I should clarify that when I made my son pick up his own feces off the floor, it was the third time he had pooped on the floor. The first two, I was cool as a cucumber. He started doing it during timeouts. Timeouts I was probably overusing to correct his behavior. He's a very verbal kid. Tonight at dinner, he looked at Rob and said "Daddy, stop making faces at me and be serious. I'm trying to ask you a question." He turns three on Saturday.
The thing about verbal kids is that when they talk to you so much, you start to forget how little they still are. How they need to be held and babied and led very, very carefully. And, I'm a little sleep deprived most of the time and A LOT sleep deprived some of the time. So I had a little poop coming my way.
The truth of it is, I'm glad he started shitting on the floor. It made me take stock. I had to realize that he needed me to spend time telling him we were spending time together, focusing on spending time together. I had to give him extra hugs. I had to stop using time out so much. I wasn't using it right. I started sitting with him in it and showing him how to take deep breaths to calm down.
And we went back to sticker charts for all the potty-business. So now life is good. I can't tell you how many times I've dug a hole and held him over it so he could poop. (with a baby in a front carrier to boot!)
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