The way I see it...

Potty Training, round two

As I wrote about in my March column, my son just turned two. You know what follows the second birthday? Yep, potty training!

My daughter was easy. Super-duper easy. She was 22 months old and I was due with my son right at her two year birthday and I was bound and determined to not have two kids in diapers at the same time (those darn things are expensive!). Anyway, I felt like my daughter was smart enough to do the potty-training thing. She was. We were stuck at home on a snowy weekend and she was potty-trained in two days. I was overjoyed! It really was that easy.

Then, we had a boy. People kept telling me how much harder boys were to train than girls and I kind of brushed it off, thinking I had done so well training my daughter. Ok, I absolutely get what they’re talking about now.

My son shows interest in the potty. When he uses it like a big boy, he gets excited and gives high fives. The problem is, I can ask him if he has to go every 15 minutes or so, he’ll say no and then he’ll go (I kid you not) 12 seconds later.

It’s so frustrating and I’m sure you parents out there have been in my shoes. You know they’re smart enough and yet....AH! I get two big ‘ol blue eyes looking at me with an ornery grin that says ‘mommy, I know exactly what I’m doing!’

Did you ever imagine before you had kids that you’d have to try and outsmart a toddler? I sure didn’t! Toddlers are smart, sneaky, ornery and did I happen to mention smart? I have decided that I’m not above bribery. I think that’s my next step in the potty-training process.

I know, I know, I shouldn’t push him. I just feel like he’s ready and he’s so interested in going. People always say that they’ll let you know when they’re ready and I guess maybe I’m being a tad impatient.

Oh well! It will happen someday, hopefully soon. In the meantime, I’ll continue to try to stay one step ahead of my two-year, which is always easier said than done, but that’s just the way I see it.