THEY never said potty training would be easy but they never told me it was be this hard either. Just when nappies were becoming an integral part of my life, bam!, everything has to change.

But try telling this to a two-year-old who has discovered something he's determined to hang on to at all cost. Not only his nappy, but his own mind.

Thus we have welcomed a new member to our family. The Potty.

The Potty has a place in every room in the house -- just in case our son gets caught short.

We have told him that "big boys" tell their mummys and daddys when they want a wee wee. And when they do, they do it on The Potty.

Initially our son warmly welcomed The Potty. After all, it was something new and vaguely interesting.

He quickly discovered it was a perfect receptacle in which to hold his collection of Lego/crayons/"special shells"/the cat.

I even introduced "special prizes" of gold and silver stars -- silver for a wee wee in The Potty, gold for, well, I'm sure you can work that one out.

A couple of stars later and our son had lost interest. He obviously preferred the convenience of "going" wherever and whenever he liked.

His brand new underpants lay lost and forlorn in a drawer. We decided a bit of role play was needed.

"Look," we'd trill, "mummy sit on the potty then daddy sit on the potty. See, can you see us?"

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please bear in mind this mock-up exercise, which of course is precisely what is was, was executed fully clothed and done only to illustrate to our son how he might employ full use of The Potty.

Of course he could see us, he laughed didn't he? And then toddled off into the other room to stand behind the curtain. . . and fill his nappy.

"Pooh pooh mummy".