Toddler playing in sand at the beach Credit: © Ben Welsh/Corbis

It was “Situation Normal” this morning, when The Little Chap was woken by Mayfair Dad and climbed back into our bed in his PJs for a snuggle with me. Two minutes later, he decided it was time for him to go ‘help’ Daddy get the breakfast ready by watching an episode of Roary the Racing Car. We changed his dirty nappy after breakfast (thank goodness, that hurdle was out of the way for today, our first day of potty training!) and dressed him – in his Big Boy Pants!  The Little Chap seemed unsure about the change but didn’t object.  Daddy telling him that he was a Big Boy now, wearing boxers like he does, I’m sure helped him loads – he worships the ground he walks on.  Admiring his new attire a little shyly, but a little proudly too, I think, the Little Chap was later heard saying to Daddy that he was a Big Boy now because he wasn’t wearing his nappy.  He even agreed they were more comfortable! We survived tooth brushing (yay!) and took him downstairs – our play area of choice for the weekend if unable to be in the garden – as wooden floors are easier to clean up than carpets!  He was happy enough playing with his toys until he quietly disappeared into the kitchen, only to come back a second later. “Ugh! Mummy, my pants are all leaking!” he said, a slight whimper edging into his voice. We’ve cleared the first hurdles already then – the mechanics are working and he doesn’t appear to like messing himself! We calmly cleaned him up and changed his underwear (another half dozen pairs being at the ready on the dining room table!), agreeing with him that it isn’t very nice when that happens and next time to ask for the potty.  I gently pressed his bladder (as suggested by SuperNanny, Jo Frost) so hopefully he would know what we mean. Later, the same happened in the garden, where we hoped to spend the rest of the day with the Little Chap playing happily.  The forecast being for mostly dry weather with sunny spells, in true British style, we actually had torrential rain from nap time through to tea! “I’m just doing something Mummy…” he said when I asked where he was off to as he disappeared down the side of the house.  By now wise to that trick, I followed and asked if he needed the potty but I was too late.  As before, he didn’t like getting splashed, especially not on his beloved Crocs!  We hosed them down, cleaned him up again and repeated the mantra.  Next time, ask for the potty before you let go. We managed to get through lunch without accidents, popped the nappy back on for the afternoon nap and then messed up – we left him for too long a nap and he peed in the nappy – a missed opportunity.  Oh well.  We gave him another drink when he woke up and monitored him through the now rainy afternoon as he played happily with skittles.  I was upstairs doing some paperwork, when I heard him crying and Mayfair Dad trying to take him to the potty.  Unfortunately, they missed it by a few seconds, so there was a small puddle on the floor to wipe up. All part of the process I’m sure. Worryingly, the Little Chap seemed a bit upset by us leading him to the potty.  We calmed him down with a short story to distract him from any upset but there was nothing left for the potty.  When he then asked for a sweetie for sitting on the potty, I felt compelled to nicely, but firmly, explain that the only way to get a reward was to ask for the potty and then deposit! Later that afternoon, I was in the kitchen when Mayfair Dad heard a distressed cry and whipped the Little Chap onto the potty just in time for him to catch 95% of his pee in the potty! I have to say that this was not as easy as it sounds. He was obviously not entirely comfortable with the potty as he was visibly distressed and shouting. “I don’t want to sit on the potty!” was this time diffused with a CBeebies magazine that helped him to calm down. We got him to sit back until he had no choice but to let go, at which point we confirmed that this way was much better than a dribble down his leg – wasn’t it?! I am yet to be convinced of his agreement with us… That was our lot for today until bath time, when the bubbles in the bath were obviously not all a result of the bubble bath so we tried him on the potty before putting him into his nappy. However, there was no delivery despite him and Mayfair Dad swapping their favourite tunes and chatting about all sorts for a good ten minutes! Lots of praise for sitting on the potty followed and finally the all round relief of the night time nappy for cuddles, more praise for his efforts and a good few bedtime stories. It definitely hasn’t been as tough as I anticipated and I am quite impressed at my own ability to keep calm and carry on this time.  The Little Chap has me relieved at his unwillingness to be soiled and I’m so thankful he has the vocabulary and communication skills to tell me what he’s thinking/feeling about the process. I think in all it is going to be a big challenge for him to make this huge change in his life but I think he’s trying hard and I am confident that Mayfair Dad and I can support him through it and let him know he’s doing really well. Bring on Day 2! Mayfair Mum x © Mayfair Mum, 2011