So, we survived Day 1 and we’re now in Day 2 of self-imposed confinement. We get up and Mayfair Dad rises to the occasion and encourages a seemingly reluctant Little Chap to sit on the potty before he gets dressed into his Big Boy Pants.

Corporate beginnings Credit: © Dann Tardif/LWA/Corbis

He manages to persuade him to sit on it by reading a story but there is nothing to show for it after twenty minutes, by which time yours truly has roused herself so we all troop down to breakfast.

After breakfast, we have a couple of instances when we suspect the Little Chap needs to go, but when we suggested he sit on the potty, this idea meets some resistance.  We persevere and after one more wet pants incident, I see him wince while building his Lego bricks. I put him straight on the potty (amazing how quickly one develops a swift and  sure technique!) et voilà!  He filled it! Much praise and whooping on our behalf – beams of pride from the Little Chap. Stickers and a sweetie seal the deal (probably not Alpha parenting I know, but quite good at reinforcing our point). Later in the morning he is playing outside. One minute he is rushing about, then…

“Mummy! Look what I’ve done!” and he’s done a wee-wee in the potty without being asked. Just gone off and done it all by himself. Mega whoops of joy and congratulation ensue and we decide to chalk up the sweeties by counting up the stickers at the end of the week. We feel it may be better to damage the teeth all in one go.

The rest of the afternoon sees him pretty much trying to get to the potty every time. He has needed clean pants twice today, but only just! Otherwise, he has pretty much picked up the concept. We’ve also had a few false starts, where he has sat for ages trying and we couldn’t persuade him to leave but with nothing happening. No number two today though, which I hope isn’t training related.

After his bath, the Little Chap did say that he doesn’t want to carry on with his Big Boy Pants. This tells me the whole gig has been an effort for him. Trouble is, I think that would be the case no matter when – he’s got used to someone doing his thinking for him on this and I guess he isn’t so excited about having to be that switched on, so the three of us may need to practice for a little while just yet…

Perhaps most amazingly is that we all three managed to survive our confinement to the house without getting on each other’s nerves or winding each other up. No mean feat for any family. However, this evening brought with it a Twitter impersonation so I’ve been up half the night changing all my passwords to everything and I can’t help thinking Mayfair Dad has just gone to bed in disgust…! Am feeling a bit like I’ve left the family jewels (not that we have any!) on the front driveway for any old passer by to steal. Not a nice feeling, it’s put me right off my dinner (not easily done).

Hopefully Day 3 will be a little less eventful…

Mayfair Mum x

© Mayfair Mum, 2011