Progress, Perfection, and Potty Training

My 28 month old son has decided that he's ready to potty train.  I did NOT chose to try to potty train him, this is ALL his idea.  He begged for big boy underwear and has watched Elmo's Potty Time DVD 3 times in a row this morning. 

I continually asked him throughout the morning if he needed to "go".  He stayed dry for about an hour and a half...which isn't too bad for a first day.  Then, in the course of  20 minutes I cleaned poop off of my carpet and pee from under the microwave stand (he helped with this one...if you make a mess, you clean it up...that's one of our family mantras). 

With the pooping incident, he made it to the potty chair to begin to do his business...then, in his excitement, got up and finished on the carpet.   He was SO proud of himself!  He shouted, "I poop on the potty mommy!  I'm a good job!"  I was peeved about cleaning poop from my carpet (and subsequently, my SHOE)...on many levels.  But, seeing him so proud, my anger melted away and I just helped him celebrate his little partial victory. 

I CHOSE to accept this situation as progress.  Could I be angry and demand perfection from my two year old?  I could...and I did with my first son.  Will it do any good?  Nope, until I chilled out, my first son didn't submit to the "potty train".  I'll probably still get irritated when he has nasty accidents, I AM a human being, after all.  There is, however, a difference between getting irritated by a yucky mess and angrily condemning my toddler for FAILING!  Because, the secret is, that it's going to play out the way it plays out.  The only thing I can control is my attitude. 


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