Crying Wolf

Big Boy has recently potty-trained himself, so all cries of "I have to go potty" must be taken seriously -- until now.
Today we went to a playgroup kind of far away. On the way home, Big Boy started saying he had to go potty. Bad. He's had diarrhea for the past couple of days so I thought maybe he needed to go Number Two.
Big Boy: "I have to go potty. BAD. I don't feel good. My tummy hurts."
Me: "Can you wait until we get home?"
Big Boy: "No. I have to go poopie. BAD."
Me: "Okay, let's find a gas station."
So we stopped at two gas stations. They were both closed. We had to drive for another 8 to 10 minutes to the next gas station. I've been driving our pickup truck for a couple of days so when we got to the gas station, I had to open the passenger door and reach behind the seat to get Little Boy, then walk around the truck and open the driver door again and reach behind that seat to get Big Boy. Then we're walking in, and Big Boy's saying, "Carry me!"
We finally got in and I got a toilet liner, which he usually begs for, and he didn't want that.
Big Boy: "I don't WANT that!"
So I let him sit on the toilet seat.
So he sits on it.
And sits on it.
And sits on it.
Me: "Is any poop coming out?"
Big Boy: "Not yet."
Me: "Do you even have to go?"
Big Boy: "YEAH, I DO."
Me: "Do you really have to go, or are you just trying to trick me again?" (You see, this has happened before, when we were out running errands, and all of a sudden he said he had to pee so we went to a store to pee and he didn't even go!)
Big Boy: "I REALLY have to go, Mama." (He has taken to calling me "Mama.")
Me: "Well then push it out!"
Big Boy: "Mama, I just have to relaaaax, remember? Just relaaax."
Yes, like many of my other parenting ideas, my potty-training mantra -- "just relaaaax," has backfired.
And if you're wondering, he never pooped. He was trying to trick me.
I explained how if he keeps saying he has to go, but doesn't really have to go, then I'm not going to believe him when he really does have to go, and then he's going to poop his pants.
Big Boy: "I'm really sorry, Mama."