I remember meeting a mum at Kindy who told me about child number two being far more enterprising and challenging than child number one. She described having to be creative at strapping the nappy onto child 2 as she was removing said nappy and smearing contents over cot. I was horrified at this thought, and as Isobel was of similar age and whom I would have also described as challenging, I felt relief that we had so far got of lightly as nothing of this sort had ever occurred with Isobel. Please note: there is one exception to this last statement which happened when Gran was in charge and Bell was much younger and was equally appalled at her actions and lay in complete submission as Gran washed nasty object from hair.
Anyway, subsequent to this interchange and my feelings of relief times have changed. We now have Camryn!!! Camryn is also someone I would describe as willful and challenging. She has recently introduced a new weapon into her arsenal and demonstrated it this weekend. We have taken to locking her into her room (not with a lock per se, as this would not be role model parenting, but with towel and jamming door, thank you Holly for this suggestion!). So when she is over tired and needs to sleep it is helpful to assist this by jamming door. She usually chats away, 'reads' a few books and then gives in and goes to sleep. Mission accomplished! Unfortunately on this day, and while David was on duty, she decided to remove soiled nappy and distribute the contents across the carpeted floor of her room and over herself. The mess & stench was terrible - and this was after she had been bathed and most of the matter removed from the room. Much cleaning was done (by David!) and we left it at that.
However the very next day, when she again was 'locked' into her room on the basis that 6:40am was too early to wake us or her sisters, she repeated her performance without soiled nappy's but by weeing on the carpet. Rather ingenious really as she has very few ways of protesting her situation and obtaining immediate attention - this does it!
We are looking forward with trepidation to any further situations. I am feeling a smidgen in control as I feel the crime was of opportunity rather than her demonstrating an ability to poo on demand, but it still leaves me nervous.
I am reminded though, that this is and will be a passing phase so cannot continue. Her 4 & 6 year old sisters have been toilet trained for years without too many mishaps so it can happen.
I'm also sure that in 10 years time I will be missing these 2 year old demonstrations of wrath as at least now they are simple to clean up, immediate and obvious. Who knows how her arsenal will develop to get the better of us in 10 years!
