Ode to Potty Training

If I've talked to you in the past... year it seems... I've probably mentioned Potty Training. It's still a topic of conversation in our house...

As you've seen in previous posts, Cole moved up to pre-school on Monday. Today, he moved back down. Why? He's still not pooping on the potty. Part of me is livid with daycare for moving him up knowing he wasn't fully "there" yet. I even asked about it. It killed me to have to bring him in today and drop him off in the pre-preschool room, as he cried and screamed that he wanted to be with his friends in the other class. Killed me.

The other part of me, that I finally realized last night, was my frustration with my self. If you're a parent you're probably very familiar with this feeling. My lil' man is not abnormal, as I've been reading and talking with other parents/doctors. This is pretty typical for young boys. Then I catch myself thinking: "But he's so smart. He got peeing in the potty quickly and never had an accident with that. He knows all about the potty, and that he should. Why can't he get it?"

These thoughts are then projected to Cole. Jason and I being frustrated. Talking about pooping on the potty ad nauseam. Threatening to take away things. Rewarding with toys, shows and treats. Still, he struggles.

What does all this rambling add up to? Me finalizing realizing that his struggles are making me feel like I'm struggling. Making me feel like I'm not a good parent if I can't figure out a way to make him do it.

So today I'm stopping it. This is not my fault, nor do I have a ton of control over it. My frustrations and insecurities aren't helping him at all. He IS a smart boy (and funny, and sweet). He WILL get it but I just have to have patience. Everyone has said "he'll do it when he's ready" and I guess I have to just trust that. I have to reward the accomplishments but not get hung up on the failures. And I should probably stop thinking of them as failures and more as set-backs, or stepping stones.

Am I hoping that moving down will be the motivation internally for him? Hell yes I am. Will I continue to encourage him to use the potty every night? For sure! Will I constantly think about it and dwell on the fact that my brilliant little boy isn't pooping on the potty? Well, I'm going to try. But I know I will now take a step back, a deep breath, and realize he'll get it when it's his time.

Ramble over.