"Tank"-ing on the Potty Training

I. Hate. Potty. Training.

Hate. It.

With a passion. (That's a lot.)

I always thought Tank would be easier for some reason. Maybe it's because Sunshine was really hard to train.. and Tank started going tinkle on the potty when he was 18 months old. No kidding. I remember thinking, "Oh wow! I'm not ready for this! Maybe he'll train himself!"

Riiiiiiiight. Tank will be three next month (Holy moly where did the time go?!) And I decided last week to take away his diapers because it was just time. (Come on. The kid can play Mario Brothers better than his Grammy and Pappy, dress and undress himself, and has known what pee and poo were for quite a while. He can do this. Sadly, I don't remember what conversation it was that we were having when I thought, "Why am I still changing this kid's diapers?" Wish I did!) No training himself there, oh well. So now, I'm trying to train him.

But sometimes I forget.

And so he ends up going wherever he is... on the bench... or the couch... the floor... you know, wherever's convenient. (The toilet isn't convenient by the way.. it's in a WHOLE DIFFERENT ROOM.)

At least I can tell when he's gonna go poo. He usually runs downstairs by himself to play "Learning Journey." So as long as I can run after him and catch him, we can get him to go on the potty.

So... I guess..

...now that I think about it...

I'm the one who's in potty training at this point. Every 20 minutes..

"Tank, do you need to go potty?"

"Tank, let's go potty!"

"Tank, it's potty time!"

Oh and the bribing.

I bribe. Tank loves gummies, aka fruit snacks. He and his peers get them at his pre-pre-school class when they use the potty. So for the last week Tank has had way too much sugar.

And Sunshine pouts. He uses the potty, after all. Why can't he have a gummy too?

Why can't my 4-year-old understand that he got bribed too, when he was potty training? Why can't he remember that?

So I gave in one day. (Mistake.)

"Okay, Sunshine. How about when you help Tank go potty, you get a gummy too."

A few minutes later I hear..

"Good job Tank!" pitter patter of little feet, actually more like the cacophony of an elephant stampede, but whatever "Mom, I said 'good job.' Can I have a gummy now?"

*sigh*

I. Hate. Potty. Training.

Newbie, you better do me right. You're a girl. You HAVE to do this way easier than these big boy brothers of yours. Mmkay? Love, Mommy.