3 Ways Potty Talk Has Helped My Parenting

This week, my writing prompt was chosen for Mama Kat’s Pretty Much World Famous Writer’s Workshop.

So naturally, I feel pressured to follow it. The prompt was inspired by a regular feature on my Facebook page, “Soundful Sunday.”

Listen to the sounds in your house for 5 or 10 minutes. Write about what you hear.

Well, it doesn’t matter when I do this listening exercise because guaranteed, any 5 to 10 minute chunk of time in my house is going to include potty talk. Day or night. It’s just a given when you have a 3, 5, 6, 8 and 41 year old male in the house.

Lately, I’ve been wondering a lot about my kids’ never-ending obsession with potty talk. Are my older children influenced by their younger siblings or is it the other way around? If my 8-year-old was a single child, would we be discussing say, modern-day technological advances at the dinner table instead of butts, farts, and poop? Honestly, I think the 3-year-old is really the main culprit.

If I say, “Good night, Lulu,” she says, “Good night, poopoo.” When we wished her a “Happy Birthday,” she wished us back a “Happy poopoo!” And when I ask her how old she is, she immediately responds, “Poopoo-years-old,” without missing a beat.

Even though I expect it, I somehow never see it coming so I bust up laughing which, of course, only adds fuel to the fart jokes around here. Please don’t light a match!

It’s true, nothing gets kids talking, laughing, and having a good time like potty talk. I’ll even go so far as to say learning, cooperating, and sleeping. Yes, you read that correctly. Here are

3 Ways Potty Talk Has Helped My Parenting

1. Learning
If you really want to teach your kids syllables, let them do it with potty talk. I’m convinced that since potty talk isn’t allowed at most schools, kids have to figure out learning in polite ways that just aren’t gonna stick as easily. But, they will always remember that ‘diarrhea’ has 4 syllables while ‘caca’ only has two. That, my friends, is how you turn potty talk into a homeschooling lesson.

2. Cooperating
Getting kids to cooperate and smile in pictures can be challenging, especially when you have four. People are always amazed at how photogenic my kids are and for the first time, I’m going to let you in on my little secret: Let them say “peepee” instead of “cheese.” I swear it works every time, and if it starts to wear thin, get creative. No one will know they shouted, “I love peepee!” or “I’m thirsty for peepee!” when they see those million-dollar smiles on this year’s holiday card.

SAY "PEEPEE!"

3. Sleeping
Have you been woken up by a child who’s having nightmares? I have…multiple times throughout the night. I usually mumble something along the lines of, “It’s only a dream. Think of something that makes you feel happy and go back to sleep.” The other night, my 5-year-old said she couldn’t think of anything, so I resorted to plan B which I made up on the spot . “Ok…I’ll give you three happy thoughts.” Why did I say three? Maybe it was three in the morning, the clock said three, and I couldn’t believe I was up at three?! Turns out I didn’t have a third thing, but I was tired and ready to go back to sleep. “Ready for the third thing? It’s just one word,” I yawned. She nodded her head, sleepy but curious. I whispered into her ear, “Poopoo.”

She started giggling and informed me, “That’s two words, mama.”

“No, baby, that’s two syllables. Please go back to bed and have sweet funny dreams.”

Tagged as: Advice, Homeschooling, Writer's Workshop