MomMoments: Life on the Potty Train

Why is it that most of our embarrassing moments circle around the potty? I guess a majority of what we do as parents is help our children learn how their bodies function — sometimes you might just wish they were quicker to learn tact and judgment to go along with their potty training.

How to Talk About It. Our oldest child had just been potty trained and was very excited. As a treat I took him to visit a family friend, who is a dentist, at work. Unfortunately, the friend had just begun a procedure and couldn’t see us. My 3-year-old was very upset and blurted out for all to hear, “But I need to tell him I go poop and pee in the big boy potty all the time!” A shocked and almost speechless receptionist then gave my son his choice of toothbrush as a peace offering. –Rexburg, ID  

Where to Go. I took my two small children and infant to the library one day. I was distracted for a few moments by a text message from my husband and when I looked up I found my 2-year-old had wet herself. Wonderful! I asked her to show me where it had happened so I could see if she had left a mess. I wasn’t prepared for what she showed me. She took me to a kid-height table that had a round white bowl set into a hole in the center, for crayons or something. Yup, it contained a fluid in a tell-tale hue that could only be one thing. She had climbed up there and used the bowl as a potty, right through her clothes! I told the kids we had to leave immediately. Once we were safely in the car and out of the parking lot, I realized I could have removed the bowl and rinsed it in the bathroom, or even told a member of the library staff that “someone” used the coloring table for a toilet. I was too horrified to think it through! –Peoria, AZ

Public Courtesy. While we were out to dinner with my family one night, I took my 3-year-old son into the bathroom to wash his hands. As we were finishing up, another women had just stepped out of the bathroom to wash her hands. As the lady went to reach for paper towels, my son screams,”Oh no, you forgot to use soap!” The poor women must have been so embarrassed for trying to get away with just a quick rinse. I don’t know who was more embarrassed…me or her. –Anaheim, CA

There is a certain kind of embarrassment that only a Mom can truly understand. Our MomMoments column is filled with these war stories of motherhood. We’d love to hear your stories so please share with us!