Like Feathers in the Wind....

I have a three year old son who has (finally) grasped potty-training. He being the fourth child, I knew we were on treacherous yet rewarding path. There’s nothing cuter than little tiny buns in their first pair of Superman undies, and that sight alone (failing to mention money saved on diapers) is my reward for persistence and perseverance in the face of grueling odds. And the odds are definitely stacked in favor of a willful toddler whose desire for independence is only outweighed by his stubbornness.

So onward and upward...my potty-training regime has always included open access to the restroom. Meaning, if I’m “resting” in that particular “room” the child in training has access to come in and observe. It seems to me kids learn a lot by watching as they're natural imitators.

One of the more challenging parts for a parent during this time in the child’s life is the child's obsession with the body parts we’re trying control. My son decided to name his penis a “hooter”. His hooter was his new best friend. He carried it everywhere. A sort of confirmation that he was just like everyone else, except maybe a bit smaller. A “pinkie” to everyone else’s thumb (on this note, this same child took to calling his underwear “pinkie bumps”-no further explanation necessary). I personally get a little creeped out by children saying “penis” or “vulva”. So, hooter it is.
I’m in the restroom when my son decides to engage in some “on the job observation”. Well, two year olds aren’t very tall by nature, so his eyes were nearly perfectly level with the action. It wasn't long before he pointed and said, “Mommy’s hooter”. Looking back, I should have pretended not to hear him. But instead I explained, “Daddies and brothers have hooters. Mommies have hoohaws”. He smiled and said, “well, your hoohaw has feathers”. And believe me, if I could fly-I would have.
I don't understand why I felt it necessary to name my own ‘parts’. I’ve never felt a need to reference them (present article excluded) to anyone except my doctor with whom I can use the clinical terms. Having been a parent most of my adult life, I haven't peed in private in nearly 13 years. I think it's a good time to start.
My advice is this:
1. They make potty training videos now-BUY ONE. No need for the live action shots. Children can “observe” a cartoon going potty and probably enjoy it twice as much.
2. Sometimes it’s just better to let people ‘call ‘em like they see ‘em’. I mean after all, why can’t Mommies have hooters?