what do I do? - WHAT do I do?!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes wrote: Okay, so I told you all that PT has not been going very well. So yes, I threw in the towel (don't hate me) and decided to put it on hold for a couple weeks. Start fresh then.

Well today while Wil is supposed to be napping, I walk in his room to find him in his bathroom (he and Wesley share one - jack and jill) and he is washing his hands naked. I go over to the toilet and there is a poop smear on the seat. His diaper is on the floor. I realize that he has pooped in his diaper, took it to the toilet, dropped it in, sat down, smeared his poopy tush, flushed and then washed his hands. I'm thrilled that he put it in THERE and not his bedroom carpet, BUT what do I do now??! Do I let him continue this little process? Thank god he washed his hands, but he is not at all wiping his tushy. I tried doing it for him and he screamed bloody murder!

luvmykids replied: That sounds to me like he is making the connection, at least.

I think taking a break is fine, nobody has much success when all involved are frustrated. If he does it again, I'd reiterate that since he knows poop goes in the potty he needs to start doing it there. I don't know what else, sorry!

DVFlyer replied: I'd say any time they are in the bathroom when they go you want to jump up and down and make it seem like they just did the best thing you've ever seen. Clap your hands, spin around, whatever it takes so that they want to go there. Do this every time.

We called it the Potty Dance. i.e. if you go, I'll do the Potty Dance. As soon as Chloe went, I'd start "Woo-hooing" and jumping up and down and spinning around.

Think of it two-fold: They get the recognition they need and you get some cardio in.

A&A'smommy replied: I agree he is making the connection! And I certaintly don't blame you for taking a break, we took 2 or 3 of those and when she finally was ready it was still a pain but we got through it much easier!!!!

Kaitlin'smom replied: I dunno what your using to wipe him but maybe using the Kando wips or something soft and flushable. I know for a while we used them until she got used to reg tp.

Also that is deffianlty a connection, make a big deal that he tried to clean it up and anything he goes in the potty do the dance make a BIG deal, and I let Kaitlin pick out her reward she chose suckers, first it was everytime she actaully went then it was just poo then we phazed it out.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Thanks for the tips you guys. He is definitely starting to make the connection which is a good thing. Although just about an hour ago he had a super poop in his diaper and didn't even want me to change it. No taking it to the potty either. Wil is a little funny about me doing the "potty dance". He is such a sweet kid, but sometimes doesn't want the attention. If I make too big of a deal of some things, ie: dance around and applaud, he will give me this face and say "no mommy, go". It's really hard to read what he wants....LOL....as if it is EVER easy to know what an almost three year old wants! But sometimes he wants me in the bathroom with him, praising him, helping him and giving him treats...and other times he wants nothing to do with me when it comes to the potty. And other times he wants NOTHING to do with the potty whatsoever. Each day is different in our house!

I think the break has been good. Personally, I think with Wil's speech delay, the frustration of trying to get his message across is tough enough. I don't want to pressure him anymore. He has shown huge improvement with his ST, so I really just want to take one thing at a time...letting him take the lead. He will pick it back up in a week or so and then he starts preschool. Luckily they will help him with it there too.

Di, that's a good idea about the Kadoo wipes. I should get those.

DVFlyer replied:
I know you mean "wipe", but I read it like "whip" for a second and started cracking up.

A soft flushable "whip".... is that to hide the evidence? LOL!!

*hoping I'm not the only one laughing*

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
I thought she meant 'whip' too at first.

Rae I'm sorry he is giving you so much trouble hun.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Okay, so Wil just went #2 on the potty all by himself! I wasn't even on the same level of the house. I heard him downstairs in the bathroom. He took off his diaper, so I of course assumed he was going to do what he did above. But nope...He actually did #2 IN the potty. I peeked in and he said "going poop mommy". So I handed him a wipe, he wiped himself. It went so smoothly. He washed his hands, I handed him a small candy and he tried putting a new diaper on. No yelling, no mess!

We may be getting somewhere. But like I said, every day is a completely different experience!!!

Kaitlin'smom replied:
see what I get for being in a hurry.....thanks for pointing it out


I just HAD to fix it.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
Rae, let him be. He's got to learn. Best you can do is put those easy wipes for kids for him to wipe his bum and his hands the best he can... maybe make a game out of washing your hands and his, just so that YOU know they're well washed... and then just clean up any residue on his bum at bath time.

Yeah, I know it's gross... but you know what they say... sh*t happens!!


Better for the kids to just plain learn what to do, and get it better as they do it more, than just not do it at all. It's gross for you... but in the long run, great for the kids. I mean...he's OBVIOUSLY getting it if he did THAT on his own. He's not too young.

ETA - just read the REST of the post. Good job Wil!

My3LilMonkeys replied: Sounds like he's making good progress - hope it continues!