He Did It!

Everyday it's a battle. Everyday, Mike and I try to figure out the best way to deal with the many issues that Ethan presents us with. One of the longest battles we've had is in potty training. We officially welcomed him into the world of underpants and toilet use in February of 2008! In general he uses the toilet pretty regularly. We have found that the reasons for his wet accidents are the usual...he's too preoccupied, doesn't want to stop doing what he's doing, or is just plain lazy! However, it's been a battle to get him fully trained in doing a BM without accidents. We are constantly faced with the questions "is it autism, sensory, or 6 1/2 yr. old behavior??" Then we try to come up with an answer and a solution. Needless to say we have tried everything! And in Ethan's defense he is still on a laxative, (he's been on one since he was 18 months old!), so if it's been a couple of days since his last BM, we'll "up" his meds. to encourage his body to go. This sometimes results in a "got there a little too late" accident which is obviously beyond his control.

Well, yesterday I had had it! It's enough that I still have four other children in diapers, (another post for another day) so it's not hard to imagine that I find myself losing my patience so much quicker when my oldest just can't seem to keep his underpants clean. So, I came up with yet another plan. Ethan wears a pull up to bed at night because he absolutely cannot stay dry that long yet. In the morning, he is supposed to come down, use the toilet and change out of his pull up into a pair of underpants. Last night I told him that from now on, when he comes downstairs he is to change from his overnight pull up into a new pull up for the day. He really didn't like that idea, but I told him that he would be allowed to put underpants on as soon as he did his "stinky" on the toilet.

He did it! He got down from the breakfast table this morning, declaring that he had to "go", and in he went. No accidents. He is now happily sporting his favorite underpants. So, we'll do it again tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that. It's too early to determine whether it was autism, sensory or 6 1/2 yr. old behavior...but if I were to make a determination based on just today...I would tend towards the latter! :)