Oh The Places He’ll Go – The Potty Training Saga of My 3 Year Old Son

  Oh The Places He’ll Go – The Potty Training Saga of My 3 Year Old Son

*This is a guest post by contributor Christina Whittington.

A few weeks ago my 3 year old suddenly decided he was going to “pee” in the potty. In a flash he ran into the bathroom, ripped off all of his clothes, tore off his pull-up, sat on his potty and pee-peed. He was SO excited!

I was very proud of him. What he just did was a major milestone! I did what any mother would have done after witnessing such a feat.   I hugged him, gave him a high five and told him “Great Job!” . I called my husband at work and told him how our just turned 3 year old was a potty training genius! I immediatley posted a status on Facebook to brag to all my friends how my son was officially potty trained. No more diapers for us!

My son’s potty training victory did not last long. As a matter of fact about an hour later, our house became his potty. He suddenly decided he could go anywhere….and he did.

At first I would find a puddle here and there. We had just gotten a puppy and were in the process of house training her with wee wee pads so I automatically assumed it was her. I mean who else could be leaving puddles of pee throughout my house (have I mentioned how thankful I am we do not have wall to wall carpeting?) Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw him in action.

My potty training prodigy was standing in the middle of the toy room peeing on his toy kitchen. I could not believe my eyes. When he noticed I was looking at him he smiled and told me ” I peed!”

And pee he did. Everywhere he could think of. On the floor. In the litterbox. In the dog’s food bowl. In his brother’s shoe. In the toy box. In an empty cereal box. In a plastic food container. On the heat vent. On the sleeping dog…..basically anywhere BUT his potty (and ironically NEVER on the wee wee pad)!

His urine “rain of terror” throughout my house continued for about a month. It was exhausting. I think he felt it was a game of hide and seek between him and I. He would leave a puddle and I would find it and clean it up. I would always be intrigued at the locations he chose. What made him want to pee on his toy firetruck ? Why does he only go in that corner? How did he know that WAS the clean clothes pile?   Then I would get horrified. Who does that? Why does he do that? Please outgrow this …don’t be the weird kid peeing on things in public when you are 8!

Then suddenly one day…he stopped. My little 3 year old finally grew bored of his puddles and started using his potty. He looked at me with a smiling face and said “Mommy…I pee in my potty”…and he has from that day on.

We are still working on pooping in the potty…so far, so good…THAT has stayed in the potty!