“Seems kind of plain,” Bert said.
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s the point. If they’re all cute and colorful like a diaper, the kid will think it’s just a diaper he can pull off by himself.”
“But if he doesn’t like them, he won’t wanna wear them.”
“That’s why you introduce big kid underwear at the same time. Those are training pants. If Ollie gets good at wearing those and can keep them clean and dry, he gets to wear the fancy and colorful big boy undies.”
Bert smiled and it was totally despite himself. He seemed genuinely impressed. “So it’s like a dangling carrot in front of a horse with a stick.” He thought for a second. “What about diapers?”
I shrugged. “What about them? Ollie’s done with jarred baby food, now isn’t he? Eating ice cream? In half a year to a year he’ll be done with diapers. You get rid of the ones that fit him so that training pants and underwear are the only options.”