5 Reasons I’m TERRIFIED of Potty Training

If you follow me on social media, or participate in the cloth diaper groups I belong to, you probably know by now that my toddler is potty-curious. You know because I’ve asked the questions and beginning the conversation.

I’ve been talking about it because I’m absolutely TERRIFIED of potty training and feel the need to vocalist my perpetual concern and struggle with this new chapter in my life. #mybabyisgrowingup #totallynotprepared #nobodyteachesyouthisstuff

Honestly, I didn’t expect to be potty training a toddler this summer. I fully expected to be training both kids at the same time, next summer.

However, my toddler has different ideas. Out of the blue, one day last week, he took off his diaper, clambered up onto the toilet and went pee. Then he did it a couple more times. Then he did it and squeezed out a tiny poop. Fuck.

Guess its time to potty train.

Even on our holidays this week, he took fancy of clambering up onto the toilet at my girlfriend’s house and taking a pee. He knows what he wants. I guess his stubborn independence is paying off.

I’m terrified and here’s why.

1. I don’t know anything about potty training. Much like everything else in parenthood, I know absolutely nothing about potty training a small child. How would I?
   • My extended family is less than forthcoming about the upbringing of my children, and I don’t have many friends who have #beentheredonethat.
   • The past 23 months have been a blur of trying to figure out this motherhood thing from breastfeeding, to solids, to sleep, and now the world wants me to figure out how to teach my child to use the potty?
   • I feel the pressure to figure out everything by ourselves is some sort of cruel joke. #thankgoodnessfortheinternet
2. I don’t want to stay at home. The only thing I kind of know about potty training is it means staying at home for extended periods of time. One mom at Hike it Baby said a week, and others talk about the 3-day method.
   • Staying at home with my children, by myself, is the BIGGEST trigger for my post partum depression and anxiety. When I have to be alone, without other adults to converse with, I go bat-shit crazy.
   • I’m not sure how other moms do it, but I need out of the house. This mama was not built to parent alone.
3. I don’t want to stop adventuring. In line with the above thought, to me, potty training means the end of doing anything fun. Instead, having a potty trained/training child fees like a prison sentence. I am not ready to be chained to the perpetual search for a toilet. How do you road trip with a young child? How do you hike or take on the great outdoors?
4. Diapers are just easy. Change them every 2 hours and go. It’s just easy.
5. I don’t want to clean up messes. Wiping dirty diaper bums isn’t fun either, but I don’t want to be constantly cleaning up pee messes from my floors, couches, and chairs.
   • Because, mothering 2 under 2 is already exhausting, let alone having to mop the floor 4 times today because we poured out our potty, because we stepped in our pee puddle, because we took a shit on the floor. #thelistgoeson
6. BONUS: I’m a cloth diaper blogger. I do have another child still in diapers, but having two in beautiful fluffy bums is the cornerstone of my life right now. Now what? What do we do after diapers? I’m thinking of going back to school for social media marketing/communication. Any leads? Suggestions? One day I’ll need a real job.

Tell me Potty Training will be okay?

Share your favourite tip/resource/link or what have you on the topic of potty training.

I am so not ready for this. He so is. Why does my baby have to grow up? I bought little boy underwear today. Here we go. @#mynextadenture