Family

Jacinda Ardern adds toilet training to the mix at home amidst Covid-19 lockdown

Officially making our PM an over-achiever!

As if it’s not enough to lead the country through a global pandemic Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also taken on the formidable task of toilet training daughter Neve during lockdown.

Neve turns two on June 21 and as all parents know, starting your child ‘on the potty’ during their second summer can be a great time to have a try.

But, as all parents also know, it’s a skill that doesn’t come easily for kids, and the Prime Minister has admitted that so far she and fiancé Clarke Gayford are not having much luck.

After taking to social media to post a heartening message to New Zealanders about what’s had been happening in her “bubble” this week (lots of tower building with Duplo), Ardern was asked by TV and radio broadcaster Carly Flynn in the comments section how toilet training was going.

“We are having ZERO success!” Ardern replied.

“Wait! You have enough to do right now! 😳,” one person commented.

Another said, “We are toilet training too! The fact that you are leading our nation through a pandemic in a virtually flawless way that every other country is jealous of AND you’re potty training your child at the same time just proves what an absolutely exceptional human you are!!! I can barely handle the potty training alone 😅”

Many jumped on board with advice while one joked, “Is toilet training a toddler during a pandemic now falling into the “seemed like a good idea at the time” category???”

But it was the comment from Clarke Gayford, Neve’s main caregiver, that caught our eye.

“@jacindaardern ‘we’,” he wrote – suggesting in a very subltle way that perhaps the bulk of the toilet training is actually being done by him!

Ardern wisely didn’t respond while Carly Flynn offered him a virtual pat on the back with the message, “Sterling effort super dad 😉👊”

Well, the Prime Minister does have a lot more than usual on her plate right now.

In the days leading up to lockdown Gayford took to Twitter to thank those who had asked after the Ardern Gayford trio.

“We are fine, bit tired and someone’s not seen much of her mum lately but otherwise sweet as,” he said.

We can only imagine in these unprecedented times.

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