The Secret's Out

I am going to preface this by saying: if you want to comment, I don't want advise on how to solve the problem. I am just frustrated.

I potty trained all of my kids when they were about 2 and a half. That means that for the oldest it has been about 8 years, the middle about six, and the youngest about 4. One would think that by now they would all be over having "accidents." That one would be thinking wrong. I have only one child that seems to have mastered the concept of using the toilet every time they need to go. That would be my middle child. The one that most people think would act out the most to get attention. (He does have his moments, but not in this area thank goodness.)
My oldest is in 5th grade. He doesn't have any mental disorders. He is extremely smart. He had an "accident" so bad at school today that they had to not only give him pants to wear, but a shirt as well. Somehow it doesn't bother him or embarrass him to pee in his pants at school. In fact, school is the only place that he does this. I make him do a load of laundry each time. That doesn't seem to help (the darn kid likes doing laundry). Today is the beginning of the second week of school, and it is the second day my kid has needed a change of clothes. Last week they called me and asked me to bring him clothes. I got irritated and once again (like I have been doing the last few years when the same person has called me to bring him clothes) told the them that I have to be at work. I can't just drop everything to bring this child who more than knows better a change of clothes. I offered to send clothes for him to drop off at the nurses office like they suggested in years past. This time they didn't think it was a good idea. My next step is to do what this child thinks is incredibly embarrassing and send him to school every day with a plastic bag of clothes to change into "just in case" for him to carry in his backpack every day for a month. If he has to use them the month starts all over. I am at my whits end with this. He doesn't have this problem at home. The school always suggests I get him tested for bladder problems. I really don't think that is it. If that was it wouldn't he have the problem over the summer. He didn't have one single "accident" all summer that I know of. Not when he was with me or the babysitter anyway.
 My youngest child lately thinks that not only is it ok to "just go a little" in her pants, she doesn't seem to understand that by continuing to wear the pants, she can get infections. I wish that was the worst of it. Last week, while in the shower, she went number two, left the shower on, and when I went in to ready the shower for her brother, she said it was the dog. Strange how it wasn't there when she got it, the door was closed while she was in and as soon as she got out, and there was a stinky pile of yuck that definitely didn't smell like the dogs' messes in there the next time I opened the door. I had to turn off the shower, quickly clean it, and try to think of some kind of discipline for something I never thought a child would do. She did a load of laundry (I was too taken back to think of anything else).
Tonight, when my oldest went to brush his teeth, my oldest found a human surprise on the bathroom floor. REALLY? How can someone get that close and just go on the floor instead of the potty. I tried to get the culprit to clean it up, but she wouldn't admit to it. (Apparently, she not only has a bathroom problem, she has a truth telling problem.) Since it was a bit past bed time, I just cleaned it up myself this time. UGH!
My solution for now it to have the two that don't know how to use the bathroom do yet one more load of laundry each tomorrow and assist each other in cleaning this room that one doesn't seem to know how to find and the other doesn't seem to know where to go in it.
I keep trying to remind myself that they are just children and it is my job to teach them how to be successful. I can say I am doing a good job in most areas. I just need to get this thing nipped in the bud before go insane!

Things I Never Thought I Would Say

"Yes, Eric, you can make your bed instead of playing if you want."

"Have fun organizing your dresser, Princess."

I think aliens have taken the place of two of my children...

Tomatoes

We have a tomato plant in the front yard that is getting quite big. It has yet to produce any tomatoes, but there are a lot of flowers on it. Yesterday, when getting out of the car, Noel says, "Hey, Mom! Look! We have LOTS of tomatoes on this plant!" I asked her where because I wasn't seeing what she was seeing. She points to a group of flowers and says, "Right there. At least they will be..."

Moving Things Around

I have decided to move things around a bit. I realized that my blog that started off to be about my family life was getting to be more and more about my struggle with goals (mostly weight loss). I have decided to split it up a bit. I will now have a blog for my family journal and one for my personal goals. I am really hoping that this will help motivate me to achieve my goals. Come see Druciana's YoYo when you get the chance!

Olympics With the Kids

I am so happy that I can watch the Olympics with the kids this summer. The boys love the swimming. Noel loves gymnastics. I like both (works well for me). I swell with pride as I hear my children chant, "USA, USA, USA, USA," as I am making dinner in the next room. I find it fun that my daughter doesn't really care what team "the girl with the eyeshadow" is on, she just cares that she is wearing make up. I like being able to talk to Eric about his memories of watching 4 years ago. It is fun to remember my brother, sister, and I watching as kids and trying to reenact what we were watching all over the family room. Heck. I just love the Olympics!