A Real Stand Up Guy

If I was being honest, I would have to admit that Sam was basically potty trained by two teachers at his former day care. Miss Gwen and Miss Reyna. They started potty training the kids early there, but I suppose shuffling them in and out of the bathroom every 30 minutes is better than changing the diapers of a 2-year-old.

Because Sam spent more time potty training with them than with us, we took our cues from day care. One day I told Miss Gwen, "Just tell me how you are doing it, and we will do the same thing at home." This meant Sam would learn to 'tee tee' sitting down.

So here we are, years later, and Sam still sits. Bryon and I had never talked about it, until a couple of weeks ago when we agreed that if it were up to us, we wouldn't care, but I was beginning to worry that other boys Sam's age may tease him about it. Kids notice these things. Kids tease about these things. (It also occurred to me that Sam has been sitting on - and holding onto the sides of - many a public toilet.)

So one day over the weekend Bryon and I stopped him coming out the bathroom and told him that we thought it was time he started peeing standing up. "Sitting down is great for little guys who don't have great aim, but now that you're bigger you should try standing up. You think that would be OK?"

"Sure, okay," he said, running past, paying very little attention.

I turned to Bryon. "That right there? That just bought us one year of therapy."