She's taken a stand against the unfair tyranny of her parents, who have committed the worst misdemeanor ever - they've enforced her toileting independence!!!!
The poor wee thing has decided this toileting thing is wayyyyy over-rated. I mean "how icky, you don't expect me to put my hands near there?"
Bless her heart.
When one first becomes a parent, thoughts of toilet training a sassy little 5 year old and her (ever so willing to help, Bless his caring heart) twin brother, do not enter your mind.
Actually, do you have any advice on the subject as I'm fresh out of ideas, not to mention toilet paper! We are going through heaps of the stuff!!!!
We are nearly a week into this "enforced toileting issue" and lets just say it's been a Looooong week!! There have been many tears shed, many lengthy visits sequestered on her throne, and many frustrated family members owing to the fact that we actually only have one toilet!!!
In her most recent episode, madam caused a plumbing disaster! She for whatever reason....I'm sure you can use your imagination here to fill in the blanks...decided to use 2 whole rolls of toilet paper!!!!!!
I'm serious!
She didn't have a problem until her attempts to flush turned into an overflowing, soggy disaster area!
Lets just say we were not impressed!
My darling husband visited all of our neighbours only to discover none of them own one of those toilet plunger thingies. We really are getting to know our neighbours.....
Madam in the meantime decides that she is in big trouble.
Hubby is entirely frustrated
and me?
Well I confess it actually entered my mind that we should look into one of those bidet thingies!!!!
They say that necessity is the mother of all invention. Yeah that's probably right. Or could it possibly be a family survival instinct?
I digress.... Madam has flat out refused to play the game with the parents' rules. And she's tenacious alright! She could out sit a brooding hen! I'm sure that later in life these traits will be great strengths! (Well that's what I keep telling myself) I take some encouragement from Dr James Dobson's "The Strong willed Child" particularly the part where he says...
"Treat that child with sincere love and dignity, but require him or her to follow your leadership. Choose carefully the matters that are worthy of confrontation, then accept her challenge on those issues and win decisively. Reward every positive, cooperative gesture she makes offering your attention, affection, and verbal praise. Then take two aspirin and call me in the morning."But more encouraging is the prayer he closes the book with... I have racked my brain as to what is the best approach to deal with this precious child who is obviously struggling with a very necessary task. I've questioned our decision, her physical capabilities, whether it's necessary......so these words are a balm to my very tired parenting heart....
"Lord you know my inadequacies. You know my weaknesses, not only in parenting, but in every area of my life. I'm doing the best I can to raise my kids properly, but it may not be good enough. As you provided the fish and the loaves to feed the five thousand hungry people, now take my meager effort and use it to bless my family. Make up for the things I do wrong. Satisfy the needs that I have not met. Compensate for my blunders and mistakes. Wrap your great arms around my children, and draw them close to You. And be there when they stand at the great crossroads between right and wrong. All I can give them is my best, and I will continue to do that. I submit them to you now and rededicate myself to the task you have placed before me. The outcome rests securely in your hands"Right then....better buy a plunger!
