My son is 19 months old. He can feed himself, use some words, sleeps through the night, socializes well with other kids…I thought was doing pretty well. Then last week the nanny said something about starting to potty train boys at home and how she can’t start with him at her house until he learns at home. So Mike took it upon himself to at least try it out and get Silas used to the idea.
Grandpa and Mike built a little stool (his “pee stump”) and showed him how to use it to get up to the toilet. Yesterday Silas peed after a demo from Daddy and we were all excited. Today we were trying again and Mike said, “Be sure to hold his hands.” My brain said I needed to watch Silas’ hands so that he didn’t put his hands in his own pee. As Daddy demonstrated, Silas attempted to touch the stream and I was caught off guard. “Who would touch pee?!” I wondered. Well, my son, who doesn’t know not to. So first Mommy fail.
After waiting for a bit, there was no pee, so we put him in the tub and waited a few seconds (because he always pees as soon as he gets in), then took him out and put him in front of the toilet again. I threw a Cheerio into the toilet and said, “Get it!” Meaning “Pee on the Cheerio, make it sink.” Instead of doing so, my son looks at me, confused, and then reaches into the toilet to “get” the Cheerios. No no! Oh Criminy. Second Mommy fail.
I really need to watch what I say as my son is still thinking in a quite literal way. And I need to ask for clarification from Mike as apparently I have no idea how to potty train a little boy and what may go on in the process. I’m beginning to think that this is not my cup of tea and should best be left to Mike.
