We don't negotiate with terrorists (aka toddlers). Well, maybe we do. We've implemented several incentive programs: stickers, special privileges, special "treats." Usually, you have to earn a certain number of stickers before you get a special treat. But a lot of the time, an ice cream or trip to McDevil's or an organic chocolate milk from Bucks (hey, at least it's organic), is used to "encourage" positive behavior (aka bribe).
Tonight, I caved for a turd. Most parents will get this. London was prepping to crap his pants -- under the kitchen table -- when we decided that we wouldn't let it happen -- even if it had already started. We had a "Harold" (Thomas the Train helicopter) in the cabinet waiting on his final blue Dora potty training sticker.
So, as he sat on the toilet -- so cute -- and cried about how he didn't have to "go," we knew that we had to pull out something special. At first, I thought that if he held Harold in his package, it would be inspiration enough. Not quite. And frankly, when the kid pushed and pushed and finally, splash, produced "his goal," we new that the incentive had to be big.
You see, we had just used our last pull-up. He's been clean and dry for months and we've been feeling guilty about the environmental (and financial) drain. So, tonight was the night. Or we were going to Target to buy more pull-ups.
Bottom line: he's telling me how great Harold is and how he is flying up in the sky and how he wants to sleep with Harold and is reviewing the Thomas catalog for his next "incentive" program.
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