10 Whines About the Newly Potty-trained

For the first time in about 6.5 years, I do not have a child in my house in diapers. A little over 3 of those years, I had 2 in diapers.  So, to say that I haven't changed a diaper in a little over 2 weeks should make me want to jump up and down with joy. We did actually celebrate this occasion with cupcakes.

But, as much as I'm thrilled to be a diaper-free household, especially in time for preschool, there are some pain in the ass unique challenges to having a newly potty-trained child in your house.

1. Cries at 5:30am to go to the potty. I'd much rather he use a pull up and let me sleep.

2.  Requests to "watch me" and "help me" when really, he just wants a captive audience while he makes faces and tells silly jokes. I'd rather do this anywhere in the house except for the bathroom.

3. Increased potty talk. I already had 2 older boys who thought that "poop" and "butt" were hilarious words. Now I have three.

4. Speaking of three.... THREE boys with bad aim. Though the newest potty trainer is the worst, of course.

5. Obsession with public restrooms. I can tell my older two to wait until we get home, but I have to take the youngest. I shudder just thinking of walking into a public restroom.

6. Having to carry extra clothes, just in case of an accident.

7. Practice in undressing and dressing has resulted in youngest thinking it's hilarious to moon people while yelling "Butt-y butt!"

8. Sudden curiosity in how mommy can pee since she doesn't have a "peepee."

9. Accidents in underwear are so much more disgusting to clean than changing a dirty diaper.

10. New bedtime struggle: youngest insisting about 12 different times that he needs to go to the potty. I want to get frustrated and tell him that he doesn't and just to go to bed, but see #9 for why I let him get away with it.

What is your biggest potty training complaint?


P.S. Be sure to check out the contest going on over on ThisLife's facebook page this week. Upload a pic with a theme of "laughter" and you could win a Kodak PlaySport Video Camera. I kinda think my little goofball up there goes with the theme.

Steps to Potty Training: Shell-Style

It's that time. Time to potty train my youngest child.


After potty training 2 boys, I have come up with this list of must-haves for Potty Training:

*Lots of character-themed underwear
*M&Ms or other small treat
*Potty Power dvd
*potty seat for the big potty
*stepstool to reach potty
*timer(alarm on cell phone works well)
*lots of juice
*carpet cleaner
*lots of paper towels
*several bottles of wine


1. Start off the morning by having child watch the Potty Power dvd. Point out all the cute little songs and talk about using the potty as the DVD plays.


2. Strip your child and put him in cute character-themed underwear. Tell child that Buzz Lightyear or Diego or whoever is on the underwear doesn't want to get all yucky with pee or poop.

3. Take child to the potty and have them try to use the potty. Congratulate them for trying and give them an m&m.

4.  Set alarm for 30 minutes from now. Watch Potty Power dvd while child drinks juice.

5. Repeat steps 3&4 over and over again.  Should child successfully use the potty, you can extend the time til the alarm goes off next.


6. Paper towels, carpet cleaner, and spare underwear should be used as needed.


7. After the third accident of the morning, eye the wine.


8.  Continue with the potty alarm, potty dvds, and repeated talk about using the potty.


9. Consider opening bottle of wine at lunch.


10.  Consider waiting another few months to potty train after the 5th accident of the day.


11.  Wonder if you have enough wine in the house.


12.  Sneak some m&ms because you deserve a treat, too.


13.  Calculate the price of a single pair of Thomas the Train underwear and realize that it's not worth cleaning a big nasty poo out of them.


14. Successful peeing on the potty by toddler: cheer him on!


15. More reminders about using the potty.


16. Wonder if you will ever be able to complete another sentence without the words "pee," "poop," or "potty" in it.

17.  Put child in pull-up for bedtime and tell him that he did a good job and that tomorrow, he's going to use the potty just like a big boy!

18. Open up that bottle(s) of wine.

19. Repeat the following day.

20. Good news: this usually doesn't last more than 3 days. Perhaps stock up on 3 bottles of wine from the start.


As much as potty training drove me insane, it took about a day and a half of this with my oldest and then he never had another accident. With my middle, it took a little less than 3 days.


Here's to a quick potty training experience with my youngest!


Note: Everyone approaches potty training differently. For me, I thought that my kids should be able to handle getting undressed/dressed by themselves for the most part and be capable of getting themselves on the potty alone before trying to potty train. Because that way, after I worked with them for a few days, I could mostly remove myself from the process instead of having them get used to me helping them with everything. This is why I waited until they were around 3 to try to potty train.

Other moms start earlier/later and use different methods of potty training. If you have written a post about potty training, please link it up here for all of us who are in potty training mode and need help!