For all you potty training parents out there (especially those with a little girl), I have an important public service announcement for you — do yourself a favor and (a) keep a careful watch on her toilet paper usage, and (b) stock up on that thin, cheapie, one-ply brand of TP.
Your tush may not thank you for it, but your plumbing system (and your wallet) may.
You see, we learned this lesson the hard way.
Our downstairs toilet has backed up a few times in recent months, usually after Mimi sneaks in there. She never asks for help anymore when it comes to the potty; when she’s gotta go, she’s gotta go. And I’m generally okay with that, because I want to encourage her independence and I want her to feel empowered to use the potty and to listen to her body and acknowledge when she needs to go.
But because I often don’t know she’s even in there, I can’t always monitor her toilet paper usage … which has generally been a bit excessive.
Yet for some unknown — and ill-advised — reason, I continued to buy the “good stuff. ”
“You only need a little bit,” I tell her, showing her a proper, non-clogging amount. But when left to her own devices, she’ll grab a big ol’ handful and flush it down the toilet before I discover it.
And this weekend, all hell broke loose … and I’m only slightly exaggerating. I’ll spare you the gory details, but you can use your imagination, considering we’ve had a team of various workers in and out of our house all day Sunday to repair the damage.
Okay, to be fair, not all of it was caused by Mimi (there were definitely some other forces at play), but according to the plumber’s findings, extreme TP usage definitely exacerbated things.
So parents of potty training toddlers, especially little girls, trust me when I say that thick, plush, luxurious kind that you’ve been buying for years is not your friend.
Think of the good TP like your good china… better to put it away until your kiddos are ready for it.
Melissa Carrier (@Jemstaa) says
Oh no! We’re not quite there yet, but close! And she is already obsessed with toilet paper and flushing. Good luck to you!
Chelley @ A is for Adelaide says
Thank you for this! I’m looking at all angles of potty training and I’m scared!
mel says
We are done potty training thankfully but good advice!!
Jackie says
Thank you for making me smile and bringing back memories of mommy insanity while potty training my kids. You are so wonderful! And…thanks for the hilarious PSA.
joy says
Oh Potty Training….how I do not miss that! Love your post!