Potty Training 101

Rule 1:

When you are potty training, you drill into the head of your intended pupil (child) that you do not go pee-pee in your clothes. Not underwear, pajamas or even swim suits. Pee-pee goes in the potty. Bottom line. Underlined. Bold lettering turned on. Italics are totally optional.

We have been working on potty training for over a year and while accidents are few and far between, we still have them. But since they are very infrequent, we don’t make too big a deal out of them anymore.

Rule 2:

When you take your child to the splash pad that you have been going to for years because it is close to your house, has bathrooms and even a changing table, make sure said bathroom is not locked because they decided to implement a key system.

The splash pad we go to is in an open area. I don’t think that it was originally thought of as a splash pad for kids because it is all cement. Originally, it did not even have tables but has evolved over the years to have tables and even a tarp over the area for shade. Next to the splash pad is a playground with two different size play equipment. It is perfect for us on Sunday mornings when Josh plays basketball. It is only 20 minutes from our house and free. Awesome! Not to mention we usually are there with very few kids on a Sunday morning. Friends usually join us and the kids have a blast.

Rule 3:

When your child turns to you in a wet bathing suit and says “Mommy, I have to go potty”, you look deep in her eyes and try to figure out how long she can hold it because of Rule 2. You try to explain Rule 2 and soon realize that every word just flew over her head.

So being a mommy, I have to improvise often. I told Abigail that she is just going to have to sit in the grass and disregard Rule 1. Of course she looked at me as if I had two heads and I just told her that she can break the rule this one time. She sat in the grass and just couldn’t do it. Looks like we did too good of a job with Rule 1. I tried to move her one piece swimsuit aside, tried to put a towel around her thinking she had stage fright, and even just sat there with her for a few moments willing the pee-pee to just flow. Nothing.

I finally gave up and said we can just load up in the car and go home. I could run to the nearest store but loading up two wet kids or even attempting to change them and then unload the car was not happening. It was just easier to go home at this point.

I started to pack up everything and directed Madeline to come over and get a dry diaper before the car ride home. I turned to tell Abigail to just put her shoes on and saw this:

Rule 4: When your child decides that the only way this is getting done is to strip naked and sit in the field next to the splash pad to do her business, you just laugh and grab the camera.