Observation: Time Alone

 I'm puzzled by what I've just observed and so I'm going to record my observations here to try to work out what happened. 

1. Today is Tues. It's the 5th of a 5 day stretch at home for Kate (regular Fri off school, then 3 day weekend plus a snow day). Very cold weather and storms so we haven't left the house.

2. Last week was a turbulent school week--special dress up days, Valentine's Day parties/crafts/activities, half-day schedule, etc.

3. Last week there was a lot of talk of "love" due to Valentine's Day.

4. Last week both girls seemed pissy, irritable, hyper, jealous, cranky when playing with each other, etc.

5. Six days ago Kate began pooping in her underwear. Filling them with poop. Sometimes she'd finish pooping on the toilet, sometimes she told me she only pooped in her underwear and never went on the toilet--just kept on playing. She did this every day for 5 out of 6 days. 

6. Six days ago I discovered what was happening when I did the laundry and found poop filled underwear. Here's what I did each day.

• Day One: talked about it with a focus on if this was a medical issue (was she constipated?) Started her on prunes and apple juice and more fiber.
• Day Two: talk plus spanking for lying about it after she'd been told to tell me immediately after it happened so she could get cleaned up. Instead, she didn't tell me but sat in poop for hours resulting in red, irritated skin and itching her crotch all day. I spanked her mainly out of shock that she'd sat in poop for hours when I got her undressed for her bath. She plainly told me she knew she was supposed to tell me but chose not to; wanted to sit in poop instead.
• Day Three: repeat of Day 2. Additional consequence--I made her clean out her underwear while sitting in the bathtub.
  
• Day Four: I made her go sit on the toilet every hour or so, plus checked her underwear very often. She knew this would be happening. Stayed clean all day.
• Day Five: I reduced intervention--only made her sit on the toilet every 2ish hours and only checked her underwear every 3-4 hrs. Third check she'd pooped again. She cleaned her underwear in the bathtub, got a spanking, and was sent to bed an hour early. 
• Day Six (today): She was allowed to wear only a shirt and socks and had to spend all day in the bathroom with no pants/underwear. I fed her nonstop smoothies with ingredients intended to promote defecation (honey, prunes, dates, oatmeal, etc.). She was allowed to have toys but had to stay in the bathroom by herself all day. Every hour I checked on her and reviewed why she was in there (if pooping in underwear then can't wear underwear; if can't wear underwear then can't be in the rest of the house). Went outside for 30 min around noon. Allowed out of the bathroom at 6pm (one hour before bedtime).

Meanwhile, Jane has been in a bad state, too. She also pooped herself one of those days and then spent all of that day either hiding from us or walking backwards when around us so we wouldn't see that her pants were soaked in feces. We thought she was playing a game by walking backwards. (I felt like an idiot when we figured out what was going on. Outsmarted by a 5 yr old.)

I can't even begin to understand the desire to a) sit in feces, and b) put that much energy hiding from us all day. 

Today, while Kate spent all day pants-less in the bathroom Jane spent 3/4 of the day in her bedroom. She was in there for encouraging Kate to lie/hide from us each time she pooped herself. 

So, it was a quiet day. A relief. I had to work even though they had a snow day. I started their time in the rooms when I logged in to work (about 10am). Initially I was thinking of it as a way to contain the problem while I was working. Then, I noticed some things.

1. True remorse from each girl each time I'd check on them. Real tears instead of fake whining.

2. Genuine comprehension of the problem. I had more meaningful conversations with them today than I've had all week. 

3. They were calmer than they'd been in days. So much less hyper.

4. They appeared cheerful each time I checked on them. Happily playing with toys; lots of verbalizing of their imaginary scenarios. Excited to tell me what they were building. (only tears when I'd remind them why they were in there)

5. They've now both been out of their rooms for an hour and they are content. Sitting here next to me looking at a stack of books. Happily absorbed. 

I am puzzled. They are happier after a full day of punishment/isolation than they were all last week with the special parties and dress up days at school.

Do they genuinely need time alone? Is school too much for them? But I cannot discount a complete change in their demeanor. They got calmer and more content as the day went on. I thought they'd be getting antsy and more and more annoyed. Nope. They looked like they could've spent five more hours in there playing happily by themselves. 

Was this truly a stomach bug (I always assume leaking around constipated bowel since both girls have been diagnosed with this in the past)? Were they relieved to be restricted to one room and fewer toys so they could rest if their tummies hurt? Were they finally just getting over being sick so they, coincidentally, acted happier when they were released?

I don't understand. I do know that I observed that they seemed genuinely happy while alone and not at all stressed by staying in there. They say they don't want to be sent to a room as a consequence but, in fact, they always seem happily playing with toys while in there.