The Rush of the Flush

Potty training the younger native has been nothing short of a challenge. I must admit that we are making great strides of improvement. I have to wonder if other caretakers have similar experiences when training their native. I am sure it’s quite common to encounter accidents and resistance; but the young native in my jungle is just a little more unique in the challenges he puts forth.

Part of the process of learning to use the potty is the ever exciting aspect for natives of being able to “flush” the toilet themselves and watch their work disappear beneath the jungle floor. It is a mysterious and exhilarating enticement for them… (usually). Perhaps a little too exhilarating in our jungle; the young native is too enamored with flushing the toilet. In early days of his training he would use this as a weapon against his older sibling and myself. He will grab anything from the older native’s toys, to his shoes, my hairbrush, anything he could get his hands on, and attempt to flush them down the toilet. After many time-outs and many explanations of what can and cannot be flushed down a toilet, (one of many conversations I never imagined having before becoming a native caretaker...) the young native began to get a grasp of the function and settle down a bit.

After more training he was very insistent on preforming this part by himself and after watching him successfully complete this several times I was confident in his ability. Armed with confidence for the youngster, I decided it was time for him to do his business from start to finish without my involvement. It so happened at the time the elder native needed my attention and I proudly waited as the young native took care of business. However my pride turned quickly to concern as I realized I was hearing more water then I probably should. I entered the bathroom to find a giddy native repeatedly flushing the toilet causing water to spew from the closed lid and create a shallow pool of sorts all over the jungle floor.

The native stomped and splashed happily while continuing to pull the lever and let the water emerge from the basin. I could see we had a ways to go still in this process as I pulled a now very wet and agitated native away from the bathroom and rummaged through the closet to find enough towels to soak up the lake that had formed on the jungle basin. He was still quite proud of himself and certain that this was a fun adventure which he will look back on fondly in years to come. Myself, I am  longing for the future, when such things as creating toilet fountains and flushing his sibling's spectacles down the toilet will no longer be the highlight of his day.