Potty Training

...that's why I've been M.I.A.


This is probably the last post you'd expect from me. Who am I kidding, I'm a mom and never pretended this blog to be anything but a sound stage for all my thoughts, maternal and otherwise.

I don't know if it was talking with other moms or what, but last Monday, I decided to start potty training the boy for real! I think the reason why I waited so long (the boy turned 3 in March) was because I wasn't ready yet. So here are some things I learned while potty training my boy.

1. The parent needs to be more ready than the kid (in a manner of speaking). I think I had to come to the realization that I would have messes to clean or give up making trips longer than an hour out of the house to the store.

2. If you've got the resource of your parent or a friend who's had more than 3 kids to get advice from, DO IT! As I've mentioned before, I'm the youngest of seven, so my mom has probably seen every scenario when it came to potty training.

3. Praise is very important!

4. Find out what makes your child happy. Whether it's treats, stickers, little trinkets (no need to go overboard) something that will make the experience of using the potty a more enjoyable experience.

All of this advice could easily be found in any parenting magazine, but I thought it was funny when my friend asked what medium I was using to potty train and all I said was, "Mom." This lady I call mom has been a huge lifesaver. I can't imagine trying to do this without her sage wisdom; after all the kids she's had, I think she deserves the credit.