Potty... what?

I'm not an unschooler, not really. The rigors of academics were ingrained in my psyche and I push my kids when it comes to completing the basics successfully. But, there are some things that I just leave alone. Maybe it's because I'm lazy...

Here's an example of unschooling theory in practice. My five year old lasts about 15 minutes in a sit down and learn situation. But, he'll spend an hour making a map with detailed instructions so that he can direct me (or a sibling) to the secret location of the treasure.
When he says, "Mommy, write 'go this way' for me."
I don't.
Maybe it's because I'm lazy...
Instead, I hand him a chart with all the letters on it and I tell him to write it himself. He writes from right to left, which is kinda cute and I think maybe he'll be a Hebrew scholar someday. His letters don't always look quite like the ones on the chart, but I don't care. He'll erase them and do it again until he says "This looks great!" and then he tapes it to the wall for the other 'spies' to find.
He's learning to read, write and spell, but I'm not teaching him... I'm just letting him.
That's unschooling in practice.

Sometimes, I'm more of a Tiger Mother. I force my children to join stuff, and practice their skills, drill their math facts and I expect them to get high marks on their academics. We have quizzes and tests and I can be a nag.

But, there are some things that I just leave alone. Maybe, it's because I'm lazy...
Like, potty training.
I've never potty trained any of my children. Five out of six can use the potty consistently without messing their pants or wetting the bed. The sixth just turned three and I'm sure he'll catch on eventually.

Yes, you read that correctly.
He just turned 3.
He's still in diapers.
And, I don't care.
Maybe, it's because I'm lazy...

We own a potty chair.
It's even in the bathroom
well, actually right now it's in the living room. It doubles as a stool.

He sits on it sometimes.
He reads (well, looks at) magazines there.
He has even sat on it naked and had pee and poop land in it.
Mostly to his surprise though, not with any intent.

When I let him run naked, he just goes on the floor. I'm lazy - I don't want to follow him around cleaning that up.
Usually, there comes a point where I instinctively begin to think that the butt I'm cleaning is too big for me to be wiping. Then, I start making them clean up their own messes; throw away their own diapers, wipe themselves off, even head for the tub and wash up when necessary.
I don't want to clean up diapers forever.

I tried to potty train a kid once. She's 16 now, but I still remember what a nightmare that was.
Never again.

They all figure out the potty thing, and our little three year old is figuring it out too.
But, I'm not teaching him.