Making it up as I go along

Let's be honest- when it comes to this parenting gig, I'm making it up as I go. Yes, I do read stuff and seek out advice from others, but mostly I'm taking this and that and gluing it all together with Elmer's- hoping the first bit of roughness doesn't loosen all the glue. I am creating my own parenting style every day.

I'm pretty sure that's how other moms and dads muddle through, too.

Having discussed it with parents who have been there, done that with potty training, I figured it was time. Ranger is seeking privacy for his pooping and thus aware of what he was doing. I guess.

A week later I am feeling a little less sure. Books, videos, regular trips to the potty, rewards offered....nothing seems to get him to Want to be on the potty. We even did just underwear, and he peed with no problem in those, and had no desire to be changed out of them, wet as they were. THEN he got upset when I put diapers back on. Because in his mind, I had said the briefs were big boy clothes, and thus without them he lost his big boy status. Big boy! Big boy! He cried. Near broke my little heart. I compromised and put a diaper on under the big boy briefs. Maybe I should have kept trying, but I didn't want him hating the potty, which will happen if I push the idea too hard. And frankly, after hours and hours of asking every 15-30 minutes if he'd like to go pee or poop on the potty...lets go sit on the potty just in case...we can read this book while we're on the potty...don't put your hands in the potty.... I had had enough.

At the end of the day I sit and wonder, am I doing enough, too much? Is he not ready? What happens when he *is* ready and we're on the subway and he has to go? How does one help a little boy pee in a regular public toilet?

None of these are original thoughts or concerns. I also know he will accomplish this at whatever pace he accomplishes it, and I can trust he will succeed.

Maybe tomorrow I'll bring him home from school and let him go commando for a while. Then again...maybe not.