my son....the nudist

"My son is two years old...my son is two years old"...that's been my mantra over the last few days. I've had to repeat it over and over in my head and sometimes even outloud. I've been reminding myself that he's acting like a two year old because he is a two year old and it's ok. I'm sure the words "my son is 15 years old" will also eventually become a mantra common in our house. Don't get me wrong, the boy is very well behaved 98% of the time...but even the best behaved two year old boy is still a two year old boy. Take for example, our trip to the library today. It was parachute play day and we were both pretty excited-it's great to meet other parents and socialize but unfortunately for us today, my son was the youngest (and only "boy's boy") there today so when it was time to bounce little nerf balls on the parachute, he took it upon himself to be the clean up person...ie the one who chases after the balls and returns them to the parachute. Well...chasing the balls, no problem...returning the balls, problem. They're smaller and lighter than his balls at home and whenever he went to throw them back, inevitably he threw too hard and too far. Innocent bystanders were hit and annoyed. He apologized, well, kinda-he's two...and he tried again. The worst part was that no matter what he did, he seemed to always end up bumping or throwing a ball at the prissiest little girl and her equally prissy mother....neither were pleased but I hesitated to say more than a simple correction to him because he really was only trying to help. He just doesn't do anything with very much grace or softness...hugs are a full-contact sport in our home which later another little girl at Walmart found out but that's for another post. When it comes to that sort of two year old behavior, I'm totally good with it...I've always said I'd rather a kid with a broken bone than a kid with a broken heart (one of the many reasons God knew what He was doing by giving me a son and not a daughter). Like I said though, don't get me wrong, my son is very obedient and although he's not perfect, he's great about not doing to same negative thing after being corrected and we have a strict home with consistent rules because for us, it's the only way we can make everything work.

Which brings me to the real reason for this post...my son likes to be naked. Every night for the last several nights and even one naptime, I've walked into his room after I heard him wake up only to find the child totally and completely naked. I don't think it would be such a big deal if he was actually potty trained but he's not so it is a very big deal. I don't believe spanking or time outs will help in this particular situation because from what I've been able to figure out, he's stripping pretty early at night and sleeping free. To punish a two year old the morning after he does something wrong just doesn't seem like it'll work although you can be sure he understands my feelings on the subject. I've tried everything I know...sleeping with snugger pjs that are tougher for him to get off-he still got out of them and threw the diaper 4 feet from his bed....backwards facing diaper under pjs-he got the pjs off and literally ripped the diaper off his little butt...I even put him in full length footy pjs in the middle of summer-he unbuttoned, unzipped and got out of his clothes and yes, again took off his diaper. I'm at a loss. The only thing I can think to do now (other than A-duct taping the diaper directly onto the child or B-potty training which I wanted to wait till Oct to do so we don't have a half potty-trained kid at Disney World next month-plus, potty training's great but there are still accidents at night so even if I started today it could be months before he could "sleep free" without me having to do a load of laundry in the morning) is find some shorts that have a true drawstring. Most toddler clothes have fake drawstrings for show and not function so I'm having a tough time but it may be my only option.


UPDATE:

This post was initially written while the boy was napping (innocently, I thought). Turns out it wasn't so innocent and it was bad, like really, really bad. I had a moment. Pulled it together. Cleaned up and at bedtime I taped the child's diaper onto him (no tape touched skin) and then put him in zip up pjs and taped the zipper shut...and just for good measure (and because he doesn't really 'need' it) I turned out his nightlight. He went to sleep faster than usual and in the morning we were totally clothed...YAY.

Tonight, however, rather than dealing with taping everything for every nap and every night I decided to take up a friend's advice (well, technically her husband's but he's a friend too) and I put the boy's footy zipper pjs on backwards after cutting off the feet.

I have never felt so victorious. Mostly because yesterday evening when the boy woke up I never felt so defeated...so incapable.