As I had predicted, Caleb came home yesterday without doing his big business. That meant that I had to watch him really closely at home for his time bomb to go off. True enough, after he woke up from his afternoon nap, he started walking and standing in a very strange manner (he was crossing his legs all the time). I asked him whether he wanted to poo and he kept insisting no. After a while, I think his stomach was giving him a lot of discomfort, he started to say "poo poo, poo poo" quite frantically. I immediately sprang into action and tried to grab him to sit on his potty and kept telling him, "Caleb, cannot poo on your shorts or floor ok." It was a very stressful moment for the both of us coz he was almost hysterical when I tried to get him to sit on the potty and he tried to run away from me. I managed to place him on his potty for 2 seconds before he sprang up and kept saying "Dun have!" I can't describe the look on his face. He kinda looked like he was afraid the potty would bite his butt or something...yah, I think there was fear in his eyes! And I think the fear drove away the poo for a few moments coz he had time to get angry with me. He actually walked away, folded his arms and gave me this really annoyed look and tone and said "I told you I don't want! I don't talk to you!"
Anyway, this went on for at least half an hour. It was really agony for the both of us. For him coz of his stomach discomfort and his reluctance to sit on the potty and toilet bowl and knowing that he can't poo in his shorts or floor. For me, it was agony knowing that my son was in discomfort and trying to stay firm and not give in to give him his diaper to poo.
Well, at moments like this, I thank God for creativity. I decided that I needed to give him some motivating factor so I decided to entice him with stickers. Godma Jace had sent Caleb some really nice stickers with his name printed on them. I had kept them aside coz when she sent them, it was a year back and he did not know how to appreciate the stickers then. So, the evil Mummy started asking him "Caleb, do you want stickers? Oh, I got some really special stickers you know... but they're only meant for children who sit on the potty and toilet bowl to poo." Obviously he wanted the stickers but he still refused to sit on the potty. I took the stickers out to show him how pretty they looked. Ha! and at the very apt moment, he looked like he was experiencing another wave of discomfort in his stomach so I grabbed the opportunity and used all my "powers" to distract him. I managed to place him on the potty, whilst dangling the stickers in front of him and told him, "Look, let's stick the stickers on your hand coz you're sitting on the potty already!"
Sidetrack a bit, ok, it helped that Caleb had met his friend Kimi on Sunday and she had 2 stickers on her hand for good behaviour. Caleb remembered about Kimi's stickers so he started saying to me "I have stickers like Kimi?"
Anyway, whilst sticking on the 2 stickers, Caleb managed to release some poo into the potty. Once the stickers were stuck on, he sprang up again and said "No more!" I looked at him and decided he was not done yet. It is at this moment again that I thank God for Mummy instincts. True enough, after a while, Caleb needed to poo again. This time, I rushed him to the toilet bowl and kept telling him "Look Look, you're doing so well. Once you finish all your poo poo, you get to choose a really big sticker for doing a good job." He managed to finish up his business and you could see the relieve on his face. I kept praising him and telling him that it's not that bad right? Sitting on the toilet bowl. And then I kept reinforcing that we should do that again everyday. After that, we created a poo poo chart. I told Caleb that everyday that he poos into the toilet bowl or potty, he'll get a big sticker to stick on his chart and when he collects 20 stickers, he'll get a big present from me. I haven't thought of what to get him yet, but we'll see lah.
Anyway, this went on for at least half an hour. It was really agony for the both of us. For him coz of his stomach discomfort and his reluctance to sit on the potty and toilet bowl and knowing that he can't poo in his shorts or floor. For me, it was agony knowing that my son was in discomfort and trying to stay firm and not give in to give him his diaper to poo.
Well, at moments like this, I thank God for creativity. I decided that I needed to give him some motivating factor so I decided to entice him with stickers. Godma Jace had sent Caleb some really nice stickers with his name printed on them. I had kept them aside coz when she sent them, it was a year back and he did not know how to appreciate the stickers then. So, the evil Mummy started asking him "Caleb, do you want stickers? Oh, I got some really special stickers you know... but they're only meant for children who sit on the potty and toilet bowl to poo." Obviously he wanted the stickers but he still refused to sit on the potty. I took the stickers out to show him how pretty they looked. Ha! and at the very apt moment, he looked like he was experiencing another wave of discomfort in his stomach so I grabbed the opportunity and used all my "powers" to distract him. I managed to place him on the potty, whilst dangling the stickers in front of him and told him, "Look, let's stick the stickers on your hand coz you're sitting on the potty already!"
Sidetrack a bit, ok, it helped that Caleb had met his friend Kimi on Sunday and she had 2 stickers on her hand for good behaviour. Caleb remembered about Kimi's stickers so he started saying to me "I have stickers like Kimi?"
Anyway, whilst sticking on the 2 stickers, Caleb managed to release some poo into the potty. Once the stickers were stuck on, he sprang up again and said "No more!" I looked at him and decided he was not done yet. It is at this moment again that I thank God for Mummy instincts. True enough, after a while, Caleb needed to poo again. This time, I rushed him to the toilet bowl and kept telling him "Look Look, you're doing so well. Once you finish all your poo poo, you get to choose a really big sticker for doing a good job." He managed to finish up his business and you could see the relieve on his face. I kept praising him and telling him that it's not that bad right? Sitting on the toilet bowl. And then I kept reinforcing that we should do that again everyday. After that, we created a poo poo chart. I told Caleb that everyday that he poos into the toilet bowl or potty, he'll get a big sticker to stick on his chart and when he collects 20 stickers, he'll get a big present from me. I haven't thought of what to get him yet, but we'll see lah.
Caleb's poo poo chart
Anyway, this evening, Caleb came to me and said he wanted to poo poo. We rushed to the toilet. He allowed me to pull down his shorts for him but insisted he wanted to stand to poo... and he gave me very little time to react coz he immediately sprang into action. At times like these, I wish I had 8 hands. Anyway, I placed his toilet seat cover on the toilet bowl and rushed to grab him to place him on the toilet bowl. Well, either I was too swift in "flying" him to the toilet bowl or I was just too slow in my actions. Anyway, whilst "flying" him to the toilet bowl, the impact of it caused his poop to fly along as well and obviously his poop didn't land in the toilet bowl. It landed next to my toe on the floor. And then my dear son said "Mummy, I get my sticker now?" Yes, at moments like these, I pray for patience...Not wanting to discourage him, I told him,"Ya, you get 1 sticker coz you missed right? That 1 sticker is because you tried ok? Tomorrow we try again ok?" After which, my dear son started repeating to himself, "I got 1 sticker today coz I tried."
Sigh... This big business affair can really be quite challenging... and messy. Well, hopefully Caleb will get the idea and get over his phobia within the week.
Anyway, this evening, Caleb came to me and said he wanted to poo poo. We rushed to the toilet. He allowed me to pull down his shorts for him but insisted he wanted to stand to poo... and he gave me very little time to react coz he immediately sprang into action. At times like these, I wish I had 8 hands. Anyway, I placed his toilet seat cover on the toilet bowl and rushed to grab him to place him on the toilet bowl. Well, either I was too swift in "flying" him to the toilet bowl or I was just too slow in my actions. Anyway, whilst "flying" him to the toilet bowl, the impact of it caused his poop to fly along as well and obviously his poop didn't land in the toilet bowl. It landed next to my toe on the floor. And then my dear son said "Mummy, I get my sticker now?" Yes, at moments like these, I pray for patience...Not wanting to discourage him, I told him,"Ya, you get 1 sticker coz you missed right? That 1 sticker is because you tried ok? Tomorrow we try again ok?" After which, my dear son started repeating to himself, "I got 1 sticker today coz I tried."
Sigh... This big business affair can really be quite challenging... and messy. Well, hopefully Caleb will get the idea and get over his phobia within the week.
