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Bribery

I'm not always a fan of bribing your children but quite honestly, it works.
My latest bribery tactic is getting my 4 yr old (yes, you read it right, my FOUR year old) to poop in the potty. It's totally psychological now. He knows when he has to go, insists on doing it his way or no way (which happened a few wks ago when he held it in for almost 5 days before I got hysterical and gave him suppositories to make him go. Clearly I didn't win that battle of the wills)It's getting ridiculous. Everyone tells me to let him be. He will go when he is ready. He wont be in pull ups forever (as a side note. He is not in pull ups. Only when he has to poop and demands to be changed into one)
We've made baby steps. He used to go only with the door closed and pants/shorts on and buttoned. We've graduated to door being open and only a pull up on. He refuses (I mean, refuses) to sit. He is a very strong willed, knows what he wants, little boy. Clearly my child.
I contacted my pediatrician 2 wks before my surgery over this issue. It was driving me crazy. He was four after all. FOUR! My pediatrician reminded me that two weeks before my mastectomy was probably not the best time to be attacking this issue head on and, frankly put, "this is a battle you cannot win".
I love his frankness. His honesty. His..well, the fact that he is right.
I blame myself. I blame all of you who told me that he will go when he is ready. He has been potty trained for over a year and a half now and I didn't push it because all the mothers out there told me not to push him.
So, I didn't.
Then I tried all other avenues once he got to be 3 1/2. Positive reinforcement. Psychological tactics. Bribery. And yes, I know, mother of the year..punishment.
My latest bribery is that he will not be allowed into Disney if he poops in a pull up. We are hoping to make our first family Disney trip in early Winter and this is what I've resorted to. I have my sitter going along with this and hope to enlist my pediatrician at tomorrow's annual physical. I'm sure lying to a four year old isn't breaking any code of ethics, do you think?
My oldest did this to me too. However, I blamed it on his delays and wasn't as annoyed by it all. PS. He is six and yes, uses a toilet. I'm sure youngest will too. Some day. In the mean time, I turn grayer by the moment and resort to...
bribing a four year old.
This is not how I envisioned motherhood.

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