I'll tell you when I'm ready to 'go'

Same headline as below, different topic...

I thought I might update you on Bright Eyes' toilet habits. Anyone with an ASD child is going to be very interested in this. You others may want to pass.

He started to do his daytime wees in the toilet I think at the age of 4 or thereabouts, but there was no way he was going to sit on the loo for a number two. Instead, he told me when he was about to go, and asked for a nappy.

This is still going on! Once a day he runs out, "Mum, I want a nappy" and I obligingly put it on, wait and then clean it up.

Here and there I suggest that he might like to sit on the toilet to do his poo. I always get a violent 'no' and give up the idea for a while. I'm hoping that when he's ready he'll feel able to do it.

A few weeks ago I tried bribery. He was very interested in a Thomas the Tank Engine catalogue. I said, "See that engine there - if you can do your poos on the toilet, I'll buy you a train that you like."

I got a flicker of interest. We talked some more, and he agreed. All day, until it was time to 'go'. Then it went back to being a big fat "Nooooo - I want a nappy."

So I decided to change tack. This time I asked him, "When are you going to do your poos on the toilet?" He thought for a while and said, "When I'm six."

It's become a bit of a fixed idea now. He'll often talk about "When I'm six, I'll go on the toilet. And then you'll buy me a new train." It's a shame we've got to wait until August for his birthday. When it comes closer, I'm going to start talking about not buying any more nappies because he'll be too big, and hope for a smooth transition.

And as a postscript, because he sees his brother wear a nappy, little boy Jamesie, who is completely toilet trained and has been since he was two and a half, thinks it's cool to wear nappies. rats...

I'm a Big Boy Now!

Background to this: Bright Eyes is getting toilet trained, but has refused outright and to the point of screaming to ever wear underwear.

I was having a relaxing soak in the bath this evening, reading a good book when I overheard this from Bright Eyes who was in bed.

"Dad, dad.... (muffled indiscernible) I need.... (something inaudible)."

Next thing I know, Daddy has stuck his head around the bathroom door. "He wants his undies! Quick! Where are they?"

He grabbed a couple of pairs of underwear and took them back to Bright Eyes, who then said, "No. I'm not wearing them. No!" But instead of retreating defeated, he put the undies in the room and left quietly.

After about a minute I could hear this:

"Bright Eyes is wearing undies. Look! I'm wearing undies. I'm a big boy now."

He had put them on by himself, and was preening to Daddy and his big sister. The look of pride on his face was definitely worth getting out of the bath for!

Hey, it only took five months....

Home from hols

We made it! Two weeks away at two different locations and it was relatively trauma-free.

We have returned with the following achievements to crow about:

Bright Eyes is first-step toilet trained! And it was so easy! All we did was take off his nappies and let him run around the house nunga-punga. He simply took himself to the toilet when he needed to go, and even managed a big, grown-up 'stand up wee' on occasion.

There were a couple of accidents, but really he did very well, even using toilets at other people's houses and in shopping centres.

I say first-step, because we still have a little way to go. He asks for a nappy when he knows something bigger is coming, but that's fine with me for now. And we put a nappy on him once he's asleep because I can't trust his night-time bladder, but that will improve too. Also, he still isn't in his undies. I eventually decided that the undies were a 'B' issue, and he could toilet train without them, so he's a bit breezy down below, but hey!

I am amazed at how easy it was, and feeling very blessed. He was obviously ready.

His second achievement was taking to regularly eating two new things - corned beef and gourmet sausages (ie. not the regular supermarket soy-filled pap, but sausages with real meat and *gasp* even some vegetables in them!)

His third achievement was a clothing challenge. With his grandma, he chose and put on a new T-shirt. Sounds normal right? Well, this t-shirt has a picture on it! This is unheard of for Bright Eyes. But he has kept wearing it and really likes it.

Toilet training

We're about to go away for two weeks of holiday, in which time it is my avowed intention to toilet train both little boys - Bright Eyes and his nearly two year old brother.

Ha ha.

So far it's not looking good. I bought some undies for Bright Eyes the other day. I've talked them up, left them around and even offered chocolate for him to put them on briefly and then take them off.

This has been his constant response:

"No! I'm. Not. Wearing. Undies."

I'll keep you posted.