Maddie Rae Gotcha Day

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Potty Training Myth

I remember when I was potty training my boys a few years ago, and everyone kept consoling me with the myth of "Oh, you must have had trouble because boys are so much harder to potty train than girls." I usually just shrugged my shoulders and held up my hands because miraculously, my boys were a snap to potty train. It was hard on the first initial days, but once they got it, that was it. Done deal. No accidents. Dry at night. Snap.

But I noticed something. My friends with the supposedly "easier to train" girls, were throwing their hands up in frustration after changing accident after accident after accident. I thought it would be interesting to finally have my try at my myth buster by potty training my own girl and seeing if I was just the potty training wizard, or if it really is harder to potty train girls.

So the initial days were much easier with Maddie Rae. She got it in a snap and was pottying in no time. HOWEVER, now she just seems to go whenever she has to go. If I happen to ask her and make her sit on the potty, she will go. But if I don't ask her, she just lets it rip. Today she has had 3 accidents. One occured at my sister's house while she was busy coloring, one occured at the playground, and the last one appeared as if it was spilled water that she was splashing around in on the kitchen floor, only there was no water in sight. What gives? Why are girls so much harder to potty train? My sister's theory is that it's harder for girls to hold it. I don't know what it is, but I do know now that I am indeed NOT the potty training wizard, and those of you with boys can thank your lucky stars. Because in my very scientific study of potty training, they are MUCH easier to potty train.