I did quite well this week. I managed enough clothes for all of us for five days. Two musical instruments, an assortment of computer type gadgets. Books, craft items, even a high chair.
The one thing I didn’t pack was a potty.
I didn’t think we needed it. I brought nappies for the two small children, and Smallest only uses the potty on an evening and not always then. So I didn’t bother.
Massive mistake. Yesterday smallest feel asleep early evening. When she woke up she complained of feeling sick. I was fairly sure she didn’t mean she was going to be sick, given I don’t think she ever has been to recognise the feeling. But she definitely wasn’t right. So we retreated to the bedroom to figure it out.
It didn’t take a genius. Tummy pains was the complaint, and she started crying that she was afraid of falling down the toilet. (For the record I’ve only sat her on once and I held her throughout. ) She needed to do more than wee, and she didn’t want to do it in her nappy, and we didn’t have an acceptable alternative. It didn’t matter how many times I explained she could use her nappy, she wasn’t having any of it. So an unpleasant night all round, and a trip to mothercare this morning.
We chose a red and pink potty, same shape and design as her potty at home, but with added Minnie mouse. And after a very quick visit to Hobbycraft, we cane back to the youth hostel and retreated to our room again.
I probably should point out right now that or room is en suite. This is a very well appointed youth hostel. So we had a suitable environment for her to first of all ignore the potty and then decide she’d try it, and then, success.
Or perhaps relief is a better word.
So that’s a parenting lesson learnt. Don’t forget the potty.
Oh dear. Poor love. Well, poor you too I guess!
I’ve had more fun holidays. And more sleep!
At the age of 2 1/2 while I was contemplating starting toilet training, DD suddenly took off her nappy one day and announced: No more nappy. Knickers! Luckily I had bought some knickers for the occasion and had them handy. She refused to use the potty I also had handy and went straight to the toilet. And she wouldn’t put on a nappy to go to bed. So all those weeks I’d been dreading toilet training and she did it herself in about half a minute.
Big was rather like that. And most of it was done at nursery. This has been an eye opener.
My holiday ‘forgot them’ list is all stuff for me – having congratulated myself on packing so efficiently for the children, I have, 3 holidays in a row forgotten my own knickers, socks and hardcore painkillers (ie morphine) that could only be prescribed by my GP. First two easily resolved in Tesco’s, the 3rd by a mystery envelope arriving on our caravan park from my mother.
Aargh. That must have made life slightly difficult.