Oh Crap! Potty Training

this, that, or the other thing, or “had to” check her email. You have
to watch your child and help her get to the potty. She is not yet able
to pick up on her need to pee without your help. If there is some
pressing matter in your life—someone’s in the hospital, you’re on
call, etc.—then don’t pick this day to potty train!
One way to make this exhausting day sound easier in your own
mind is to think of it as a great bonding opportunity. For me
personally, after the first day of potty training, I felt closer to my son
than I had in months. I felt a bond akin to that of breast-feeding
again. Let’s face it; around eighteen months, our kids start showing
some independence, and we’re thrilled! For the first time since birth,
we can maybe sit for a moment with a cup of coffee and read an
article. We very rarely watch every move our child makes. The house
has been child-proofed, he can walk without killing himself, and we
get a breather. Think of this day as a special opportunity to
reconnect. I remember being surprised. There were all these little
things he would do that I hadn’t seen. Also, I figured out what was
happening to all the damn Legos (stacked way under the couch
cushions; who knew he had a secret stash?).
One mom reported to me, “We had SUCH a blast that first day! It
was almost decadent to get to stay home and just focus on him all day
and not rush around doing things. We played all kinds of games, it
was just so fun, and he did so great. I was so impressed with him!”
What I really loved about this mom was how impressed she was by
her son, though the way I see things, it took both of them working
together to make that first day of potty training successful.
Let’s break this day down into minutiae, starting with that first