My reflection for the day (month) is to not move too fast with toddlers. I have a tendency to try and push things too hard, and that is reflected in the emotional, crabby, screaming child that has taken over Noella off and on in the past week.
I'm talking about Potty Training. I thought I'd bypass all the drama and emotionality that goes along with potty training a two year old and start early. Clearly, I'd have an easy-going, superstar pottier. I mean, Noella is advanced (j/k). Why wouldn't she get this down quickly and without heartache? I know all you moms and dads of kids with potty trained children are smirking at me right now.
We were off to a great start. For a whole week, N was getting it. Staying dry, going when we sat her down - even accurately stating she had to go at a hotel several times on one overnight trip. "Great!" I thought to myself. "We did it, just like I had planned". Well, no one told me about regression. No one told me it wouldn't end there. Week two was a disaster: "NO POTTYING!!!" were the words of the day every day. But, damn it, she knew how to do it. She knows how to do it. She's gonna keep doing it. Right?! Wrong. I pushed and I pushed some more and then it was extremely clear I had gone too far and she was winning this situation.
We are backing off. I don't even want to talk or think about it anymore (for at least a WHILE).
So, my reflection is on trying to stay unemotional about all of these milestones that must be learned. It is way harder for her to go through than me, and I just was not thinking about it that way. I even have an early childhood background and couldn't remember that through this whole process.
I'm sorry Noella, mommy is a control freak sometimes. I'm working on it. I won't say that I'm pretty sure you inherited some of that trait from me, we'll just all go ahead assume it :) I love you dearly and I don't care if you don't pee on the potty. At least not right now.
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