Potty training a boy is ... interesting
But lately I'm thinking I should revoke that statement.
A couple of months ago I'm in the kitchen and I can hear Kevin asking Wes if he'd like to use the potty. Wes, who's usually rather indifferent to the process, happened to agree this time.
I can hear them getting situated, and then Kevin says, "Do you want to try peeing standing up?" I can tell from the tone of his voice that he thinks this a great idea.
I, meanwhile, am picturing us spending the next year cleaning pee off the walls and floor around the potty chair.
"Um, Kev?" I say. "How about just having him sit until he's a bit older?"
Like four. Or seven.
Here's an article, by the way, that explains why it's easier to potty train boys sitting down.
A couple weeks later, we were all hanging out in the back yard, and Wes had stripped down naked, as he often does. So Kevin suggests to Wes that he try peeing on the fence, which is made of wood.
"See if you can make a W for Wes," Kevin says.
Wes walks right up to the fence and makes like he's going to drag his stuff across the fence in the shape of a W. Luckily, Kevin stopped him before he got any splinters.
Last week takes the cake, though. It was after dinner and Wes announced that he'd like to take a bath, so I went to the bathroom to draw the water. A minute later he runs in, diaper off. I go to retrieve the discarded diaper, and in the living room I notice that the ukulele, which he calls his guitar, is lying on the floor, all wet.
Did he? No.... Could he have? ...
Yep, he did.
He actually got quite a bit in the soundhole — more than I would have expected. After having a good laugh, I composed my face and went back to the bathroom."Wes," I said, "We only go pee in the potty. It's not OK to pee in the guitar."
Words I never expected to find myself saying.
Jen Eyer is on the Community Team at AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at 734-623-2577 or jeneyer@annarbor.com, or you can visit her at the first floor office at 301 East Liberty.
Comments
guitarricardo
Wed, Aug 19, 2009 : 8:41 a.m.
Great story. I have 2 comments. 1. Use a piece of Cherios Cereal to float in the toilet rather than an M&M or a foam peanut. They float and are always available. I potty trained my two boys and was working on my youngest' skills when she was ready to learn. Once you have the older kids set, the younger one's can model them. So I go into the bathroom to check on Rosie and I find her standing there like a boy trying to hit the toilet. "What are you doing?", I ask. "Thats how everyone else around here does it!", she says. She looked a lot like that statue in Denmark of the Little Boy Peeing, with her hips stuck out. To be fair she had a little more aim than the boys, and it's probably a good skill for a female to have just in case. I did have to tweak the training program though. Thanks for the laugh.
slyde734
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 10:18 a.m.
In defense of Dad's taking the lead in potty training, we've been going through the same experience with our three year old, but my wife has taught our boy that it is ok to pee in the grass. Apparently, they were at the park and he needed to go and there wasn't a bathroom in sight. So...she deduced that being a boy he can pee anywhere. Since then, he thinks its ok to pee on our front lawn. When he has to go, he stands in our living room and says, "I'm going to go pee in the grass, ok" Though, the ukulele pic is funny. We give our guy one m&m for peeing in the toilet and three for a poop. It seems to have done the trick.
Natalie Marble
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 9:42 p.m.
I don't think I could make up a funnier sequence of events! Good luck!;-)
Tammy Mayrend
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 8:33 p.m.
We tried to use the foam peanuts that float in the toilet. Your child then learns to aim at them. Seems Wes may excel at aiming at a toilet floaty!!! Good luck.
Heather Heath Chapman
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 4:46 p.m.
Very funny. I wonder if you're the first person to ever take a picture of a pee-covered ukulele...
DAD 65
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 1:55 p.m.
Try painting a spot at the bottom of the inside of toilet and have him "try" to hit it.
Mona Shand
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 12:08 p.m.
Too funny!! We are about to start the potty training adventure with Noah, so no offense, but please keep your husband away!
gobluefnp
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 8:45 a.m.
heh,heh,heh. As a mother of 4 sons....I just have to smile at this one.