Letters to Jack & Audrey: Big Boy Pants

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Big Boy Pants

Jack,

Today is the day that we are no longer using diapers. And I mean that.
(except at night and naptime. Do I look crazy to you?!?)
We had a couple of accidents today, but they were in underpants.

Here's the thing - you are a very bright kid. I could see that you weren't just going to suddenly be "ready" for diapers. I don't know what I was waiting for before. I think I half expected you to be all "I get it, Mom! I want to be big and not wear diapers anymore."

Hah. I'm a first timer, by god.

Well, you are smart and I figured this turning 3 thing has a lot of untapped potential and mileage left in it so today I told you that now that you are three, we don't wear diapers anymore because diapers are for twos and younger and you're a big 3 now, so we wear underwear.

You accepted this logic without question, but are not always so ready and willing to stop playing so you can sit on the potty. I started off with a timer set for every 30 minutes and when it went off I would clap and jump around excitedly like a fool and yell "YEAH! ! IT'S POTTY TIME! WE GET TO SIT ON THE POTTY!" That worked the first time, but from there you were totally onto me and would take off when the timer went off just knowing that I was going to plop you on the potty.

So, I dropped the timer. It had good potential, but I also see that I need you to know it's important for you to come to the potty on your own, so I'm going to let you have the accidents so you can feel the discomfort and realize that you'd rather put that in the potty than get cold and have to be constantly changing your clothes.