The Trouble with Toilet Training

I don't know how many mums admit what a struggle toilet / potty training is...

For me the battle has been all mine.  It's never been about whether Aaron is ready - the worries are all my own, and have been since he was a year old and he'll be two and a half in 7 days!!!!

I visited my Great Aunt a few months ago and she could not believe he was still in nappies, informing me she had my cousin dry by 11 months... No pressure then!

Then last weekend I spent the weekend in Folkestone and my friend literally gave me homework, in the form of 3 Bs which quickly became 5.

1. Bum - get him out of nappies
2. Bottle - get him off his bottles (still on 3 a day)
3. Bed - get him out of our bed (he cosleeps with us)

He said parenting is all about getting those 3 done as quickly as possible.  But ALL 3 of them are my fault and not Aaron's :-(

Later on we made it five by adding on B for behaviour and B for ... can't remember the 5th one...

Everyone had said toilet training is easier in Summer.  I was out of work all Summer so I had the time to dedicate to it, and yet I always had an excuse.  So so so very many excuses.

NOW I have everything: the seat, the training pants, the pull ups, everything! Aaron is more than ready and has been for a long time.  So yesterday he told me about a poo BEFORE he did it, and I sat him on his mickey mouse toilet seat on the big loo, and because it was FREEZING he hopped off.  Our loo is the only room out of 6 that does not have a radiator.

So how bad did I feel then!!!!!  Knowing that this is yet another reason I should have done it in Summer like EVERYONE told me.

Today, because he remembers yesterday's experience, when I took his night time nappy off, I was going to put pull ups on, but because he associates them with the loo (the COLD loo) he would not let me and insisted I put a nappy on him.  I was GUTTED!

At nursery it is VERY warm and he is forever asking them if he can go to the toilet.  But they won't start it till I do so at home...

So I went on a forum today and admitted all of my concerns and fears, and it was so refreshing to have so many mums commenting back that they have left it as late as I have.

No doubt there were some reading who thought "you idiot get on with it, I did it a year ago" but those thinking that, stayed respectfully silent, so there was a cheerful gang of us effectively saying "it's alright mate" :-)

But it worries me, SO SO much.  It is like a weight on my shoulder.

So I think I may get a bit religious and pray on it.  I did buy a book the other day called The Power of a Praying Parent, and I have A LOT to be praying about.



It is so much on my mind, that I want to start praying about everything, to pass it over into God's hands, that when I heard G+ had started communities, the FIRST thing I did was set up a "Praying Parent" community.

The photo for the community, is one I personally took in Malta.

Feel free to join me there, if you are that way inclined.

I know it sounds so silly when some people have REAL problems, but trust me I have some of those too...

Liska xx