Monday, November 30, 2009

Camp Potty Training, Outpost Abandoned

Well, two days of screaming, crying, flailing (and that was just me) later, we have abandoned the potty training attempts. He just doesn't want to do it, and since there is no particularly pressing need, other than saving $40+ a month on diapers, we have decided to wait awhile.

I really don't need a kid with bathroom issues. Lord knows my family has cornered the market on those: Prior to having a child I could not piddle if I thought someone could see me, and for a time I also couldn't if I thought they could hear me. Public bathrooms were a drop zone of anxiety and dread. I got past the hearing part by counting tiles on the floor while trying to pee. Nothing like a little distraction for the mind.

I also went through a space as a young child of being obsessed with having to go to the bathroom. I had to go all the time. Or so I thought. The story as I recall it is that finally one of my teachers sent a note home that I might need medical attention for all this need to pee. There might have been a child psychologist involved. My mother can confirm or deny that, my memory is foggy. But whomever I ended up seeing, they very wisely determined that I was simply an overly conscientious child, who was worried about being caught needing to piddle when no opportunity to do so was present.

I will also point out that one of my parents knows exactly where the bathroom is in every store or library etc. frequented. This acorn did not fall far from the tree.

So, I would like to avoid some of these landmines and bogeymen if possible with my child. Odds are that because he looks so much like his father he will undoubtedly be wired more like me. In good and bad ways. He already likes to holler at the top of his lungs outside, which I spent a LOT of time doing as a kid. There is nothing quite as cathartic as a good Tarzan yell, a la Carol Burnett, or a good ol "HEY YOU GUUUUUYS" like Rita Moreno on the original Electric Company, out on the playground. Bob is fascinated and horrified all at the same time. "You are very noisy people" he said the other day as we were singing and marching around doing something silly. I will take joyful loud shouting over bathroom hangups any day.

8 comments:

Dproudmama said...

He is a clever one, that child. They will do what they need to, when. It was our pediatrician that gave us the word on you being as wonderful as we thought. Dad is wonderful also. And I am the loud one - the noise from cheering while watching ball games may permeate our doors. Cathartic.

dubiousma said...

I totally forgot about the Electric Company! Wow...lolol...oh God....how strange that there was a show called The Electric Company. Eh, he'll go when he wants to go...don't start worrying until he's like 9 or something...then there may be an issue.

Chip said...

Loud... I yearn for not loud. One of my kids potty trained herself one day by announcing it was time to be done with this nonsense. And she was. The other... well... we took advantage of summer time and our back yard. Tinkling as guys has it's advantages.

Of course he also started imitating he dog. Erin came in and announced "Nate's pooping in the yard!" One of my prouder moments.

Nanny Goats In Panties said...

I spent a LOT of years quoting from The Electric Company. I'm talking about doing this in my 30s! And I got a lot of strange looks. I felt alone, so alone. How refreshing it is to finally see another person on this planet who knew Morgan Freeman as Easy Reader before he was anything else. THANK YOU!

Unknown said...

Thank you for reminding me how much easier life is once potty-training is (you should pardon the expression) behind you and not in front of you.
BTW, just added link to explain my cat's run-in with a bullet. Didn't want to leave you hanging.

Susie Felber said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Susie Felber said...

Seems to me the kid decides when to potty train and if it's early, the parent takes the credit. Hang in there! I'm trying to. Hugo was aces at it, and still is at school, but once he got it, he backslid at home. "prizes" like stickers worked at first. But now, he's just 80% trained and we are not making progress. So I'm backing off. I can be a hard ass about bedtime, but not this! :)

Susan said...

I think it is like the pacifier. You just don't see high school kids with them - so trust that it will happen in time.