

But other signs have been there too.  He tells me he has tummy ache, he sneaks off to have a poo (usually after his tea), and if I am really lucky he comes right beside me to let out a good fart.  And then we had a breakthrough.  One night before bath we just happened to be playing upstairs near to the bathroom.  He started to go red in the face and I realised that now was the time to strike.  I asked him if he needed a poo and whether he wanted to be a “big boy” he nodded and in seconds I had taken his trousers and socks off –  he insisted on the socks – and the deed had been done.  I was elated – but it was short-lived.

Intrigued by what had just happened, H turned around to look in the potty.  And that is when I saw it – poo smeared on his bottom and now over the side of the potty.  As I reached for wet-wipes he reached for the bottom of the potty to touch cialischeapprice.com what was now inside.  In an effort to divert his hand I knocked him over – I now had poo on the floor!  The shock of being knocked over caused him to come towards me with his hands outstretched for a cuddle – it was now on me!  I felt like crying.  I must have used a whole pack of wet wipes to clear up the carnage.  The smell still filled my nostrils hours later.  Whilst recovering with a glass of wine in hand, I decided I needed a few weeks to recover.

Over the Christmas break I decided to give it another go.  He mainly used the first week on the potty to give himself a detailed examination that a certain body part was in working order, but we did have a couple of successes.  The following week I decided it was time to step up progress and put him in underpants.  I had tactically bought some dinosaur ones believing that there was no way he would want to soil these.  I shadowed him around the house and as soon as I saw the signs I whisked him off to the toilet.  I/HE HAD DONE IT.  Full of confidence and feeling a little smug I text my husband to tell him the good news.  I sent three lines.  “Decided to go for it.  Put H in underpants. Success.”  No sooner had I pressed send then I heard the inevitable words “Mummy I’ve pood”.  Now this presented a whole new dilemma, because something new had been thrown in to the mix – CLOTH.  In an attempt to salvage the new underpants I scooped out what I could but there was no avoiding the inevitable.  This pair was destined for the bin.   Disheartened, and emotionally scarred from the clean up operation, I realised I had one again pushed for too much too soon.

And then this weekend, at my sister’s house, Harry came up to us all and announced “Mummy I need a poo”.  There was no potty to hand – my niece and nephew are 17 – and so I whisked him upstairs to the toilet and dangled him over it.  One small grunt and a squeeze later there it was, and with a plop and a whoosh it was gone.    As we walked downstairs he proudly announced to the waiting crowd “I done it”.  There was lots of cheering, clapping and high-fiving.  He was clearly loving being the centre of attention.  So much so that for the rest of the time there he had me running up and down the stairs to the toilet on false alarms.  I am elated by this new development but I am also exhausted.

I know it isn’t over yet.  I know there are plenty of high-five moments to come and also plenty of head in hands ones.  But we are getting there.  He has taken another step towards independence, and a further one away from being my baby.  Stay tuned.

Love

Harry’s Honest Mummy x

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20 Comments

  1. Sarah Howe (@RunJumpScrap)
    January 22, 2016 / 7:05 pm

    Hilarious hun but he is doing ace! I’ve had no joy with my 2.5 yr old. She can hold her wees in for hours with no accidents but hates letting go on the potty or loo. I gave up for a while again!! xx #binkylinky

  2. Life Love and Dirty Dishes
    January 23, 2016 / 1:04 pm

    Oh god, I remember the false alarms. Will be doing it all again sometime this year. Thanks for linking up to #FridayFrolics

  3. Silly Mummy
    January 23, 2016 / 11:09 pm

    Hilarious, but sounds like progress is happening! My eldest is determinedly showing no signs of readiness & now refuses to go near the potty. I feel like I should be forcing the issue. But don’t want to. Partly because of fear of episodes like you’ve experienced! Currently, the little one is showing more likelihood with getting to grips with the potty, despite not even being able to say ‘potty’! I’m tempted to try to train HER & shame/activate competitiveness the eldest! #fridayfrolics

  4. chocolatepages
    January 24, 2016 / 6:29 pm

    Good luck with this, hope you have lots more high five moments to come.
    Amanda. #kcacols

  5. Nige
    January 24, 2016 / 7:25 pm

    I shouldn’t laugh but this is so funny I’m sure he will get there thanks for linking to the Binkylinky

  6. reimerandruby
    January 27, 2016 / 5:58 pm

    Well done to him… he’s doing great! My little girl has just been potty trained but every now and then still has accidents when she’s too busy playing or getting too excited with stuff. It can be a long journey for some, isn’t it? Fingers crossed everything goes well with Harry! #sharewithme

  7. Sarah (@tobygoesbananas)
    January 27, 2016 / 8:22 pm

    Oh dear! It sounds like you’ve been having some fun! Progress is progress though. My eldest is two and a half and showing absolutely no signs of being ready for potty training yet. He did ask to sit on the potty a few weeks ago, but as soon as I got him on it he screamed his head off! I’m just going to leave it and hope that magically one day he trains himself…hopefully before he starts school! #sharewithme

  8. Claire at Tin Box Traveller
    January 28, 2016 / 1:56 pm

    Good luck with the potty training journey! It’s a rough ride in my experience. Just when I think we’ve cracked it something ends up on the floor. How can so much come out of one little person?! 🙂 #KCACOLS

  9. Memeandharri
    January 28, 2016 / 5:50 pm

    Oh bless you, I hated potty training and so thankful I’m done! Good luck XXX

  10. Something Crunchy Mummy
    January 28, 2016 / 9:31 pm

    Oh bless you – I dreaded potty training! My youngest took to it really well but with my eldest it was a long old road but we got there in the end. Thanks got linking up to #justanotherlinky xx

  11. A Moment with Franca
    January 30, 2016 / 10:07 am

    Oh no, the phase of potty training. I like reading this Mel because it shows what the reality of potty training is. These accidents happen and there is no black or white. It is a mix of good days and bad days. The potty training phase is horrible. I hated it! It was a nightmare for me!! LOL But I must admit that it felt pretty good when they mastered it right? I can imagine your face of happiness to see your child overcoming a massive milestone and his face of showing how proud he was after having a poo in the toilet!! How great is that? Priceless. I’m looking forward to more stories about Harry’s potty training journey! Good luck and hopefully there will be no more accidents soon. Thanks so much for sharing this at #KCACOLS. I would love to see you again on Sunday! 🙂 x

  12. Carolyn
    January 30, 2016 / 4:31 pm

    I’ve been half-heartedly trying with my daughter, but she’s not cooperating yet! I’m not in a hurry though and really don’t want to experience the ‘poo episode’ as you did! Well done though! #sharewithme

  13. veronica lee
    February 1, 2016 / 11:44 am

    LOL! Thankfully, my boys went straight from diapers to the commode! Using a potty ring helped.They are ready when they are ready!

    #KCACOLS

  14. Stephanie Robinson
    February 2, 2016 / 9:08 pm

    Sounds like progress is being made, and with an inbuilt fitness routine too. Result! 🙂 #sharethejoy

    • February 7, 2016 / 5:48 pm

      I like the twist on that…hadn’t considered the fitness benefits 🙂

  15. Jenny @ Let's Talk Mommy
    February 2, 2016 / 10:41 pm

    Oh bless you. I know all about this twice now. We just potty trained MM and the first two weeks I have to say were absolutely nightmare I almost gave up. But kept at it and it just clicked all the sudden and so far we are still working on the night time though. Good luck babes. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me. I hope to see you again tomorrow for another great round of #sharewithme

  16. Jenny @ Let's Talk Mommy
    February 2, 2016 / 10:41 pm

    Like me I am sure you will have a few parts one and two and more of potty training never seems to end does it? Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me. #sharewithme

  17. Michelle Reeves (The Joy Chaser)
    February 4, 2016 / 8:38 pm

    Oh my this could have been me writing this post! We’re at the same point with my little man, or rather we were before he decided he quite liked doing it in his pants… yeah we’re taking a break for a while. I’ve been there with the packets of baby wipes, poo everywhere (how does it manage to spread SO far and wide?). Well done for every little positive step forward I say! Thanks for linking this up at #sharethejoy x

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