Hi Everyone,
We are on a cruise. Before the cruise, Joshua was sitting down on the toilet for 3-5 minutes no issues. We would give him his chlorox wipes after he successfully sat for 3-5 minutes. Last night Joshua had to go poop. For a while , we have not attempted for him to sit down on the toilet to poop. Again, he refused to even sit on the toilet. Nevertheless, he did not want us to pull down his diaper he was done pooping. He steadfastly held my hands so that I would not take off his diaper. I asked him to sit on the toilet and he refused. I did not mention an incentive, but in the recent past I did not have to. He would just sit. Our launch days will be November 14-16. It just frustrating. I was hoping he would just sit. I think he is scared to poop in the toilet. What am I missing?
Thanks,
Tiffanie
Answer:
Hello Tiffanie
Ok a few things to unpack. YES pooping can feel weird / be a different sensory experience for our kiddos. They also don't get as much practice as they do pee so just having grace around this process will help everyone involved. If you got him sitting before with a reward and then stopped rewarding sitting, and stopped practicing sitting, it would make sense that he might not be digging the exercise ESPECIALLY because the reward was removed. Sometimes life lifes us and we get out of rhythm that's ok, but when I want to get back to it, I wouldn't kick my own butt if we are not where we left off.. What I can say is if we stopped and restart, as long as I put the reward back in action, I will get back to what we had faster then it took me to get it the first time.. Does that make sense?
So with the cruise coming up you have some decisions to make.. if he is using the toilet for pee, he should be given an elimination reward every time. This should be DIFFERENT then his sit reward. If we want him to sit, we need to give a sit reward, start with 5s and work your way back up to where you were. With the visible/audible timer in play. Because you're leaving soon, I would just get back into the swing of things again and while on the cruise do what you can to keep going and ENJOY your vacation. Let me know if this is helpful and makes sense. xo Michelle
Hello Tiffanie
Ok a few things to unpack. YES pooping can feel weird / be a different sensory experience for our kiddos. They also don’t get as much practice as they do pee so just having grace around this process will help everyone involved. If you got him sitting before with a reward and then stopped rewarding sitting, and stopped practicing sitting, it would make sense that he might not be digging the exercise ESPECIALLY because the reward was removed. Sometimes life lifes us and we get out of rhythm that’s ok, but when I want to get back to it, I wouldn’t kick my own butt if we are not where we left off.. What I can say is if we stopped and restart, as long as I put the reward back in action, I will get back to what we had faster then it took me to get it the first time.. Does that make sense?
So with the cruise coming up you have some decisions to make.. if he is using the toilet for pee, he should be given an elimination reward every time. This should be DIFFERENT then his sit reward. If we want him to sit, we need to give a sit reward, start with 5s and work your way back up to where you were. With the visible/audible timer in play. Because you’re leaving soon, I would just get back into the swing of things again and while on the cruise do what you can to keep going and ENJOY your vacation. Let me know if this is helpful and makes sense. xo Michelle