My experience is that the Bedtime Potty Pit (BPP) is a fabulous
stall. Aaron has Mom and Dad by the balls, and he knows it. Never
in his short life has Aaron had the kind of power he has now. Mom
and Dad jump when he says he has to pee. Aaron is not dumb; in fact,
he’s very smart. He’s going to use that power as much as possible,
largely for entertainment.
If you’re caught in the BPP, give your child three chances (or
however many you have predetermined). Let your child know that he
has a certain number of chances. You might say something like,
“Aaron, this is the last time you will sit to pee. If you don’t have to
pee, you can hold it until Mommy comes and gets you in the
morning.” He may or may not pee. You don’t want to say, “Last
chance, or you’re stuck doing in it your diapers.” At least introduce
the notion that he can hold it and that it is up to him. He has a
choice: A or B.
The other thing you should do if it looks like your child might use
the BPP stall is to start bedtime early enough to factor it in. For
Aaron, that might mean starting the whole bedtime routine around
6:45. Remember, this is temporary! You all will find your groove soon
enough. If you build in time for the stall, you will be so much less
likely to get anxious about it. The stalls are annoying enough on their
own, but in addition, we get anxious because bedtime is being put off,
and we know the kid needs his sleep or we’re stuck with the fallout
the next day. So allow yourself plenty of wiggle room.
Don’t be afraid of laying down some firm boundaries. Once he has
nothing to push against, the game really isn’t fun. As always, do this
is in a calm, casual manner. Even if he calls out one last time to pee
as you’re leaving the room, you can say, “Okay, hold it till morning. I
barry
(Barry)
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