HEB Training Pants. Thanks for the Memories

November 17, 2009 I wanted to give you a personal letter on my experience with the HEB Training Pants. I have been using HEB diaper products for the past 5 years. We were pleased with their performance with my older child and used them with our youngest child. When potty training time came, I hoped my daughter would train as fast as my son did. We never got the privilege of using the HEB training pants with him because he trained in a weekend. I don’t know why all the experts say girls train faster than boys, because we are on the 4th package of training pants for her. She has teased us with potty training, acting all high and mighty on her potty, get us all excited about the prospect of no more diapers, and then just shatter the dream when we realize that she has to go through a whole PROCESS to train. I mean come on. I did not expect this to be a long drawn out THING. But, that girl was a handful from day one, why should this be different? When I realized that we were in full blown potty training, I slipped into my trendy purple velour jumpsuit (low rise, of course), pulled my hair back into a sleek high ponytail, painted on a nice rosy cheek, threw on my running shoes, put on my oversized sunglasses, waved goodbye to my happy suburban family, and excitedly drove my decked out mini van (oh yea, with all the bells and whistles) to the nearest HEB. As I strolled into the store, I could hear Stayin’ Alive playing in my head. I walked confidently to the beat toward the biggest money maker of the store, the diaper section (after the meat section of course. Texans love their meat). I weighed my options, less expensive HEB brand that has always done me right, or more expensive, probably the same quality, name brands? When I first saw the HEB Training Pants, excitement welled within me. It put my two favorite things together, Clifford the Big Red Dog AND ruffles. I never thought in my lifetime that someone would combine the two and create such fabulousness. I cannot put into words the excitement and pride I felt over the prospect of outfitting my daughter in such a fashionable training pant. Fashion is a big part of my life and I make sure that my family and I are always dressed to the nines. I believe that we should dress all the way down to our undergarments in something awesome. Because I believe that if we feel good from the innermost layer out- we will have a better outlook, feel better about ourselves, and people will know that we mean business about fashion. Those are the kind of important values I am trying to instill in my children. I felt that the Clifford the Red Dog ruffly training pants would further my fashion mission. After a couple of days using the training pants, my happiness quickly subsided. I found a flaw in your almost perfect design. The ruffles along leg hole openings turned out to be a problem. The ruffle was stiff, not soft and supple like I had envisioned. It rubbed against my daughter’s inner thighs, creating a weeping, red, open area. Unlike most women’s problem of inner thigh rub (ITR) due to weight gain, my daughter’s problem was not due to abnormally large thighs. She has normal toddler thighs, no excessive rolls like you see on some kids. She can wear normal toddler pants/shorts without incident or excessive tightness in the legs. It pains me to say this, but I think the most awesome, perfect, fashionable HEB Training Pants aren’t so. The super stiff, thigh rubbing ruffle is such a major flaw in your design, that I must (one lone tear slowly falling down cheek)………buy a BRAND NAME. I never thought I would have to do it, but I must. It pains me to break off this long term relationship with you. You have been so good to me. We had some great times together. You went through good times (#1) and bad (#2) with my kids and I. I know you will research the problem and correct it, but for us- it will be too late. By the time the new design reaches the shelves, I know (hope) that my daughter will be potty trained. Thank you for everything. Thanks for the memories.