Joan was right

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote post about the trials and tribulations of Emily's toilet training. Okay, I better be more specific since, really, I've written many, many posts about the trials and tribulations of Emily's toilet training. I'm talking about this post.

In response to the post, Joan wrote a comment suggesting that I step back and let Emily figure it out on her own, relieving me of the stress of trying to get her to poop on the toilet. I gave it about a week of trying the no pants, no t.v. routine and then when that didn't work (I wasn't really surprised) I took Joan's advice.

I told Emily that I wasn't going to bug her about it anymore, that she could poop in the toilet when she was ready, but that she was going to have to wear Pull-Ups in the meantime because I wasn't going to clean poop out of underwear (anymore). She didn't like having to give up her underwear but she didn't resist too much.

The first two days saw me clean poop out of the Pull-Ups but by the third day or so, she was running for the toilet, not quite making it but almost.

Yesterday was the Boo-Yah moment. She told me she had to poop, she didn't want me to come, she went in there, did the deed and then proudly showed me what she deposited (let me just say: impressive). It was one of my best parenting moments so far. You all knew that poop would have to play a part.

So, Joan, thanks. Maybe it would have happened regardless of me taking your advice, but I'm giving you credit here because I think it was indeed the fact that she saw that I didn't care anymore so what was the point of resisting. Especially if it meant not sitting in her own shit.