Potty training fails sometimes, but you know what? It will happen eventually. A friend recently told me that the three hardest phases of parenthood are potty training, shoe tying, and driving. So far, that mom is 100% right.
After extensive research and preparation, we set out to potty train our 26-month-old boy/girl twins over the holiday break. I was nervous but prepared, or so I thought.
On the morning of December 24th (Merry Christmas to us!), we said, “Bye-bye diapers!”
By December 26th, I was pretty sure I was getting a divorce. There was so much crying (from both toddlers and parents), so many tantrums, so much pee, and absolutely no poop (which is an issue all in itself).
I felt like a failure. I wanted to give up. But I also didn’t want to quit. We had already told everyone that the twins would return to daycare potty trained.
Throughout the potty training process, what I really needed was someone to tell me that it was OK. So instead of giving you a bunch of advice or how-tos, I’m just going to tell you it’s OK.
It’s OK to give rewards, whether that’s cookies, M&Ms, stickers, or gummies
It’s OK to not give rewards.
It’s OK to use the big potty.
It’s OK to use the little potty.
It’s OK to pee in the tub.
It’s OK to use pull-ups.
It’s OK to use underwear.
It’s OK to go naked.
It’s OK to go commando.
It’s OK to cry.
It’s OK to watch TV on the potty.
It’s OK to be overjoyed for getting six drops of pee in the potty.
It’s OK if your kid splashes in their pee.
It’s OK if there’s poop on your floor.
It’s OK to leave the house.
It’s OK to be frustrated.
It’s OK to give up.
Your child will eventually put their pee and poop in the potty. Eventually. I think.
The happy ending? Three weeks into potty training and our girl is doing great. We put our boy back in diapers. It’s all OK.
