Diapers, School, and Social Anxiety?

VIII Weekend Adjustments

Sarah had run upstairs back into her room without finishing all her food. Her father had placed a menacing plastic bag on the kitchen table and when Sarah peeked inside, she ran away from what she saw. Amy started to cry and even Mike, with a defeated composure, let a few tears fall from his face. A few moments passed and Amy spoke, "we have to be strong for her, Mike" she said, "she needs support and encouragement, so she doesn't give up on her goals due to this." Mike nodded, "I know. At the start of the year I was worried about her, you know, buying those revealing clothes; I thought she would get too much attention from the wrong kind of boys. But now, I can only imagine what she's thinking up there. My poor little girl." Amy gently grabbed his hand, "come on, we have to talk to her, she only has two days left at home before she has to go to school again. I want her to at least have confidence that her protection will hold up for her, if nothing else." 

The couple walked upstairs with the bag and gently knocked on Sarah's door, "honey, I know your mind is racing at a million miles an hour right now, please open up and let's talk about this" said Amy. Sarah had utterly lost her composure and was balling into the sheets. She remembered the conversation she previously had with Dr. Williamson when she said, "diapers are for those who can't make it to the toilet." Obviously, Dr. Williamson wasn't trying to demean Sarah, she was trying to sell her on the idea of pull ups. Sarah never thought she would say this, but she took her face out of the bedsheets and exclaimed to the locked door, "I just want to keep my pull ups!" Mike and Amy both dropped their heads on the other side of the door, "baby, let's talk, please" repeated Amy. Sarah knew that they would have to talk sooner or later; they were both off work for the weekend. With tears blocking her vision, she stood up, unlocked the door, and went back to her bed and turned her head toward the opposite wall.

               Her parents were slow to enter, and they gently closed the door behind them. Mike went over and sat at the computer chair while Amy took the bag from him and placed it on the bed behind Sarah. "We know you baby; we know you are thinking about how all of this could possibly come together" said Amy. "You're stressing yourself too much" added Mike. Sarah was sniffling, still looking away from them. "I made absolutely sure that these things would help you, sweetheart" said Mike, "you won't have to worry about leaks or dirty clothes with these." Sarah turned over to meet eyes with her parents, "these what dad?" she exclaimed, "just say it for what it is" her voice started to fail for a moment then she managed, "diapers!", she put her face down in the bed sheets again. Amy walked over and sat down on the bed with Sarah and started rubbing her back. Sarah was letting all her emotions out into the bedsheets while Amy failed to keep back a few tears herself. Mike thought for a minute at how he could possibly encourage his daughter at that moment, "we have two days to ourselves sweetheart. We don't have to leave the house if you're uncomfortable, but we want you to get acclimated to them, so you are prepared for school on Monday." Sarah shook her head, "I can't wear diapers daddy. How will I ever make friends or have a boyfriend? Everyone will think I'm disgusting and weird" Mike quickly rebutted, "no they won't sweetheart, your mother is going to take you out to get some clothes to wear over these that will hide them. We will also be notifying all of your teachers to let you come and go as you need without asking for permission." Sarah raised her head slightly, "but they will eventually all find out, somebody will bump against me or ask why I get to leave so often." Amy said, "that's none of their business baby, but you can tell them whatever you want." Sarah turned around and sat up, eyeing the bag on her bed. After a few moments of awkward silence, Amy emptied the contents of the bag onto Sarah's bed; a package of white medium adult diapers, baby powder, wipes, and a package of small scented bags that tied at the top. Sarah didn't even move at the sight of the products on her bed, she was too busy imagining all the hypothetical scenarios that she would run into at school. "Your father and I are going to head downstairs and watch a movie. Please put one on once we leave so you can get a feel for them" said Amy as she kissed her daughter on the head. Sarah watched out of the corner of her eye as her parents left and closed the door behind them.