Thank God For Kids! (PQW- 10/20/10)

 I have a very independent child and I think it’s great. He really thinks for himself. He will never be the type to be swayed by the majority if he doesn’t agree with them. He’s not going to lower his ideals to match those around him. He even thumbs his nose to several societal norms. But I really wish he’d use the potty. 

It’s not that I want him to be perfect at the age of two and a half. I just want him to give it a shot. That’s all. Mostly, I leave him alone about it and wait until he’s ready. That’s the common thought this day in age. But every once in a while, I wake up in the morning, obviously crazed and prepare to preemptively strike. He immediately declares it an inexcusable act of war and round we go.

I woke up one morning at 0700 and decided to begin “Potty Training Boot Camp.” I set the alarm on the microwave for ten minute intervals. Monday was horrible. By Wednesday, I was a broken, empty shell of a woman. Words fail me.

Things have gotten a bit better now. I relaxed. He went from a very affirmative “No way Momma...NO WAY,” at my mere suggestion of the potty, to a much nicer “Um...no thank you, Momma.” It’s nice to have a secret weapon though.

At Walmart recently, I showed him Spiderman big boy underwear. Wow! He was very impressed with that and insisted we get them. I said “Do you want to wear big boy pants?” He said “No Momma, they get wet.” I countered. “Only when you don’t potty. If you potty, they don’t get wet. Look at Daddy!” He decided that seemed reasonable. Daddy doesn’t wet his pants. 

He carried those underwear all through Walmart, hugging them. He didn’t even want to pay for them, but he relented before a scene with his mother broke out. We headed for the car in the parking lot. We passed a nice lady, whom we don’t know, and he told her all about his “beederman underwear”. She is obviously a grandmother and seemed genuinely interested in the conversation. She asked him if he was going to start going to the big potty now. He laughed out loud and said “Nope!” 

I have now returned to my original feelings about potty training. He will go when he is ready. He will not go to Kindergarten in diapers and he has a few years to get over himself. I am comforted in knowing that when this particular battle is over, I need to get ready for the next one! Parenthood is hard but you have to laugh. Thank God for kids!