Is the drought over?

About three weeks ago, Kallie had a GREAT potty training week. For the first couple of days, she made it to the potty for all of her #1's, (which she has been REALLY good about even through naps and overnight since she started potty training), and about 1/2 of her #2's, (which is better than the other way around). Then, for the last 4 days of the week, she was PERFECT in her pottying. Then, for some reason, she suddenly stopped making any attempt to get to the potty for #2. Ryan and I were pretty frustrated, especially because we knew that she knew what to do and had the ability to make it happen. But no amount of coercing, convincing, or plain old bribing made any kind of difference in her desire to make it to the potty. For the past 2 weeks straight, Kallie has absolutely refused to do #2's in the potty.

We tried having her clean her own poopy panties, but she loves playing in the water, so that wasn't much of a deterrent. We tried putting her in time out after it happened, and that didn't work either. We tried having her sit on the potty until she finally pooped. And, she would wait until we gave up, climb off the potty, and do it in her panties. We started a "bean jar" to focus on positive behaviors, one of which was pottying, and that caught her attention for everything BUT the potty. We made a few big bribes for new toys, sleepovers at Grandma's house, and anything else we could think of. And, still she refused to "do her business."

Finally, at the end of my rope, completely exhausted and tired of cleaning poopy panties, I decided to take drastic measures. As much as it was a punishment for me as well, I told Kallie that big girls put their poops in the potty and babies put their poops in their pants, so until she could put poops in the potty, she was going to have to wear a diaper. She did NOT like this idea at first--but after a few minutes of wearing a diaper again, she got used to it. And, I started resigning myself to the idea that I would, once again, have 2 kids in diapers.

She spent all day today wearing a diaper. I took every opportunity to remind her that big girls wear panties and when she could put poops in the potty, I was more than happy to let her wear her panties again. I knew it was on her mind when she threw the word "poop" into various conversations...and I wondered how long she was going to go wearing diapers again. As I put her to bed tonight, I reminded her that once she put poops in the potty, she would get to wear panties again. About 30 minutes later, Ryan and I heard her in the bathroom--where she announced to me that she was going to do poops. AND SHE DID!!! Needless to say, I was thrilled beyond belief. It's amazing how something as simple as a child not pooping in the potty can make you feel so frustrated and helpless--it's just something they have to do for themselves.

Now, I have to say this--I'm sure this isn't how all potty training parents feel, but when I put Kallie back in a diaper this morning, I felt terrible. I know that the cardinal rule of potty training is that you don't go back to diapers once you've moved up to panties. And, I felt that, in a way, I was admitting defeat and surrendering for now, (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). But, tonight, I feel validated in my choice. I know that what I was doing wasn't admitting total defeat. Instead, I feel that I helped Kallie see logical consequences and she was able to make her decision based on that knowledge. I know this doesn't work for all kids--but I'm really grateful that there's finally an end to the preschooler potty drought in our house.