A New Era
I would like to take this opportunity to announce to the world (well, to those of you who drop in and read here sometimes) that my son, my youngest son, the one who turned SIX YEARS! in January, the little one who keeps growing up beyond littleness everyday, has, officially, begun to WIPE HIS OWN BOTTOM after going 'number two.'
I know, this may not be the kind of thing I normally write about here. It may not be what you would even consider interesting. Or incredible in the slightest. But to me, this is the beginning of a new era. To me, this is what I am thinking about here at work as I analyze sales data and plan projects and develop training classes. I am thinking, my son is finally wiping his own bottom.
For over 3 years he has been going, you know, without a diaper. No problem in that department. He couldn't wait to pee standing up just like his older brother and his dad. Going 'number two' on the toilet was no problem either, and this was great for us because toilet paper is cheaper than diapers.
But the wiping. That has been another story entirely.
Of course, mom and dad help out in the beginning, but at some point this too must be learned by the little one whom we love and adore. Since older brother just sort of developed this skill independently before he was 5, we thought younger one would too. So, just before his fifth birthday I asked him in a casual conversational way as I was you know, wiping him one day, "So, when were you planning to start wiping your bottom by yourself?"
"When I am five," he announced. "Great!" I said. "You'll be five in just a few months."
His fifth birthday came and went. He learned how to tie his shoes. He learned how to write his name. He learned how to shoot a bow and arrow. He knew how to sew puppets out of felt. But he refused to wipe his own butt.
Late in the summer we reminded him that he might be advantageous to learn the wiping skill before he started kindergarten. We had a couple of trials and several refusals, and a few "it's discustable." At this point we have realized quite plainly that it wasn't about the technique or the skill. He just didn't want to. And, guess what we did. Nothing. We didn't make an issue of it. We figured he would come around one day on his own. Like any day now. Surely.
Kindergarten started. And for the next eight months he came home from school and headed straight to the bathroom, announcing to the world, "I'm going number two!"
Until last week.
I finally just said to him, "I am not going to wipe your bottom anymore. You will do it yourself from now on."
At first, he began to wrinkle up his face, as if I had just told him I was going to take his favorite stuffed teddybear and drive over it with the car. But, he stopped, and asked me in a suprisingly mature tone, "OK, Mom, but could you just show me how to do it one last time?"
"Sure, I will teach you, but you will do it." I said, and proceeded to tell him step by step: "Pull off the toilet paper, about the length of your arm. Tear it off the roll. Scrunch it or fold it, whichever you prefer. Reach behind. Wipe. Check it. Repeat until you don't see anything on the toilet paper."
He is now an independent bottom wiper.
Everyone, thank you for reading this far and indulging me, joining in this celebration of a small but quite significant milestone in my son's and our life. WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!
Now it's time to get back to those excel spreadsheets.
I know, this may not be the kind of thing I normally write about here. It may not be what you would even consider interesting. Or incredible in the slightest. But to me, this is the beginning of a new era. To me, this is what I am thinking about here at work as I analyze sales data and plan projects and develop training classes. I am thinking, my son is finally wiping his own bottom.
For over 3 years he has been going, you know, without a diaper. No problem in that department. He couldn't wait to pee standing up just like his older brother and his dad. Going 'number two' on the toilet was no problem either, and this was great for us because toilet paper is cheaper than diapers.
But the wiping. That has been another story entirely.
Of course, mom and dad help out in the beginning, but at some point this too must be learned by the little one whom we love and adore. Since older brother just sort of developed this skill independently before he was 5, we thought younger one would too. So, just before his fifth birthday I asked him in a casual conversational way as I was you know, wiping him one day, "So, when were you planning to start wiping your bottom by yourself?"
"When I am five," he announced. "Great!" I said. "You'll be five in just a few months."
His fifth birthday came and went. He learned how to tie his shoes. He learned how to write his name. He learned how to shoot a bow and arrow. He knew how to sew puppets out of felt. But he refused to wipe his own butt.
Late in the summer we reminded him that he might be advantageous to learn the wiping skill before he started kindergarten. We had a couple of trials and several refusals, and a few "it's discustable." At this point we have realized quite plainly that it wasn't about the technique or the skill. He just didn't want to. And, guess what we did. Nothing. We didn't make an issue of it. We figured he would come around one day on his own. Like any day now. Surely.
Kindergarten started. And for the next eight months he came home from school and headed straight to the bathroom, announcing to the world, "I'm going number two!"
Until last week.
I finally just said to him, "I am not going to wipe your bottom anymore. You will do it yourself from now on."
At first, he began to wrinkle up his face, as if I had just told him I was going to take his favorite stuffed teddybear and drive over it with the car. But, he stopped, and asked me in a suprisingly mature tone, "OK, Mom, but could you just show me how to do it one last time?"
"Sure, I will teach you, but you will do it." I said, and proceeded to tell him step by step: "Pull off the toilet paper, about the length of your arm. Tear it off the roll. Scrunch it or fold it, whichever you prefer. Reach behind. Wipe. Check it. Repeat until you don't see anything on the toilet paper."
He is now an independent bottom wiper.
Everyone, thank you for reading this far and indulging me, joining in this celebration of a small but quite significant milestone in my son's and our life. WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!
Now it's time to get back to those excel spreadsheets.
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