Barking Space

Late to the Potty

Teaching is a two-way street.

Mind you, the signage isn’t very clear, and sometimes visibility is low because that one inconsiderate neighbour at the corner doesn’t like to trim his hedges, but it’s a two-way street all the same.

We’re entrenched in the battle for toilet supremacy, with us on one side of the battlefield and our daughter on the other. She’s attending an understanding daycare facility that seems to be very tolerant of the pull-up situation – that’s something at least. But our little one has decided that this potty thing may not be the best course of action, as there is no benefit in her mind other than the fact that we seem to throw parties every time she takes a tinkle on the porcelain throne.

I can understand her point of view. We encourage her to be unique; to think for herself, and that’s precisely what she is doing. The down side of this, of course, is that using arguments like “your friend so-and-so is using the toilet” will not really work.

It is a procrastination ploy – one that she may very well employing far better than most adults that I know – and it is driving me batty.

That is, until I thought about it this morning.

I do the same thing. Not in the sense of waste expulsion, of course. No, in my case I have been meaning to do so many things around the house and for myself and instead end up throwing up my hands and pursuing everything in a half-assed manner.

This blog, for instance, used to be updated much more frequently. I have been pushing out creating a DVD of my kid’s second year (with the third year looming). There are stacks of things I need to review for this site and a number of entries that need to go up here (although, I’ve been better at that lately).

I wonder if my little wonder picks up on the fact that her parents are expert procrastinators as well?

Either way, I am going to be trying to turn my own situation around and combat the stagnation of all of my hobbies. Even if it doesn’t help her use the toilet faster, it will definitely rule out that my own laziness is contagious.

Plus, I will get more things done.

Filed under: Anecdotes, General Dialogue, Interest, Ponderings | Tagged: Development, Frustration, Learning |