The Physical and Mental Workout in Potty Training

I am fully immersed in the trials and tribulations of potty training right now with my 2.5 year old. Boy, it is yet another adventure, I'm quite confident I'll embark on many more with him.

It's a mental workout trying to stay one step (or should I say potty-thought) ahead of him as I watch him like a hawk attempting to interpret his movements, breathing, leg positioning, etc ... to see if he might have to "go" and determine if I should ask him just that for what feels like the 50th time in the last hour and then swooping down if he doesn't give me the heads up to put him on the potty.

I think my son has a love-hate relationship with the chilly piece of porcelain. Occasionally, he'll shriek and sprint off the other direction: it's amazing how well he can move with his blue jeans around his ankles ... I seriously need to consider him as a teammate next time I'm in a three-legged race. Other times he loves going to the potty, and will hang out with, talk to, and observe every detail of the shiny handle and smooth white basin in front of him (he likes to sit backwards).

It's definitely not the same as StrollerFit class, but the bonus physical workout for me comes with him getting excited about "going" and then my need to check before removing him, offering a good bicep curl, and sometimes an added squat. This can be repeated up to 6 or 7 times per visit.

I do believe he's in the final phases of "training", as he's no longer wanting me in the room until he's "done". So when during one of my many walk-bys during a potty-break today, when I asked him what he was doing (he was really taking his time - the more power to him!), he told me "I'm just relaxing", I had to walk very, very fast out of ear shot, and just laugh.

I guess dad has helped out in this potty training after all!