Potty Problems and Diaper Discipline
As new parents, we want everything to happen to our children quickly. We boast when they can keep their heads up, begin to roll, crawl (backwards and then forward), walk, talk and so on. We also find it a relief when they are finally potty trained - at least at the beginning ...
You see, being potty trained is a double-edged sword. With the newfound abilities, all of a sudden a whole new world of freedom (and trouble) opens up. Goodbye wearing of diapers and wet pants.
Hello frequent trips to the toilet.
It's during the 1000th trip to the toilet which is 1500m away, or three floors down while we start thinking. It's the request in the middle of mass, a movie or during a ride back home on the expressway that starts to irritate us. It's the "call in the night" at 3am and 5am that finally makes us ask the question, "what have I done?". I haven't even gone into the need to do the big one while having lunch at a coffeeshop with facilities that are less than hygenic - one can only imagine.
Maybe other children have better control of their bladder than Nigel. Or maybe they drink less water - for he's been compared to a water buffalo on more than one occasion.
But what can we go back to? Sometimes I catch myself asking him to pee in his diaper - but isn't that taking a step backwards in his progress through childhood? Yes, I think so - which is why I stop myself short and bring him to the nearest bush (ah, there are advantages to being a boy - although I wouldn't hesitate to bring Shannon to a bush too) immediately, if not a proper toilet. I think asking him to deliberately use his diaper would not only confuse him, but could scar him emotionally as he tries to wrestle with "small boy"/"big boy" issues - I'll talk about that in another post.
The temptation is always there - especially if he does happen to be wearing a diaper, like at night while he sleeps. However, we've made it a point to always look forward and help him grow quickly through these early stages of life. One wouldn't ask an older boy to crawl or a man to eat baby food, would they?
It takes time and discipline - just one of the responsibilities of a new parent I guess.
You see, being potty trained is a double-edged sword. With the newfound abilities, all of a sudden a whole new world of freedom (and trouble) opens up. Goodbye wearing of diapers and wet pants.
Hello frequent trips to the toilet.
It's during the 1000th trip to the toilet which is 1500m away, or three floors down while we start thinking. It's the request in the middle of mass, a movie or during a ride back home on the expressway that starts to irritate us. It's the "call in the night" at 3am and 5am that finally makes us ask the question, "what have I done?". I haven't even gone into the need to do the big one while having lunch at a coffeeshop with facilities that are less than hygenic - one can only imagine.
Maybe other children have better control of their bladder than Nigel. Or maybe they drink less water - for he's been compared to a water buffalo on more than one occasion.
But what can we go back to? Sometimes I catch myself asking him to pee in his diaper - but isn't that taking a step backwards in his progress through childhood? Yes, I think so - which is why I stop myself short and bring him to the nearest bush (ah, there are advantages to being a boy - although I wouldn't hesitate to bring Shannon to a bush too) immediately, if not a proper toilet. I think asking him to deliberately use his diaper would not only confuse him, but could scar him emotionally as he tries to wrestle with "small boy"/"big boy" issues - I'll talk about that in another post.
The temptation is always there - especially if he does happen to be wearing a diaper, like at night while he sleeps. However, we've made it a point to always look forward and help him grow quickly through these early stages of life. One wouldn't ask an older boy to crawl or a man to eat baby food, would they?
It takes time and discipline - just one of the responsibilities of a new parent I guess.