Potty Training Revelations

A Teacher's Revelation:

I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom.

It's my personal approach that creates the climate.

It's my daily mood that makes the weather.

As a teacher I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.

I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.

In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or de-humanized.

-- Haim Ginot, Child Psychologist

I believe every word of this and I make a conscientious effort each day to think about what I am doing and how it will effect my children positively or negatively. How does potty training have anything to do with this you ask? I too never thought that this would be as significant of a day as it was. I felt so many emotions ranging from being frustrated that she didn't want to sit after the first time, to being nervous and hesitant that I may have done it too early, to being excited becasue she was becoming excited, to being sad that my little girl is one step closer to growing up, to being proud that she was able to do it successfully with my support. It was so apparent that she fed off of what I was feeling that it made me think of this poem. So I am sharing with you. Every parent is a teacher and every home is a classroom.

Potty training overall was a huge success. I couldn't have asked for it to go better. (I have index cards lol...of what I did exactly if anyone would like them!Nerdy, yes but who cares- it worked!) I read the book Potty Train Your child in just One day by Teri Crane. I had skimmed through a few and agreed with this method the most. Like many of the parenting books, I modified some things...and it all worked out great in the end. (no pun intended)

To my little girl Brooke Antoinette:
Everyday you seem to amaze me even more. I love you so much. Never change.