Potty problems. After 3 weeks of hardly any accidents, 1 or 2 tops and no bed wetting we just hit our worst day of 9 accidents, while out! Then two days later she asked for her diapers again!!! WTF? I told her all the big girls use undies not diapers and she didn’t care. She wanted diapers.
I’ve gone through all the possible emotional issues that could cause a set back: moving, parental fighting, new siblings, anything new and none of these apply to us. I went back to using stickers, had her naked again, nothing has worked.
Day before yesterday was one of our worst days. My gut is telling me this is a control issue for her. I’ve noticed a few things. Whenever I ask her if she has to go potty too many times she gets really upset. When she is going down to sleep and she is not behaving I tell her she has 10 minutes and if she isn’t down I have to go and she can do it herself. When I leave the room she gets upset and when I return I always find her without pants. Why? Pooping in the potty is harder than peeing? Isn’t it suppose to be the other way around?
And the kicker of all….when I’ve asked her one too many times if she has to go potty, and then I have to say no to something she doesn’t want to hear no to she’ll turn look at me right in the eye, spread her legs and go!!!! As calm as I try to be I’ve been upset at a few of these instances. This has to be a control issue right?
I finally said “potty in pants, no Nemo!”. I always start these important dialogues with “we have to talk about this”, I sit at her eye level and we talk..I talk. I told her she makes me sad she she goes in pants. No more Nemo and no more tv if she goes in pants.
Yesterday was one of our best days in a long time. Only one accident, in the evening and with Pappa. I started the day being calm and vowing to stay calm all the way through. I gave her lots of praise and the one phrase that seems to be hitting home is “I”m soooo proud of you! You make me happy when you poo/pee in potty!”.
Today has been better. She’s peed in the potty every time but has pooed in pants twice. She tells me she has to pee when we’re in our backyard, far away from the toilet and she makes it ok so I know she can physically hold it. Pooing is another issue and I cant figure this one out. She seems to like holding her poo after she’s gone in her pants. The act of putting it in the toilet herself seems to give her more satisfaction. How can I give her more satisfaction to go straight into the potty?
Worst of all, this issue is making me feel like I am doing something to her emotionally which is causing this set back and THIS is what kills me more than anything else. If I knew how to make her feel better I would but at this time I don’t. I’m going to keep searching.
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