Mean mom
She howls in the bathroom when I insist that she go potty. "No! I can't! It's too hard!" She acts as though I am torturing her. "I don't want to! I won't! I won't!"
I already feel like an evil troll; the potty police. Yesterday when she had an "accident" at Nana's house, she begged my mom not to tell me. "She will be mean to me," she said.
But I'm really, really tired of cleaning up poo, and so the meanness continues.
She is my most sensitive child, my introverted one. The one who voluntarily and happily plays all by herself. When Eric asked her about Sunday School yesterday, she said proudly, "I talked to my teacher today!"
Sitting in the bathroom, she screams some more. She wants a snack, a treat, a story, someone to hold her hand. I promise her that she can have all of that, any of that, whatever she wants--after she goes on the potty.
Eventually, the deed is done. In the toilet. We rejoice, and my little snuggler comes up to me with a big smile. "You are a good mama," she tells me as we hug.
"Thanks, kiddo. You're a good daughter," I tell her.
Beth comes in and sees that her sister has been released from potty jail. She instantly sees a way to turn the situation in her favor.
"Did you go on the potty?" she asks. "That means you get to do anything you want to do! Mama said so."
"I want to play with you," Lucy says sweetly.
She is clearly not comprehending the situation.
"But you could do something mom doesn't usually let us do! Like play games on the computer," Beth says. Then she adds, graciously. "Anything YOU want to do."
"I want to play games on the computer," Lucy says, eyes wide.
"You may play games on the computer," I tell her.
"Toldya she would let us do whatever you want," Beth says, pulling one of the office chairs up to the computer.
As Lucy climbs into the other chair she gives me a kiss.
"Mom, you're not mean," she tells me.
"Thanks, sweetie. I'm glad you went on the potty. I knew you could do it," I say.
"Yep, I knew I could do it too," she says.
I just hope she remembers that tomorrow.
I already feel like an evil troll; the potty police. Yesterday when she had an "accident" at Nana's house, she begged my mom not to tell me. "She will be mean to me," she said.
But I'm really, really tired of cleaning up poo, and so the meanness continues.
She is my most sensitive child, my introverted one. The one who voluntarily and happily plays all by herself. When Eric asked her about Sunday School yesterday, she said proudly, "I talked to my teacher today!"
Sitting in the bathroom, she screams some more. She wants a snack, a treat, a story, someone to hold her hand. I promise her that she can have all of that, any of that, whatever she wants--after she goes on the potty.
Eventually, the deed is done. In the toilet. We rejoice, and my little snuggler comes up to me with a big smile. "You are a good mama," she tells me as we hug.
"Thanks, kiddo. You're a good daughter," I tell her.
Beth comes in and sees that her sister has been released from potty jail. She instantly sees a way to turn the situation in her favor.
"Did you go on the potty?" she asks. "That means you get to do anything you want to do! Mama said so."
"I want to play with you," Lucy says sweetly.
She is clearly not comprehending the situation.
"But you could do something mom doesn't usually let us do! Like play games on the computer," Beth says. Then she adds, graciously. "Anything YOU want to do."
"I want to play games on the computer," Lucy says, eyes wide.
"You may play games on the computer," I tell her.
"Toldya she would let us do whatever you want," Beth says, pulling one of the office chairs up to the computer.
As Lucy climbs into the other chair she gives me a kiss.
"Mom, you're not mean," she tells me.
"Thanks, sweetie. I'm glad you went on the potty. I knew you could do it," I say.
"Yep, I knew I could do it too," she says.
I just hope she remembers that tomorrow.
6 comments:
I so love these stories! And though I in no way want Kaden to hurry and grow up, I look forward to having some of my own!
Thanks for sharing them, you good mommy you!
Jennifer, you are absolutely the best mom your kids could ever, ever have. Take that one to the BANK, sistah.
Amen on Jennifer's comment. And even John laughed when I just read this to him, admiring the wily Beth.
Ben is 2.5ish and we're having issues because he is lactose intolerant and (probably) has IBS. but we're still working on it. He says "I won't give UP!" even though it never happens!
*sigh* Well I am currently on the same "mean mom train" as you. Lillie had been going poop on the potty, but awhile back she stopped. She acts terrified, she cries that it hurts, "I can't do it mommy" is often wailed loudly. at the house it wasn't so bad, but living in an apartment, I often think "what must my neighbors think?" They Must think I beat my child the way she cries and screams and carries on! She is my drama queen, but like you I am so done with the cleaning up poop. So if you have any progress and a great idea, send it my way! Please!!!!
Fantastic story but one thing Can I play on the computer too?
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