As many of you know…potty training is such a joy. My husband and I decided it would be far less stress to NOT dictate when our kids were to be potty-trained. Our oldest was trained at 3 years without any battles and without the stress I hear from so many parents. Forcing your child to be potty-trained by a certain time is as “out” as spanking is now a days. And if you have independent children (aka stubborn as all get out!), you know forcing just doesn’t work.

Our youngest (she is three) will “peeps” and “poo” (these are the correct medical terms) in the toilet when placed there and needs to go, but would rather “go” in her pull-ups instead of asking to go to the restroom. In the days of cloth only diapers, kids were floating like a buoy atop their wet diapers, which I’m sure wasn’t pleasant. I can’t remember that feeling personally, but can only imagine the discomfort. But with today’s wonderful wicking of the wetness, my kids don’t care if their diaper weighs as much as a small Yorkie. I would think the competition set by the older child would help us with our young one, but she isn’t into competing or even wanting to attend the game.

So today when we were at the library, formerly a tranquil place – that is until my children discovered it, my youngest decides to urinate in her Pull-up in front of the bathroom. She then announces to the patrons that she just went “pee-pee.” OK…fine. Pretty cute. Nevertheless, there are several problems with this scenario: ONE…she keeps repeating this announcement with the energy of a bullhorn and clarity of an operatic soprano. Minutes can feel like hours when it is your child. TWO…after she quits repeating her bodily functions, she decides the next thing to do is to scream comparable to a tornado siren. If you aren’t from the Midwest, just believe me, it is piercing. THREE…now I am always prepared for bathroom emergencies. This time, however, my supplies were in the car in the parking lot. No problem! I’ll just check out the books and return to the car for a quick change. This plan was not sufficient for my child who before this very moment could remain in a wet diaper all day. She decided that since she went “pee-pee” in the Young Adult book section, she needed to take off her clothing right there and change into a fresh pull-up in that same section. So the screaming started and continued while I tried to locate my library card, and then with the nimbleness that only adrenalin can suck away, tried to scan the truckload of books my children insisted on checking out. Of course the computer locked up and I couldn’t scan the last four books, but my child was a trooper and screamed all the way through the ever-patient librarian trying to assist me in a job that truly any sane person can do.

Just so you don’t think my child is a maniac and any different than any other three year old, she pulled it together when I suggested she could press the handicapped button that automatically opens the doors to the exit. She sucked up the tears, wiped them away with her parka sleeve and said, “Great Mommy! That would be fun!!” Tantrum #1 of the day complete.

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