Delusions

Most parts of parenting thus far I have not had delusions about.  I’ve been pretty realistic at what to expect until now…until this issue.

For the past month Corbin has shown signs of early potty training.  So I thought that perhaps a potty chair would be an appropriate next step.  Chris ordered one from Amazon.com and it came this week.

I thought once that potty chair came he would magically want to go to the bathroom in it.  Yes people, I thought that chair would be the one thing that just excites him to saying goodbye to that constricting diaper and embrace the big boy world of going potty on the chair.  DELSUION – What was I thinking?

I knew (really I did) that that wouldn’t be the case, but I hoped it would.  I tried to tell myself it wouldn’t be the case, but somehow I still held onto hope that some magic allure of the potty would win Corbin over.

So as I took Corbin into the bathroom and set that “magical” potty down I held my breath to see if perhaps my delusion would become reality. 

Well, he excitedly sat on the potty with his clothes on.  Ok, good…I felt like this was a step in the right direction.  But then it went downhill from there.  The potty got pushed around…fine exploration.  Then the potty pot came in and out, in and out…fine it’s like a putting a puzzle together.  Finally, the potty pot became a hat.  Yup, he proudly placed the pot on his head and walked around.

That was the moment my delusion started to fade.  I’m sad to report that in the five days since we’ve had the potty it’s been nothing but a hat and a nuisance to navigate for us.

I’m also sad to report that my delusion still lingers in my mind.  I know, really, let it go!!  The potty chair has no magic powers.  The potty chair is not going to entice Corbs to pee.  The potty chair is nothing but an overpriced hat right now in his mind.  And yet, I still hold on to my delusion that he will one day see that potty chair and just pull his diaper off and pee.  Oh how sad for me….it’s not going to happen.

Maybe I hold on to the delusion because I know that as soon as I let it go I will fully realize the reality of my situation.  That potty training will not be done by the potty chair, but by me.  That I will have to place considerable time, effort, and thought into training Corbin. 

Ahh well, for now we are in no hurry to potty train.  He’s fine in diapers.  I’m fine with him in diapers.  And the potty chair stays clean so it can be used as a hat.  I guess it’s a win win for everyone right now.

One day the delusion will leave me and that will be a sad reality check.  But until then I still hold out hope that the potty chair will beckon Corbin to come try it out and discover its powers.