Again, firm directives work best. “You need to pee before we leave
the house, because I will not like it if you pee in the car.” If you’re
pretty sure you have an 11:00 a.m. pooper, don’t leave in that time
frame (remember this isn’t forever—you are still starting out). Bring
an extra outfit. I suggest using a cloth diaper or towel to line the car
seat. Bring wipes. Hell, bring the potty chair! I’m a huge advocate of
bringing the potty chair or insert in the car. It doesn’t weigh much
and even if your kid poops, you just bring it home. Not much
different than carrying around a poopy diaper. You want to plan for
accidents. They’re going to happen, and it’s okay. But chances are, if
you keep your small outings small, you may not have any.
One of the most awesome couples I ever worked with took on
potty training like a Navy SEAL assignment. They had a total tag
team plan. The dad took the child out on trials runs all day on the
second and third days. Seriously. They went to Target and the market
and the library. All just for restroom practice. And you know what? It
went really well. I just loved their dedication to getting this down, no
matter what the environment. Something to consider.
Blocks Two and Three are by far your hardest chunks of learning.
You, the parent, may be feeling insane or incredibly intense. It’s
normal, but try to chill out. I cannot say this enough: this process can
look like a full-blown disaster and then clear up. I cannot tell you the
amount of mail I get in which a mom goes from being nearly in tears
to, “Wow. Never mind, he just sat and peed.”
Most often, somewhere during potty training, things are going to
seem off. The following two posts are extremely important. Be sure to read
them again and again. I’m convinced this is where most parents who
barry
(Barry)
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