Emma's Alarm

So my plan today was to write something light and funny to counterbalance my most recent posts. I have some cute stories about the girls coming into their own as sisters. They really are cute together. They spontaneously started rolling a ball back and forth between each other without Danny or me playing with them. They’re even getting rough and tumble when they play on the couch. Just last night they got into a play slapping match that was so hilarious. I can’t believe that they are at an age where they can play fight and laugh the entire time. Allison constantly asks for “Memma” whenever she’s not around. It warms the heart. That was my plan – to relay those stories and share with everyone just how much Emma and Allison are sisters. After I talked with Emma’s preschool teacher this morning, that all changed.

Emma has trouble with “loud” potties. There was a time when I couldn’t get her to use a public restroom. Even now she covers her ears every time we flush when we’re not at home. When Emma started preschool, she didn’t like using the potties there, either. That problem went away after she became more comfortable there. Last week changed that. During a prescheduled fire drill, Emma was alone in the bathroom with the door closed going to the bathroom when the alarm went off. She hasn’t pottied at daycare since. She refuses to. Her teacher, Miss J, was hoping that it wouldn’t last long and that the weekend would change things. It didn’t. Last night before I picked Emma up she had an accident. She hadn’t used the bathroom one time between 5:30 that morning and 5:30 that evening. No wonder she had an accident. I thanked her teacher for telling me what was happening. I told her to tell Emma that if she gets a good note on her daily form about using the potty that I would take her to “Betty’s” (She calls the Food Lion next door “Betty’s” because of a cashier she’s developed a friendship with) and get a treat.

After I talked with Emma’s teacher, I spoke with, L, the director. I was upset because of the state Emma was in when I picked her up the night before. They changed her pants and panties after the accident, but they never changed her socks or shoes. I didn’t notice that until I got home. Her socks were as close to dripping wet as they could be. Her toes were shriveled up like prunes. I felt so bad that I didn’t think to check her socks and shoes when I picked her up in the first place. I just never would have thought that she would be left that way. I told the director what happened and asked to be called from now on when Emma has an accident. I really like the director of this daycare and that went well. From the beginning she has dealt well with any concerns that I have had. I got the impression that I wouldn’t find Emma like that again. I then went on to mention that she had her accident because she hadn’t used the bathroom all day. I then told her about my meeting with Miss J. Then she really got angry. She said that the teachers were given full notice of the fire drill and that there is no reason why any child should have been in the bathroom when that happened. I almost wished that she hadn’t said that. It’s easier to live with thinking that it was a simple accident. It’s still an accident. I don’t believe for one second that Miss J put Emma in that situation on purpose. But it could have and should have been avoided. My poor, sensitive girl.

I visited the preschool again during my lunch break and I feel much better about the situation. Although the trip to “Betty’s” didn’t seem to do the trick, the fact that today is the day that the ice cream truck stops by did help some. She hadn’t gone to the bathroom yet, but she sat on the potty twice without getting hysterical. I also talked some more with L. While I was talking with her, another trusted and loved worker, L2, overheard. She spends a lot of time at the preschool building. Emma likes her a lot. She said that she would help Emma and work with Miss J. Hopefully this situation will smooth over very soon.

And here I thought that life would get easier with potty training…