We've got a power struggle going on here. It's going worse than I thought.
The question is do I force the issue or give in and let her have her diaper back on?
Julia has always enjoyed bossing us around and making us serve her and it appears having her take care of her own bathroom needs is clashing with her sense of entitlement.
Have you already done potty training books/videos with them? Those might have helped my son just a little----and my advice is to not force the issue. You'll get a good sense of if she's demanding the diapers back to exercise control over you (in which case, stand your ground) or if she is afraid of being without them----feels security in having them---in which case you can reason with her and try to persuade her----but if it seems traumatic, set a new timeline of when she'll be out of them---tell her she has another week or two----compromise somehow.
Posted by: Angelo | March 01, 2013 at 01:44 PM
Twins have been watch Elmo potty DVD for a good year. They love it. Julia is in pull ups now and she seems okay with those.
Posted by: herculodge | March 01, 2013 at 02:40 PM
Three year olds aren't that Machiavellian in their thinking; their brains are barely formed. They're operating on primitive levels of fear, pain and security... Not complex power plays. Keep that in mind.
Posted by: Ed | March 01, 2013 at 03:08 PM
And even when basic going when they need to has been learned, the "wipe me" phase can last another year or so. They just can't reach.
Posted by: Ed | March 01, 2013 at 03:13 PM
You just have regular kids. If they were boys, they'd be peeing all over the yard and you'd be trying to get them to use the commode.
Posted by: Bill Bush | March 01, 2013 at 06:14 PM
Yes, she's playing you for a chump. Throw down some tarps and tough it out. Three year olds definitely make power plays. If you give in now, you'll be forming a pattern that will have you buying her a more expensive car than you drive when she's 17.
Posted by: TomWc | March 02, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Great comment Tom. I have to remember that when dealing with my 8 year old---he already has an eye for nice cars. Off-topic, I love this: "In a complicated world, you can't get by with a simple radio." I'd say that sums us up on this blog quite nicely.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-Panasonic-Radios-Tech-Series-AD-/121060562810?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item1c2fc5977a
Posted by: Angelo | March 02, 2013 at 12:48 PM