A month ago I seriously thought my child hated me and wanted to have nothing to do with me. I didn’t really let on to anyone, but that situation was seriously breaking my heart. It got to the point where I really didn’t want to come home from work just because I knew of the reception that I would receive.
Now it’s the complete opposite. This weekend my Maly was my little girl. And tonight when I got home from work, I couldn’t leave her side. It got to the point where we actually had this conversation:
“Okay, I have to go to the bathroom. You go get your Lincoln Logs and I’ll be in your room in a few minutes.”
“You go to bathroom?”
“Yes, daddy has to use the restroom.”
“Okay! Let’s go. I hold your hand.”
To which I couldn’t object, so she grabbed my hand and walked me to the bathroom. She walked me right up to the toilet, let go of my hand and waited.
“Okay! Daddy go potty! You have to poo poo? You go poo poo in the potty?”
“Well… ahem… umm. You see, Sugar, daddy has performance anxiety and I really need… Hey! Go get your Lincoln Logs in your room and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“You go poo poo in the potty and flush the poo poo!”
And this went on for a few minutes. Finally I had to get Elise to help me out so I could tend to business. Maly freaked out and insisted that she be with me.
I think in the long run, I spared my daughter an experience that’s not necessarily noteworthy, but the cool part is that my daughter loves me again and I’m experiencing an excited and smiling face when I get home in the evenings. That’s something that I’ve longed for for what seems like an eternity. And I’m cherishing the hell out of it for as long as I can.
Okay-that’s pretty much the best father/daughter story I’ve ever heard.
Guess you’re back in Maly’s good graces. Or, she realized she had been neglecting your poddy training duties.
precious dude. totally precious.
A little loving and a little play, equally will go a long way in letting a little one experience both from one parent. And they will give same in return even if it’s to relate they understand a Daddy needs to go to the potty at the moment.