Giving you a chance to skip a talk that involves poo…if you’re up for it, click for the extended version.
Emma wanted a toy from the store today. I told her if she pooped in the potty today, she could get a toy. She had panties on because we had run out of Pull-ups so it was extra incentive for both of us. A few minutes ago Emma told me she had pooped in her panties. Imagine that. So I said no toy. The chin started quivering and the quiet tears started. I cleaned her up and left her alone hoping she would bounce back. Lexi came in by herself to my desk a few minutes later and I asked where Emma was and she said she was lying on her bed. Not like Emma. I assumed she was really upset. Sure enough she had cuddled with a stuffed animal and covered up with her blankie and had been crying. I asked her what was going on and she wouldn’t even look at me. I asked her if it was because she couldn’t get a toy and she said yes. My tough love kicked in though. We went back and forth about whether she could actually feel whether she had to poop or not and after mentioning I might have to take her to the doctor to figure out what was wrong if she couldn’t feel it, she says she can. So I gave her the big you’re telling me two different things so I know you’re lying now can you feel it or not speech. She insisted she could feel it. So I stuck by my stance to no toy. I told her if she could do it in the potty, she could get a toy next time but this time she doesn’t get a toy. I promptly ordered a refill for her laxative medicine and will pick it up this afternoon. She has been on this stuff for over a year I think. It’s so frustrating for all of us. I don’t know what else to do. We’ve tried positive reinforcements with toys, candy and stickers and also negative ones. Nothing works. She has never really gotten this upset over it though. I’m hoping maybe she’ll remember and make more of an effort to head to the potty.
But what was funny out of all of this is Lexi when we first walked back to check on Emma in her room, Lexi leans down to Emma and says quietly, “Neber gib up!” I say, “Are you telling Emma to never give up?” She says, “Yeah, that’s what Jasmine says. Neber gib up!”