Peeee Peeee in the Potty

How do you know when your children are ready to embark on potty training? Today Kade came running in from outside holding his crotch and smiling saying, “Kay. Kay. Kay”. I asked him what he needed. I assumed a diaper change. I grab the diaper and begin to lead him to the floor. He pulls me in the direction of the stairs and to my surprise he leads me straight into the bathroom and points to the toilet!

I thought two things. “Oh, my God, this can’t be happening! Nothing in our lives comes this easy. Hallelujah.” The second thought: “Of course it happens today. Why wouldn’t it? We leave tomorrow for camping, so bye-bye potty.” The average age for boy s to be successfully potty trained is (gasp!) is 31 months. There are many signs to look for to begin the process.

I put him on the toilet and start the praise adding extra excitement to my tone. I mentally start checking off the signs that I missed, which were green lights to potty training:
• Desire to please (likes to give gifts, enjoys praise)- YES
• Desire for independence (takes pride in new abilities, wants to “do it myself”)- MAYBE
• Imitates adults and older children- NOPE
• Language skills: able to communicate needs, and understands words about the toileting process- MAYBE
• Motor skills: able to walk to the potty, get on and pull down pants- NOPE
• Bowel movements occur on a fairly predictable schedule- NOPE
• Has a longer period with a dry diaper, which means your child's bladder is able to store urine. (Your child wakes up from a nap dry, or stays dry for 2 or more hours)- NOPE
• Is able to follow simple, one-step verbal instructions- YES
• Shows an interest in imitating other family members or friends in the bathroom- NOPE
• Through words, facial expressions or a change in activity, your child shows you they know when their bladder is full or when they are about to have a bowel movement- NOPE

Okay. Clearly I have not missed any of the signs that he is ready to begin the process. Interesting, I have a potty genius!

Kaden sits on the potty for a few minutes. I hold down his pee-pee aiming down into the toilet. I continue the praise even though nothing has happened. He says, “Kay. Kay. Kay.” And start to get down from the toilet. Shucks, I guess he isn’t ready to go pee-pee in the potty, but he is starting to understand that the idea of potty training.

I remove my hands from his pee-pee. To lift him down I place my hands under his armpits. He is smiling. I am still giving him praise, for he did do good remembering all the above answers did lead to NO!! I begin to lift him up and off the toilet. His pee-pee is pointing upwards aimed right for me and sure enough he pees all over my chest!

Again, I remember the key to starting the process of potty training: Begin only after your child has shown most of the "readiness skills" listed above. And that all signs for him led to NO. The bright side is he is 21 months old, so he isn’t ‘behind,” which means he has 11 more months (on the average) before he will do the pee-pee on the potty.

I have been assured that by the age of 36 months- YES THREE YEARS OF AGE- diapers will be a distant memory. This is supposed to bring me comfort? In the mean time do I ignore his plea to use the potty? I am supposed to support him, but at what risk? I am at the front lines here. Should he shoot a bit higher we are talking it being put in my face and by this I definitely mean in more ways than one!