Let me tell you a story...

Once upon a time, in the fall of 2006, there was a cute little boy who was coming up on his 3rd birthday. He had shown much interest in using the potty so his mommy thought it would be a good time to start trying to train him.

Things started out okay. The little boy got excited when he learned how to go pee pee. Mommy was even more excited because she dreamed of not having to change two sets of diapers everyday (they had a little sister). Little did Mommy know what kind of Potty Training Saga that she was going to face in the next year!

They had their ups and downs. He would do well for a while. Then have multiple accidents for days at a time. Mommy was so frustrated and didn’t understand why her little boy was so lazy and wouldn’t take the time to go to the potty. She almost resorted to going back to diapers, but just couldn’t do it.

Over time he did great at going “pee pee”, but for some reason kept soiling his pants. Mommy tried to be patient. All the books and research of the internet told her that she should treat these “accidents” non-chalantly. No emotion, and especially not anger – because according to “them” it would only prolong things. It was hard as time went on because she KNEW he could go in the potty, but just chose not to. It came to a point where it was almost a daily occurence. Finally after almost a year….she snapped!!!!! This is the scene that ensued…

The boy had just come out of “bummer time” and was making his way down the stairs.

“Mom, I think I pooped my pants.”

She was thinking NOT AGAIN!!! But told her son to come down, and she checked his pants. “No, there is no poop. Why don’t you go to the potty so you don’t get poop on your pants.” (She then lets out a sigh of relief.)

He pauses and seems to be thinking…he then says, “Nope…there’s no poop.”

She thought to herself…yeah right…but knew it would do her no good to take him to the potty. Besides, by now he is practically 4 – he knows when he needs to go. She proceeds to go to the kitchen to start dinner….and that is when it happened.

He rounds the corner doing his infamous cowboy walk. Bow legged trying not to let the “stuff” touch him. Then he utters the words again. “Mom, I think I pooped my pants.”

She always found it funny how he would say he “thought” he pooped his pants. He knew darn well he did…and that is when she had it! “That’s it! I am sorry, but I can no longer clean your pants! You knew you had to go potty and you CHOSE not to go! From now on it is not MY responsibility. If you want your pants cleaned…you are going to have to do it YOURSELF! It is YOUR job!”

The little boy looked at his mommy like a deer looks into headlights. He was shocked! He looked at his mom and said, “No it is not my responsibility…it is not my job. I am a little boy…I can’t do it.”

She was not giving in this time. She had cleaned too many pairs of underwear, and was sick of it…it had to end, and today was the day!!! “Let me ask you something…is that my poop in your pants? No- it is not! It is yours, and now it is your job!” She then led him to the bathroom, and removed all of the bath mats, and told him that once he had cleaned himself up then he could come out.

He began to cry. The thought of having to touch his poop was not very thrilling to him. He continued to whine about how it “wasn’t his responsibility, and that mommy needs to do it.” He got to the point of taking off his pants and tried to take off his underwear. In the process his mound landed on the ground and he was horrified. “Mommy, I can’t pick it up…it will get on my hands. I can’t clean my underwear, it’s not my job, it’s not my responsibility, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.”

Deep down his mom felt some remorse for putting her child through this, but she didn’t know what else to do. She felt like he continued to soil himself because it was easy. He didn’t have to stop what he was doing…he could just do it wherever he was, and then run and find Supermom, and she would save the day. He didn’t have to do anything. Mommy would clean it all up, and then he would go on his merry way. She finally figured that this had to be unpleasant for him…something he would remember, and she was not going to cave this time.

She sat and listened to the whining for almost an hour (yes she was that cruel…please don’t report her to C P S). She stood by and instructed him on what he needed to do to get things clean. She let him know that even when mommy cleaned him, she would sometimes have to touch his poop, but that he could wash his hands with soap when it was all done. He continued to whine as he picked up his poop, as he entered the bathtub to wash off himself, and as he cleaned out his underwear. But…Mommy stuck to her guns…she walked him through each step, but made sure that he did everything. After he was all cleaned up she let him know that from now on he would have to do it.

Fast forward to two weeks later…..SUCCESS!!!!!!! Despite a few tire tracks (which he still cleans himself) the boy has learned! Mommy is amazed at the change, and is asking herself why she didn’t do this sooner!!!

The End!

P.S. After much denial that baby sister was showing signs of wanting to use the potty (she will be 2 next week!) Mommy finally gave in, and bought some princess panties for baby girl. She is doing fabulous, and Mommy feels this time around is going to be much different. Here is to hoping.