Life
You know what, you guys? I can't believe I even have to say it. I can't believe I have to explain that potty training is harder than sleep training. Because, I mean, how could it not be? This feels like I'm having to explain gravity to a grown-ass adult. Now, to be fair, sleep training is no walk in the park. In fact, one could argue that the emotional burden of sleep training your child makes it much more difficult than getting your kid to pee in a damn toilet. For me, sleep training was emotionally rough, and my baby was crying when I knew I couldn't pick her up and hold her was really difficult.
My daughter stopped pooping when she realized she could no longer poop in a diaper. She just stopped. I didn't know that was possible, but apparently not only is it possible, it's common. Then, after she held in her poop, she was afraid to poop because it hurt too much. So, she kept holding it in until I had to give her suppositories. My son has been peeing and pooping in the toilet for over a year and still won't let me take away his diapers for sleep. No problems otherwise.
Sleep training, however, was super easy. I didn't even have to train my son, as he was a great sleeper from the beginning. And, the whole thing took only a few days with my daughter. Super easy and super effective. Potty training, on the other hand, is a major pain in my already sleep-deprived ass. And you absolutely have to potty train, too. I mean, it's not like your kid can make their way through life not knowing how to take advantage of modern plumbing. With sleep training, however, you can skip the entire process if you really want to. So for that reason, and many more, potty training is absolutely more difficult than sleep training. Oh, you're not convinced yet? Well, here are a just additional reasons that more than prove my point:
Because Potty Training Can Take Years
Sleep training takes about a week, tops. I mean, sure, sleep training can take longer for some kids, but for the most part it's a rather quick ordeal. Potty training, however, can take what seems like forever. I've been potty training my son since he was 2.5. It's been a year and he still sleeps with a diaper and has occasional accidents. I just hope he gives up that diaper by kindergarten. I mean, one can dream, right?
Because You Have To Teach Your Kid How To Wipe
Never in my life did I think I'd be on call for butt-wiping. Like, my job is to wait for my son to finish pooping and then wipe him. And the wiping doesn't end after your kid is potty trained either, because they can't properly wipe themselves for years, and I'm not about to let my kid walk around with poop in his butt. Or, worse, with poop on his hands.
Because Poop Is Involved
Speaking of poop, there's a lot of poop involved in potty training. There is wiping of the poop, cleaning of the poop, pooping in pants, throwing out underwear full of poop, and sometimes even pooping on the carpet. There's so much poop in potty training, I have officially become desensitized to all feces. Oh, and I definitely have tossed underwear full of poop, because some things are just not worth saving, you guys.
Because Accidents
Sleep training doesn't leave you with a carpet full of poop. Sleep training doesn't leave you with sheets full of pee. And sleep training definitely doesn't leave you running through a museum, holding your toddler up and in front of you at arm's length (great arm workout, by the way) while you pray you have a third pair of pants and underwear in the trunk of your car. Oh, and socks. Because pee trickles into socks.
(There was no third pair of either and, surprise surprise, we had to leave.)
Because There's No Shame In A Child Who Hasn't Been Sleep Trained
If your kid isn't sleep trained, no one is going to bat an eye. In fact, many people who argue against this specific parenting decisions would probably praise you for your so-called humanity. But if your kid isn't potty trained by a certain age (this certain age changes based on no real evidence), the judgmental mob will come after you, pitchforks and unsolicited advice in tow.
Because There Are So Many Accessories For Potty Training
With sleep training, all you need is a bed and a toddler. With potty training, you need an arsenal of accessories. My partner and I started out with a potty and pull-up diapers. Then we moved on to training underwear. Then you need a travel potty, toilet seat covers, wipes, hand wipes, and every other marketable product with the word "potty" in the name. It's just a lot.
Because Sleep Training Doesn't Involve Public Restrooms
My friend's kid stuck her hand into one of those tampon trashcans. You don't have to deal with tampon trashcans when you're sleep training. Enough said.
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