Potty Training Help Needed for My 4 Year Old Boy

Maybe some love and logic? Does he tell you when he poops? If so, maybe saying "I"m sorry, what are you going to do about it?" Make it his responsibility since he made the decision to poop in the pants. I know you said you tried it, but try again without making a big fuss about him cleaning up his own mess. Just keep saying I'm sorry you pooped in your pants. There is toilet paper in the bathroom and I can get you a wet towel if you need, but I'm not wiping, then drop the subject and keep doing what you are doing. The other half of love and logic is to later say, I'd be happy to help you wipe when you poop in the potty. If he wakes up in the morning with poop in his pants, then just say I'm sorry, as before. Good luck with whatever works. Eventually it will come!

My girls were 3.5 years old when I finally got them to poop in the potty regularly. They knew how, they just did not want to do it. finally I took them to Wal-Mart and let them pick out a special toy, which I had explained to them would be a reward for pooping. They picked care bears; and I called them their "Poopy Bears." When they went poopy in the potty, they got to play with their poopy bears, when they did not poopy in the potty, the bear had to go and stay in the closet. No negative remarks about not pooping; it was not punishment; that was just the nature of the poopy bear; when you poop in the potty, he gets to play; when you don't, he has to stay in the closet. It took about 2 weeks and they went poopy in the potty regularly. They really wanted to get that poopy bear. I know you say rewards did not work, but something like this might work, because the reward goes away and comes back when you poopy in the potty. And when they did not poopy in the potty and the bear went away, if they cried, I would console them gently and assure them I was sure they would be able to go poopy in the potty next time. good luck.

Hi M.,

I have a very strong willed 3:8 year old that I thought would never get potty trained, but he finally did. If you have to use oull-ups at night, I think that is fine, but under no circumstance do I think you should use them during the day.

My saving grace for my son was the reward chest. I took him to the dollar store and we picked out 14(yes, 14)small cars and trucks, and 1 large monster truck. I had my son open the packages and put these in a basket which we set in our playroom right where he had to walk by them all day long. Then I put the resonsibility on him. Each time HE said he had to go "poop", and did so successfully, he got to choose a small car. If I told him to go, he didn't get a toy, and if he went in his pants, he didn't get in trouble, he just had to go about the day walking past his toys that he picked out, and we would start again the next day. Then after 6 days of going without an accident, he got his monster truck (which was setting on top of the bar above the car basket for him to see). He was so excited!

He still has accidents every now and then (like the other day when he got a new toy and just didn't make it fast enough), but progress has been made. Hang in there and I hope that I have helped or at least given you some reassurance in some way.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

My 3.75 year old boy just finally finished his potty training by pooping in the potty. I knew that if he just did it once, he'd be good to go.

Now, your problem is a little different. He'll go occasionally, but not consistently. You might try having your older children talk to him about how easy and fun it is to hear the poop go "plop" in the toilet. I think for my younger son to see his older brother do it (big deal since he likes his privacy and he suggested my little one watch) made a big difference too.

We also rewarded him by taking him to Chuck E Cheese for the big moment.

You might try taking the older ones to a movie or someplace special, but not the little one. Tell him that he can only go when he poops in the potty for a week and keeps his pull-ups dry (of poo at least.)

Peer pressure is still pretty strong at this age and if he knows that other kids don't use pull-ups anymore, that might help. Any friends in school or a playgroup that can help out here?

Good luck!