8.15.2007

Preschool, We've Got a Problem

I've tried the chart. It worked for a week and I thought we were on our way.

Then visitors came for a week and we fell off the wagon - too hard to find bathrooms while sight-seeing, and we were with people who don't appreciate the "world is your urinal" philosophy of raising (or at least potty training) boys.

I've been trying to re-establish the enthusiasm this week, but it's not happening. Henry came to me in his first pull-up this morning, grinning sheephishly and said in a decidedly taunting voice: "I'm pooooopy, Mommy."

That grin really irritated me, and I said as much, adding that I was so disappointed and that he wouldn't get a sticker for going in the potty, and that meant that it would take longer to earn his next toy.

A sad little flicker crossed his eyes when I said I was disappointed, and I almost felt sad about that, until he got all smarty pants and slammed the sticker/toy incentive: "Dat's OK. I ahreddy got my yego dumptruck."

Grrr. And he smelled so bad. I'm tired of changing his pants, bottom line.

So I told him that I'm going to have to call and tell the preschool that he's not coming, since he wants to poop in his diapers still instead of being a big boy, and then he'll just have to stay home with me and Baby Charlie instead of going to fun, fun preschool with Calvin and Lily.

A happy little flicker crossed his eyes when I said he would stay home with me...Huge flashing warning lights started going off in my mind...we're headed for disaster...

And sure enough, he answered, "Yeah. OK. Do dat. Go 'head. Call 'em."

18 comments:

Ice Cream said...

Ooo hoo hoo hoooo. What a devil. I have one of those too. My youngest little angel loves to tell me she is poopy. She says it in a way that means, "I'm poopy and you have to change it because you are my slave," and finishes with a bit of evil laughter as she runs away from me.

Anonymous said...

OH crap....sounds a bit like little AnnMarie and all I can say is she is an adorable young lady now. IF that is any hope:)

Real said...

oh, Okay. Phew! I was feeling super-lame after your last post about how great he was doing since we have NOTHING happening here on the potty front for our 3yo with preschool only weeks away. But I just feel so much better now. Thanks! Sorry. ; )

Janelle said...

Oh dear! You might be in for the long haul!

Michelle said...

Oh that little stinker! Don't you just want to strangle them and hug them all at the same time sometimes..... LOL..... Have you tried just putting big boy pants on him and letting him go in that, my son hated that feeling but was ok going in his pull ups!
Good luck on the potty training, it looks like you are going to have your hands full with him.

Super Happy Girl said...

Stinker pants.
Well you know what they say: They are ready when they are.
Sorry :(

The Amazing Trips said...

Oh, brother.

Having a new baby in the house makes changing our triplets diapers SUCH a chore. After changing itty bitty Henry (who ain't so itty bitty), I feel like I'm changing an adult every time they hop up on the table. It's killing me, but - having to deal with potty training right now might actually be the worse of two evils.

someone else said...

Oh dear. What to do now? Maybe he isn't quite ready to leave you and Charlie alone yet.

Gabriela said...

oh man. Kids these days- just a little to smart for their own good. I can totally empathize. Hang in there-you will get through it! (and at least you can blog about it in the meantime)

Melanie said...

Ok, this might make you laugh...
When training one of my boys (who is a senior this year), my mother was in the same phase with her grandson... I mentioned my frustration, and she told me to get a big box of milk duds. Every time he did his business in the toilet, he would get a milk dud. What a great concept! We bought the candy, put it on the top shelf in the bathroom where it could be seen by all. Two weeks later I called my mother raving about my success! I told her how the box was empty, and we were completely trained!! The only problem was IT WAS MY HUSBAND!
My pediatrician at the time told me to relax, not many went away to college still in diapers! You've got to be able to laugh. Now having successfully trined 3 boys, the best thing we ever did was let them run around naked in the back yard. It doesn't take but a little while until they notice the way things work. And then after they are trined, in about 3 weeks, there will be one week of complete messes. Once you survive that week, you are done!!
Been there, Changed that!
Melanie

Sketchy said...

Smart kids. Its a win-lose situation.

Blog Antagonist said...

Well...not that I advocate playing mind game with your children, but...I was in a similar situation with my youngest child. He would (and still does) often choose to accept a given consequence if it meant he could do the thing he wanted to do, or not do the thing he didn't want to do.

So...I acted like I didn't care. And then I took it step further and acted like I really wanted him to stay in diapers because he was my last baby and I wanted to keep him with me as long as I could and...

You get the picture.

Anyway...he went to preschool as scheduled. In underpants.

YAY reverse psychology!

NOBODY said...

Well, it's not rocket science---at home with you and his yego dumptruck and a pants full of poop or at school, having to conform with all those bowel-controlling stuff-shirts. He ain't a fool.

If you stumble upon something brilliant, please let me know. I'm dealing with one who has trained herself, but if it's ever my idea, it's better to crap on the carpet. I can't win in a battle of wits with this one, but she's ready. argh!

Sorry I said crap on your blog. Twice.

megachick said...

that was a hard call to know which would be more appealing: getting to go to school with big brother, or more time home with mommy. wrong door this time is just bad luck. tomorrow the answer probably would have been different...

shabba shabba said...

How fun! We didn't even know you had a blog. I told Shannon and she's uber-excited about it. We'll read often with gusto!

Lei said...

Lmbo... isn't he a little tease?

Unknown said...

Should we all start a support group?

I actually was kind of wondering what Kyle's opinion about preschool was. I think that he really wants to go, but he knows when he has an "accident" that he has to turn off the TV or computer or whatever was distracting him, and he also says, "no preschool." However, I think he just understands going in his pants means "no preschool. no more TV" He loves TV.

I think that like most things, he probably will go in the potty at preschool and continue to ignore Mommy. He was SO good on our vacation 2 weeks ago.

Sigh.

Unknown said...

I am not sure if I have posted here before... but even though we didn't have this problem ourselves (thank god for at least ONE THING)... we have friends who have been in the same boat and it's TORTURE. I'm so sorry you are stuck in potty hell.