Giving Myself a Potty Training Pep Talk

My eyes open and there is no time to fight it. Today is the day. It is the preplanned date that I have guarded on the calendar with no activities and no work. It will just be us at home for the next three days. Today is the start of potty training.

The alarm goes off before the kids wake up. I quickly get up because I am not a Real Housewife and there is not a nanny who costs $1,000 a day coming to tackle potty training for me. I get my teeth brushed and clothes thrown on, keeping in mind that I will likely be peed on today. My mom uniform of yoga pants and my husband’s t-shirt is perfectly suited for what is in store.

I head down the hallway with my very low expectations of the day’s success rate in tow. After all, this is not my first rodeo. I can remember from my first born about how LONG of a day lies ahead of me. The frustrations and the challenges of teaching a toddler bladder control will likely be as much fun as it was last time. Potty training and taking the pacifier are two low points in parenting that need to be done, but I HATE IT! I know that if I can make it through the first day and a half that we are solidly on the path to accomplishing our breakup with diapers. But knowing that and doing that are two different things.

In the kitchen, I browse the K-Cup selection and grab a French Market Coffee & Chicory cup. Today requires “the stronger the better” because I need to get my game face on. I know there will be tears today. It is just undetermined if those tears will be hers or mine. I start with my subconscious pep talk. I remind myself that I need to be patient. My attitude and actions will set the tone for the day. There will be accidents and there will be cleanups. But she will respond to how I handle them.

Scanning the room, I am doing a mental check of the needed supplies to tackle the challenge. Sticker chart, treasure chest of cheap but oh so fun trinkets, her favorite treats, a bin of more size 2T panties than one child needs, extra sheets, extra waterproof mattress covers, Costco size containers of juice and milk, extra hand soap, extra paper towels, Honest Floor Cleaner, and of course, to close out the day, red wine.

As I sip my coffee, I am left to my own thoughts on if I am rushing her to potty train, if she is too little, if this will be too hard to do while my oldest is off of school and also home. And, this is not how I want to spend my vacation days at home for Christmas. I am starting to talk myself out of potty training partly for her sake and mine.

But then I hear little feet on the stairs. I send those thoughts packing and remind myself there is no time like the present. I may not really be ready for what the day will bring, but there is no time for that here we go!

“Good morning sunshine!”

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