Potty Training 2.0 (Or, an Update to Potty Training Boys)

So remember how I said Red was a three-day potty training master, easy peasy?

(You can read about that here if you missed it.)

Well, the Professor is…not…going as well.

When they say every kid is different, they mean it. The circumstance of each kid is different too, really. That whole oldest, middle, youngest, plus what’s happening at the time, plus their personality…but I digress.

Potty training Boy #2 has been waaay less consistent than Boy #1. I haven’t been able to hole up in the house and focus solely on potty training. We have preschool, errands, etc…so, with that lacking, I’ve gone back to something I should have been doing in the first place.

We wake up? Bathroom first.

We go downstairs? Bathroom first.

We’re about to leave? Bathroom first.

We finished a meal? Bathroom first.

We’re about to start a movie? Bathroom first.

Not going to lie, the fact that it hasn’t been as easy was getting to me. I’ve been really frustrated recently, especially about potty training. I may have even broken my own self-rule and broke out in a mom tantrum. I’m ashamed to admit it, but dude, if you’re feeling frustrated, you are sooo not alone.

I’ve been working on taking deep breaths, smiling through accident-clean-up, and making sure he knows I’m proud of him when it gets done right!

Also, if we aren’t leaving the house that day, I set timers: every hour or so, we run to the bathroom, and he gets to try and go, even if he protests!

It’s important to be consistent and persistent.

I can’t just ignore it if I see him pulling on his pants…as much as I’d like to say, “Well, he has to learn to be responsible for himself!” the kid is two, and it’s unlikely he’s going to magically develop an adult-level responsibility complex overnight.

I don’t even have an adult-level responsibility complex most days. Sheesh.

Does stopping every other minute take a lot out of my day?

Yep.

Is keeping my cool kinda hard when I have a to-do list a mile long and this is taking forever?

Definitely.

Is he getting the hang of it?

Yep! And the calmer I am about it, the more confident he seems about it. We’re getting there. These days will be gone before I know it! Just have to keep it in perspective!

Although, we do spend an obnoxious amount of time in the bathroom these days.

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How is your potty training going?

What helps you get through the day?

Comment below!