Oh yes, you may well laugh at my little story, but let me tell you I certainly didn’t!
I guess I should have seen it coming – about a week ago Little Bean started a new ritual, one that I wasn’t overly happy about. Each morning when she wakes, she goes downstairs with Daddy to have breakfast and then plays in the playroom. When Daddy goes to work, she comes upstairs and gets into bed with me for a snuggle before hijacking my iPod Touch in order to play games whilst I have a shower.
But a week ago, this changed. As I lay in bed feeding Beanie Boy, I heard little footsteps coming up the stairs and as the door opened I was greeted by the sight of a little naked girl, no pyjamas, no socks, no NAPPY! I asked her why she didn’t have any clothes on, she said that she needed a clean nappy. So I put Beanie Boy back into his cot and went to retrieve Little Bean’s nappy from downstairs only to find that it was actually clean? After putting her nappy back on and getting her dressed I sat down with her and explained that she shouldn’t take her nappy off in case she had an accident on our nice new carpets! I keep asking her if she wants to do her wee wees on the potty or the toilet but she always says no, she wants to do it in her nappy so I don’t push things.
For the past week she has done the same thing every morning, I’ve tried ignoring it and just getting her dressed again, I’ve tried telling her that she shouldn’t do it but all to no success.
Then this morning, imagine my joy when she came into bed for snuggles, STILL in her pyjamas!! Hooray, success I thought!! WRONG!!!!! Very wrong! We went downstairs to have our breakfast and whilst I was getting it ready in the kitchen, she took herself off to the playroom. She called out to me “Mummy I’m stinky!”. So I said that I would go and change her nappy before breakfast. As I turned around I was faced with a gruesome sight and my heart dropped to my feet! There stood before me, was my beautiful Little Bean, naked, covered head to toe in pooh! She was holding her nappy at the side of her with a not so solid pooh sliding out of it. It was smeared on her legs, her hands, her arms, her face and then as I looked into the hall – it was on the child safety gate, the carpet, the wall and the rug in the playroom!!!
I’m hoping that one day I will see the funny side to it but so far today, it hasn’t struck me as being in the least bit funny – though I may be inclined to share this story with her boyfriend when she brings him home to meet the parents – so much more embarrassing that the baby album!
Can anyone shed any light as to why they think she might be doing this? Has anyone else come across this sort of behaviour before and if so, how do you overcome it?
Oh. My. God!
I never would have predicted that one. How horrific! How’s the carpet? Oh Bina….
Karin
Its clean – NOW!!! Mummy was NOT a happy bunny – I have told her AGAIN that she mustn’t take her nappy off, ESPECIALLY when she has done a pooh but I’m not sure she has taken it on board! Called Hubby and told him that I was officially resigning from my day job! 🙁
It is purely attention seeking. I do think that she’s reached the age where she will be doing negative things to gain attention, just from a developmental point of view and having Beanie Boy around while not the sole cause will be element of it.
And right now I think the best way forward will be to implement a sticker/reward chart for keeping her nappy on. Any other approach is probably going to be too much for you to keep up with the demands of a new baby too. Positive reinforcing is the way to go, but it is very hard work to keep it up all day long so with the added physical and visual element of sticker chart you might find it easier.
And I didn’t laugh because i really feel for you 🙁
Good thinking, I really like the idea of a sticker reward chart – she LOVES stickers so I think it would have a really good effect on her. So far we haven’t had any repeat episodes but I just know there is one waiting around the corner!!
Thank you for your support xx
Hi Sabina lol,
Maybe she is trying to help you and wants to be grown up now she is a “big girl” so tried to sort herself out (unsuccessfully by the sounds of it) If she continues I would encourage her to use the toilet with a toddler seat and step or a potty and keep telling her she’s a big girl etc:
Hope you are all ok I really need to come and see you all xx
Yes she tells me every day that she’s “a big girl now” – she’s growing up soooo fast, especially since Beanie Boy has arrived. You MUST come and see us soon, we miss you xx
Oh no! These are the sorts of stories I dread. Another friend of mine had a similar story, but he didn’t go to the extremes of covering himself in it!?! I think they had to clean it off furniture, carpet etc.
I think the comment from motherofintention is a good one.
When you think about it, it must be difficult at her age to express her thoughts and feelings properly, even though her speech is really good.
I will keep everything crossed that this “event” was a one off and won’t be repeated.xxx
This wasn’t one of our best mornings I have to say. So far since then she has kept her clothes on every morning so I’m hopeful that it won’t happen again!?!? xx
Urrrrrgh I didn’t laugh it would have made me want to cry 🙁
How old is she now lovely? Is she perhaps just demonstrating she’s uncomfortable in nappies and would prefer to be without? I’m pretty sure she didn’t spread poo around to deliberately annoy you, she probably tried to take it off, got messy, panicked, tried to wipe it away, panicked more and ended up with it everywhere 🙁
She’s 2.5yrs bless her, thankfully I’ve started to see the funny side now but I agree with you, I think she just panicked. I keep asking her if she wants to go on the potty or the toilet but she tells me she wants to wear her nappy or do it in her nappy. I think she will be ready soon though x