by Lisa Linthicum

Created on: January 06, 2009

"I've got a poop! Change me?"

Those are the words my three year old son says to me each day after he has done his "dirty job." Prior to saying those words, here is the scenario that unfolds - he glances around to see if anyone is watching, he runs to the corner of the nook where the TV is in the living room, he stands perfectly still (he protests if anyone looks at him or asks if he wants to sit on the potty), then when he's "done" he struts out of the nook and says, "I've got poop! Change me?"

OK, this little one is 3 years and 4 months old and is a smart boy if he can recognize that he needs to poop and can run to a specific place to do that and then ask to be changed, why, oh why can't he use the potty?!?! Well, if my older son is any indicator, I could be in for quite a daunting challenge.

My oldest son was just 3 months shy of his 4th birthday before we got him potty trained. He too did the cowering in the corner thing and then ask to be changed. (His "spot" was his closet.) With my oldest, we tried everything, stickers, money, encouraging, scheduled time on the potty, and I'm ashamed to admit it, a few instances of "negative reinforcement" as well. I finally realized that my obsession with getting him to use the potty was more about me than about him. I mean, all my friends' kids were potty trained way before 3 years, 9 months. He had a good stretch when he was around 3 1/2 years old where he was using the potty and earning money for each success. I took him to ToysRUs to spend his earnings, proudly thinking that we had conquered this potty training issue once and for all. Boy, was I wrong! After spending his money on a Transformer toy, my son decided that he was done with the whole potty thing and that it would just be easier to wear Pull-ups instead. I came close to having a nervous breakdown that afternoon.

Finally, I relaxed and didn't force the issue. Then a couple of months later, I offered to sign him up for a class at a nearby gymnasium - but told him that he couldn't go if he wasn't potty trained. That was it - he started using the potty (with very few accidents) that very day.

I don't remember much about potty training my daughter - except that she was around 3 1/2 years old before she finally was consistent. She just seemed to get the hang of it without any special circumstances or drama.

I realized the other day that I have been changing diapers continually since March 1999! And for two short periods of time, I had two children in diapers at the same time. WOW! I hope I don't make it the "10 year diaper anniversary" - but as I see that my little one has taken his position next to the TV, I probably will.

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