Usually I'm pretty low key about potty training. Hell, with Jake I actually called it "Potty Learning" because you train dogs but children learn. Lordy was I ever a granola-flavored pain in the ass. I used to brag to all my friends how I calmly told Jake that his Thomas the Tank Engine underpants were in the drawer and to tell me when he wanted to wear them. The next day he announced he was ready. Voila.

There's never really pressure on me to move the kids out of diapers because they all went to a Jewish preschool that doesn't care about that. Jews are so progressive that way.

Eli, however, needs to start using that potty, and stat. We're headed on a nice vacation and he can't go to "camp" in diapers or pull-ups. He's been playing around with the whole idea of the potty for well over a year, it's time to pull off that super absorbent band-aid and go cold turkey on the diapers.

We own every potty-related book and video ever made. They're all super supportive too, all "don't worry, everyone has an accident sometimes but next time you'll make it." Well that's easy for you to say Mr Rogers because you aren't the one doing three loads of laundry a day and having to figure out where to get the couch cleaned. (1)

Elmo and Bear in the Big Blue House are all well and fine but I've decided to take a more aggressive approach with Eli. I started by creating my own coloring pages. Feel free to use them.


First up, the Little Einsteins:

Possibly too subtle, and hey June, how about playing a little hard to get? Show isn't called Little Tramp, at least not yet.

Dora's very influential, let's see what she has to say about this:


I should write a parenting book.

It's so on ShallowGal.

1) And yes, I know Mr Rogers is dead so there's no way he can come help with the laundry.