IF ANYONE TELLS YOU THAT POTTY TRAINING IS EASY THEN DON’T BELIEVE THEM!
I wish I could share a ‘how to potty train in two days’ post for you all but I can't. That didn’t work and it probably didn’t work for 99% of the other parents either.
Potty training is hard work and it takes a long time. Our potty training journey nearly broke me and I was so close to just sticking a nappy back on him and sticking one over my head to escape it all.
We were off to a pretty good start when we first attempted it. Arlo got the idea of using a toilet or a potty and it was great, I’m just glad I didn’t throw the nappies out after those ‘good days’. I made a huge mistake of putting a nappy on him when we went out and this confused him; once he was back in pants he was having accidents all the time and I knew from that point he wasn’t ready and I definitely wasn’t ready!
After 5 months, 100 read forums, 10 potty parent talks, 12 new pairs of pants and a whole lot of patience we decided to try again. We had the potty out and offered him the toilet 6-7 times within the hour, sometimes he would say he needed to go and others he would say no. Whenever he said no you could guarantee a few minutes later I’d be cleaning up wee off my carpet. Even when I sat him on the toilet he would just sit there and say "it's not coming out”. I felt like screaming “just have a bloody wee, kid! It’s been like 5 hours!”
2 whole weeks it was like this for and I was seriously doubting my parenting abilities to deal with this potty training shit. I tried so bloody hard throughout those 2 weeks, I spent a fortune as well on expensive character pants because I honestly thought he would love them that much not to wee in them. Oh no, he couldn’t have cared less. Not to mention the number of jelly beans I bought just to bribe him with! I was close to giving up, AGAIN! At what point do you give up and admit defeat and that your child is probably going to be in nappies forever!
My reason before was he was too young but this time I didn't think that was the case. Everyone said, "Give it time, he will soon get it". It honestly felt like that time was never going to come. It is really hard to not lose your shit when a mini person is weeing all over the place. It took a whole lot of patience to not just whack a nappy back on and be done with it for another few months. I thought about it, believe me, but then one day, it clicked!
IT FINALLY F*****G CLICKED!!
I was beyond proud, and yes I did do the cringe little mum screech and dance with him in the bathroom saying how proud I was of him!
Arlo skipped the potty and went straight to the toilet, he even got his own little toilet step and toilet seat. This made him able to go alone without needing someone with him. He liked the independence. We stocked up on jelly beans for a week or so then moved on to raisins, a healthier option.
It was only around a week later and I thought it was time to get rid of the bedtime nappy pants (which I had just spent £7 on because they were cars ones, more wasted money). He was waking up dry every morning and asking for the toilet so we went for it. Just as I thought, he smashed it again!
He still has a few accidents during the night and he does dribble in his pants when he holds it and rushes to the toilet but we did it, we actually did it! I admit I was close to giving up and that probably makes me sound awful but when you can't take anymore what other choice do you have?
It a challenging and tedious thing all of us parents need to go through, but it does get better... When they finally get the hang of it!
Here's to no more dirty nappies, baby changing bags & vile baby changing rooms!
