Potty training often feels like a race that every parent needs to win ASAP. After all, getting kids out of diapers not only saves money but also cuts down on mess and odor—something I’m all for!
When we trained our first kid, Max, it was a breeze. Armed with a potty training book, some waterproof mats, and a stash of cute underwear from the store, I dedicated my summer to helping him embrace the toilet. I was pregnant with our second child and, despite Max being just two, I felt a strong urge to get him potty trained. The thought of managing two kids in diapers was daunting. Thankfully, Max caught on quickly, and aside from a little setback when our second, Lily, was born, he has been a pro ever since.
Lily’s journey was a different tale. Due to some challenges she faced early on, she was slower to reach her milestones. Although many kids don’t master potty training until they are three or even later, we felt a lot of pressure—not just from her preschool teacher, who had a strict no-diaper policy, but also from our budget, as daycare costs drop significantly once kids are out of diapers. Who wants to deal with a kid’s mess when you’re paying for daycare?
We stressed and tried various methods for nearly a year before, one day out of the blue, Lily decided she was ready. Just like that. It was a huge relief—until the reality of potty training set in. As liberating as it is to have a potty-trained child, there are some truly compelling reasons to consider delaying this milestone:
- Accidents escalate: What once were small mishaps now resemble catastrophic events. Forget cute little baby messes; it’s more like a Porta Potty explosion in those superhero underpants.
- Privacy? What’s that?: You can’t even sneak away for a quick bathroom break without your little one trailing behind, asking if you’re going pee-pee or poopy and if you want a sticker for it.
- New restroom connoisseur: You’ll become intimately familiar with every public restroom between your house and the grocery store. It’s a real adventure!
- Timing is everything: Your child will adamantly deny needing to go until the food hits the table at a restaurant. Good luck navigating that for the next decade.
- Public announcements: Your kid will proudly declare their need to “go POOPY!” at the most inconvenient moments—like during a serious meeting or at a fancy wedding.
- Potty time becomes a game: For your child, using public restrooms morphs into an entertaining activity that tests your patience.
- Curiosity overload: They might start inquiring about everyone’s bathroom habits, despite your best efforts to explain that it’s not polite.
- Toilet fascination: Flushing becomes a thrilling experience for them, leading to a surprising spike in your water bill.
- Shopping interruptions: Expect to abandon your cart full of groceries more often than not because your little one is about to “pee their pants.”
- Laundry nightmare: You’ll find that no amount of stain remover can tackle the skid marks that will plague your laundry for years to come.
If you want to delve deeper into the challenges of parenting and home insemination options, check out this article on our other blog. For those looking into artificial insemination, Cryobaby provides fantastic resources. And for more information about fertility options, Hopkins Medicine is an excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, while potty training might seem like a necessary step, there are plenty of reasons to take your time. The transition can be filled with unexpected chaos, and sometimes it’s worth considering if the timing is right for your child.