Potty Mouth

No, Benjamin does not swear or say bad words other than stupid. I am talking about another faze of potty training. I have come to realize that getting children to use the toilet instead of their pants is only one step in a many step process. Potty training includes, but is not limited to, the following steps.

1. Teaching the child anatomy. Which parts are where and do what.
2. Teaching the child that they can recognize and control the need to use the bathroom.
3. Teaching the child where to use the bathroom (in the toilet or potty chair, preferably, and not on the carpet or in the yard.)
4. Reminding the child to try to use the potty often to avoid accidents.
5. Cleaning up accidents, both at home and away from home (though I have yet to decide which one is more complicated and/or disgusting.)
6. Teaching the child to pull down his or her pants and underwear to use the bathroom.
7. Demonstrating and enforcing the need to wash our hands after using the toilet.
8. Teaching the child to pull up his or her pants and wipe when necessary.
9. Teaching the child to communicate the need to go to a parent or supervising adult.
10. Teaching the child the appropriate language to use (I need to go pee, poop, or potty) and where to use it (public, private, at a friends house.)
11. How to talk about our bodies and using the bathroom respectfully (not announcing what specific body parts are 'telling' you to do.)
12. Remembering that it is an ongoing learning process that will occassionally have its slid backs and imperfections.

We are currently working on number 10 right now, thus the name of this post. Benjamin is well aware of everything else, maybe a little too aware. But for you moms who are just starting this process, these are some things I have learned on our journey of potty training Benjamin and I am sure I will learn more things when it is time to potty train Bekah. I do have to say that Benjamin was trained to go in the toliet and pull his pants up and down by himself and staying dry through the night by the time Bekah turned one (2 weeks before he turned 3), and we had been working with him steadily for 3 or 4 months up to that point. It is a long process, but well worth it.