Potty Peer Pressure

To say that potty training Avery was a challenge would be an understatement.

Bribes didn't work: treats, stickers, praise were all a no-go. In fact, she seemed to get extreme pleasure out of watching us squirm. It's like she was laughing at us waiting, wondering if she'd be one of those 4 year olds who's wearing Depends because they don't make diapers big enough for her rear.

We first tried potty training Avery just before she turned 2. It had worked for Norah, we thought, we'll just do the same thing. We'll put her in underwear and she'll go in the potty. Simple. Done.

Nope...

Lucas started to get frustrated - he's so structured, he needs deadlines. She wasn't falling into line. In response, I acted nonchalant. "Relax", I told him, "We can handle this." I even retorted "In her time." I was so evolved, so patient.

Then, school started again.

I went to pick them up after their first day, and as I entered Avery's classroom, something unthinkable happened: Baby Kaitlyn was on the potty. Baby Kaitlyn who has no hair and can only say five words. Baby Kaitlyn who's practically still eating baby food had her little tush plopped on the toilet. Not cool.

At that moment, everything changed. Game on. SO-HELP-ME-GOD you're doing this, Avery.

That night, we hid every last Pull Up. We put Avery in underwear, and when she asked for a Pull Up, I told her the truth: "the diaper fairy came and took them for the babies." Turns out, this was a surprisingly satisfactory answer. Not only that, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that felt a little peer pressure that day. From then on she's gone in the potty. We've come so far that now she's even learned to stall her bedtime by claiming the need for an emergency poop break.