Every mother deserves a solid gold medal for their superhuman feat in the art of potty training. It’s a journey that requires more time and patience than waiting in line at a coffee shop during the morning rush hour. I mean, I’ve had days when I contemplated if my children would finally get the memo… perhaps before college.

Potty Impossible

You know it’s a serious mission when you have to collect an arsenal of supplies, especially if you’re dealing with boys. I practically bought two copies of “Once Upon a Potty” – a story that should have come with a parental advisory warning for potential potty-related graphic content. And let’s not forget the great M&M reward jar experiment. I confess, I ended up eating the M&M’s out of sheer boredom. The little targets for the potty turned Holmes into sharpshooter…move over, archery.

In summary, potty training feels like signing up for an extreme sport.

Laughing Through Potty Training

Then there are those supermoms who have stories of potty-training escapades that put mine to shame. I had the pleasure of meeting one such legend at a presentation in Kentucky last week.

Picture this: she and her husband embarked on an odyssey to potty train one of their sons. The father, channeling his inner wilderness explorer, suggested outdoor training by adopting a tree as the target. And after a successful mission, a standing ovation was in order—complete with clapping and cheers that would make a rock concert crowd envious!

Fast forward to a trip to Walmart with her son. In the cookie aisle, she stumbled upon a life-size Keebler cookie display that could easily pass for a forest. Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of liquid meeting cardboard echoed through the aisle. Then her son exclaimed, “Look, Momma! Everybody clap!”

Bless Your Heart and Bottom

Now, you might be wondering what her response was. Well, she parked the shopping cart over the impressive puddle, flagged down a Walmart associate, and delivered the news with a straight face that should win an award in itself. Talk about keeping your cool under pressure!

As for me? I’d probably do the same but with a dash of southern drama. “Darlin’ it seems a some unruly child has watered your precious Keebler tree! Bye now!”