The Back Story
Mackenzie started potty training herself back in early November, and she’s been totally pee-trained during the day for many many months now. However, the naptime or bedtime diaper was still the location of choice for depositing her poop.
Something had to change.
Date crumbles were her “treat” and did the trick for the pee. However, every time I tried to coerce her to poop on the potty, you could see her mentally weighing the options: Date Crumbles vs. The Joy of Pooping in Her Diaper. It became clear date crumbles weren’t going to cut it.
Enter peanut M&Ms.
It’s amazing what a few colorful pieces of candy will do for a child unaccustomed to sugar. The M&Ms are coveted and talked about often. She’s now about 50/50 for potty vs. diaper and I can sense the momentum is now in the favor of chocolate.
Yesterday
Yesterday, Scott surreptitiously reached up into the cupboard where we keep the loot and popped several of the treasures in his mouth. Mackenzie spied him from across the room and her eyes widened. She said with a tone of reverence and awe, “Daddy! Did you do BIG poops?”
Scott froze. Mouth full of forbidden deliciousness. Mind reeling to reconcile his desire to be honest and his loathing for cleaning up poopy diapers.
“Yes, honey. Yes I did.” He finally said, with meaning.
Mackenzie was duly impressed, I was holding back giggles, and Scott came away with, if not dignity, at least some chocolate to show for the encounter.