The last few times I have asked Bethel to come, she’s come happily and been rewarded with big hugs and kisses. “Mommy is so happy when you obey!” I still need to be asking her more. I forget. I deliberately avoid times when I suspect she won’t obey quickly or happily (when she’s grumpy or tired or very engaged in something). I want her to know the success and joy of obeying before I start making the task harder. Don’t worry! The hard stuff will come.
Some success!
After our long time spent on the potty, David woke up from his nap and after a few more tears, sat on the potty and tried. Nothing came out, but I was happy because he obeyed. (I never asked him to poop; only to try.) The next morning he told me he wanted to try to go poop on the toilet. (I had told him as long as he was choosing not to try to go poop, he would sit on the toilet after each meal, regardless of whether he tried or went. But if he chose to try on his own, he could go only one time each day when he actually had to go poop.)
So far we’ve had three successful tries. This morning he was in the bathroom by himself for a long time, and I wondered whether he needed to go, but he hadn’t called me. I think he was working up the courage (he had unrolled an entire roll of TP in the meantime, and I’m sure fear of mom kept him from calling too). When I went in, I asked if he needed to go, and he said yes.
We have had one “accident” when he went twice in one day. I put him in the bathtub and told him he needed to wash himself. This was traumatic. Through tears, he asked why I wouldn’t clean him up. I asked, “Who put the poop in your underwear?” With a straight face, he said “Bethel did it.” HA!
I think we’re on the right track.