Time for a Breakthrough

Potty training is one of those milestones that is both wonderful and gut wrenching at the same time. My youngest is has just turned 4 and he’s been going to the toilet, in the day, unaided for a while now. However night time hasn’t been such a great transition, I’ve been through tons of washing gel, I’ve changed bedding at 1 or 2am countless times and I’ve felt like this phase was never going to end. It’s such a slog to wake up at 2am with a crying child, having to calm them down, stay awake and change bedding all at the same time. 


Big boy bed
My baby's bed.

With my eldest the transition seemed really easy, admittedly the mother-in-law did most of the work while I was on my honeymoon. We went away for a week and by the time we got back he was sorted. He didn’t even struggle very much with going to the toilet at night, it just sort of ‘clicked’. Like I said, the youngest has been struggling and I did wonder if he would still be like this when he started school full time. I had my magic moment last week when I woke up at about 2am and heard the little one getting out of bed. 

I laid there hoping that the crying wouldn’t start and listened intently. I heard him get out of bed and walk onto the landing, he stopped and I sighed and flung the covers back. Just as I was about to get off the bed I heard his footsteps again so I waited. Listening and holding my breath I heard him go to the toilet, flush, wash his hands and then walk back into his bedroom. I couldn’t believe it! My baby had finally cracked it. It’s been about a week and I haven’t had to change his bedding in the middle of the night. I’m so proud of him but at the same time I’m a little sad, my baby is growing up.

I won’t be sorry to say goodbye to those 2am bed changing routines but it does make me realise that my baby isn’t a baby anymore. In September he’ll go to school full time and then it’s just a short time before we’ll be fighting and arguing over when he can go out on his own (I have this with my eldest now). It’s nice to see those break throughs but sometimes I do wish time would slow down.