It's Not a Competition

Sometimes I have to remind myself not to compare me or Milo to other people. I see kids about his age already potty-trained and I start worrying that he should be potty trained. Yet, I've heard and read from multiple sources that forcing potty training usually leads to set-backs. (Not that I'm saying those other parents forced it, just that I would be forcing it right now because Milo is definitely not ready.)

I have to remind myself that every kid is different and while there are milestones that probably should be met by a certain age, some kids reach them earlier and some later. Milo is taller than some older kids. He was big when he was a baby. I remember our first few visits to The Little Gym, wondering why the other kids could sit up by themselves and Milo couldn't. It was because he was two or three months younger than those kids but the same size. He's no giant but he's in the 75th percentile for height. So, he's above average.

But there I go again, comparing him to other kids.

And no one compares to my little cowboy in my eyes

He's smart and bright and funny. He's adorable. He's trying out new words and new skills all the time. I don't worry that he isn't progressing "normally." So, when I find myself comparing him to other kids -- and wondering about my parenting skills -- I have to remember that it's not a race. And I have to cherish every age and every stage. Because it's going by way (way, way, way) too quickly.

Daddy Talk: Tinkle Think

Trying to figure out the whole potty training thing is a bit confusing for me. I don't really know how to encourage my son to pee in the potty, let alone poo in it.

I think at this point he isn't quite ready, and it's mostly up to us to keep him from getting scared of it. Which so far hasn't been a problem. He sees it, sits on it and is good with it as an accessory piece. Outside of that I'm not really too worried about it.

There are plenty of books on the subject and plenty of different ideas. Our neighbors took their boy out to a farm, stripped him naked and, poof, he was done. Our experience with having our boy walk around naked has been that he pees on the carpet -- and sometimes, in the tub.

Potty training is definitely one of those things with many paths to the same endpoint. The best way seems to be anything with patience involved.