Return of the potty

This is the final installment in a series about potty training. To start from the beginning, go to potty training.

We were less than one week from potty training graduation and the event gave me mixed feelings. I knew there might be temporary regressions, but I thought it’d happen at a later transition; perhaps the birth of his younger brother. Then one night, just before Graham’s bedtime routine was over, a traumatic incident set him back to the early days.

The bedtime routine was going as planned when suddenly, right after we finished reading one of Graham’s favorite books, “Barnyard Dance,” his face crinkled in pain and he began to wail. We were at a loss about what had happened, but he began to clutch his nighttime pullup so we took it off to investigate. What did we find but an ant on his you-know-what! The bugger had bitten him right before bed, and right before our first small group meeting (after two weeks delay, but that’s another story).

The next day daytime accidents returned in full force. Graham’s interest in using the potty evaporated, and he ignored our potty queries.

As the first day drew into a week, our enthusiasm about his progress dried up as we mopped puddle after puddle. We might have given up all hope had it not been for a fascinating phenomenon. While Graham’s regression was nearly complete at home, he showed no regression at school or public restrooms. As we consulted with Anna, Graham’s school teacher, it dawned upon us that Graham had associated our entire apartment with his traumatic experience.

Over a week later and we’ve experienced sporadic success potty training at home. We’ve learned that potty training is not a one-week sprint. At least for children under two years old, potty training is a marathon. We haven’t crossed the finish line yet, but we’re through writing about it.