Renewed Faith

Success comes in the most unexpected way. I haven’t put Jayden on the potty since last week some time. I noticed that he was grunting and I asked him if he needs to go to the potty. He says potty and runs. I run after him and see that he’s running to his room where the clean diapers on. I missed it again, I think to myself. I told him to come back so we can go to the potty, like a big boy. “Did you go already?” Yes he says. I check his diaper and I see that he hasn’t. There’s still time. I remove his diaper and he sits on the potty. This time, I try yet another approach. I ask him if he needs privacy. I will wait outside and you call me when you are done. Book, he says. I get him his book and he tells me he wants me to sit down with him so I do. As he flips through the pages, I hear him grunt and then he says mommy and points to his bum. “Are you finished?” Yes, he says. He stood up and sure enough, there it was. I was never so excited to see poop. I was so happy. I showed him how to dump it into the toilet. He went running to flush and wash hands. It was awesome.

I ask him if he wants to wear a diaper or his undies and he chooses the big boy undies of course. A little while later I ask him if he has to go pee and he says no. And he’s playing and fooling around with Maya and before you know it, he says Mommy, pee-peeeeee. Except this time he didn’t hold it. He’s just peeing as it were the most natural thing in the world to be peeing on his Elmo chair and on the area rug in the living room. Grrrr. I take him to the potty and sit him on the chair while I scrub the carpet (and try to calm down). Then I try to have a civilized conversation with Jayden. I mean, I don’t get it. I just asked him if he had to go and he said no. Why? Why did he go and not hold it or try to get up to go to the potty. I’m actually tired of hearing myself at this point. I don’t’ even know why I put on his second pair of undies.

Before we could make it to the next 30 minute potty break, he says Mommy, pee-pee. I take him to the potty, but it’s too late. He’s already gone in his undies. At least this time, he held it. We get to his potty chair and he finishes up there. The corner of my lips twitches and wants to smile in thankfulness but instead I feel drained and my motivation is gone so I clean him up and go back to the trusty diaper. About 10 minutes later, Jayden comes running and says he has to go pee. I tore off his diaper and he sat down on the chair, whimpering “No mommy, no potty.” Not even two minutes later, he says he’s all done, which he says all the time. Never mind, I think to myself. I start to pickup the diaper and realize that he did it. He actually went in the potty. I am so happy. Renewed faith. I can do it. I can go on to teach another day. Thank you, thank you.