Boys Are Hard, But Personality is Key!

image courtesy of baby-wise.com

with my #2 potty training try, i thought it'd be super easy. i mean ciela was done in 1 week, how hard could this process really be? so, so wrong! i had my little man toran to work with, and not only are boys different, and i think a bit tougher, but toran's wonderful easy-going personality did not bode well for my quick plan. i tried a few options (i honestly can't remember exactly how many or which ones), but in the end it was a combination of several things that worked out.

1. i had "daddy" spend quite a bit of time with toran in the bathroom, explaining things
2. toran wanted to be just like the adults, so out with porto-potty, and in with the potty seat on the toilet gadget
3. i had to be potty-trained!

alright, that last tip seems ridiculous, i know. let me explain. toran could've cared less if he was wet or sticky or anything, so in the end i had to take him every 15 minutes, no matter what. there were a lot of accidents, and messes, and frustrating moments, but once i got that toran's personality was part of ALL of him, it made it easier to just understand that he would maybe never care, (honestly, still does not) and i just had to make him do it. it didn't matter his age, or "readiness" according to all the books, this boy needed a mom to intervene. i have since trained my other little boy, with a very different personality, and although he was also difficult, it was not the same as toran. mid-toran training, we also gave up on any potty gadgets, as skin and parts were being pinched in various ways and places. not fun!