Potty training continues

I think I've gotten through the pain barrier now. We've had multiple accidents. I've cleaned up puddles of wee, scrubbed poo out of my beloved living room rug and had a public pooing incident. I know there are worse things that could happen (really dreading the first accident in the car seat) but I feel like I've broken through now and it'll all be OK.

Tobes is doing very well and I know he's trying hard. Still no poo in the toilet and the lolly remains in its wrapper but he did get the Chocolate Maker yesterday and he and J made chocolates this morning. There was an incident in the toy store that has really stuck with me. I saw a little boy with his father. The boy looked younger than Tobes, maybe two and a half or even younger. Well, the little boy had an accident and it was a big one. His jeans were soaked and his shoes were squelching. How did his father react? He started shouting 'You little bugger! I asked you two seconds ago if you needed to wee and you said no!!' He then proceeded to drag the crying boy to the toilets.

Now, I'm certainly no expert but I would guess that if, while standing in the middle of a toy store, you ask a small child if they would like to leave to go to the bathroom then that child is going to say 'No, I don't need to go'. Even if he or she is absolutely bursting for a wee. Seems like common sense. Then if the child has an accident it's not really the child's fault and shouting and calling them names isn't really going to help matters.

I was struck by the contrast in our situations. Here we were buying Tobes a somewhat extravagant toy for staying dry almost all day for one day while the other little boy, who definitely looked younger than Toby, was getting reprimanded quite fiercely for having an accident. Not sure which parenting technique will get the required results but I do know which child I would prefer to be.

OK, going to go eat some Chocolate Factory chocolates now. I think we're all going to benefit from that particular toy.