How to Get a Kid to Go Poop on the Potty?

Updated on December 29, 2007
J.I. asks from Wauconda, IL
14 answers

I am a first timer on this whole potty training and I need help. My son will be 3 Jan. 4th and is ready to be trained. We have done cold turkey (exception of bedtime) w/ underware. He has done great.. no accidents today, but will not sit and use the potty. Today he didn't poop in his underware, but did as soon as we put his nightime underware (pull ups) on. How do you teach your kid to poop or get him to sit on the potty and poop. My son will tell me when he is pooping...so I know when he is going.. but when I said, "Don't go in your pants..hurry lets use the potty," He will refuse to sit and go. Other things I have done w/ him is sit w/ him on the toilet (I am on the big one..and he is on the little one) and I tell him how you have to push, etc. but He won't do it. Okay well I hope I can get some good advice on what worked w/ your kid who refuses or doesn't know how to go on potty to poop.

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L.A.

answers from Chicago on

I would also tell you to get rid of the potty chair and stick with the kid toilet rings that fit on top of the toilet and let him pick one out that he likes. Also, if he has character underwear tell him that Bob the Builder or Nemo or whoever doesn't like to be pooped on. We also did a poop chart and every time he went poop he got a sticker and after 15 times he would get a prize, something little is all I did like a matchbox car or coloring book etc.. It worked well for my son and it helped him counting too because he could say three more poops and I get a prize, also we've got books in there for him to look at like his dad has magazines and I found out that he does better if I am not in there. So, he needs help getting on the toilet I give him a book he goes, we wipe and wash and then do the sticker chart. You'll get there, good luck.

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D.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Does your son like Elmo? My son LOVES elmo so we bought Elmo Potty Time. It talks about pooping and peeing so young kids can understand. After we got my son interested in going from the DVD we decided to make a potty chart with about 40-50 spaces and have a treat basket with small toys and candy. Everytime he went pee he got 1 sticker and 1 treat, poop, 2 of each. After we filled up the chart we took it to the store and got a toy and payed with the chart. After we filled one chart we didn't do it anymore but we still did the treat basket. It didn't take long before he was fully potty trained! Good luck!

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J.W.

answers from Evansville on

We potty trained our daughter a few months after turning 2, and only did the night time diaper about a week, because her diaper was always dry when she woke up. So we never really had an issue with this. So maybe he is still dependant on the night time diaper???

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T.D.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter went through the same thing recently, though she was a lot older - nearly 4. (You're doing really well already!) She would ask for a pull up to poop. Bribery, stickers and candy didn't work. She was starting preschool in the fall and we told her that poop was stinky and she didn't want to stink at preschool, she wanted to smell clean (plus preschool wouldn't allow diapers of any kind so we were quite desperate.) Perhaps you can use his birthday as a milestone for pooping on the potty? Also, be aware of where your son goes poop and try to accommodate him. My daughter liked to be alone when she was pooping, and would go to a different room to do it, so having us sit in the bathroom with her and talking to her while she was trying to go, etc. made her nervous. One night we just left her in there by herself and she did it and has been doing it ever since with no accidents. Good luck!

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S.G.

answers from Chicago on

I had the same problem with my three year old son. I almost hate to admit it but I got so frustrated that after 2 months of tring every expert's advice, I resorted to bribery! We have a plastic storage container full of excess toys from birthday's and Christmas that we store and slowly disburse, to control the clutter around the house. I told him he would get a special present if he pooped in the potty. He thought that was great, but still had an accident. So I got out a toy and wrapped it and set it out on the table. I told he it was his special present when he went in the potty. After spending a day walking past it and tring to open it for other good deeds, he finally pooped in the potty! We did special gifts for two days and then moved up to a points sytem using a chart. After a few weeks he didn't care about the rewards any longer and pooped every time.

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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

I have a friend whose daughter would go pee in the potty, but not poop. Finally, one day she asked her why she wouldn't go poop in the "potty chair." She said, "because I don't have a poop chair." (3.5 years old.) They immediately went out and purchased a second potty chair that was just for poop. She's been pooping there without a problem. A month or two after that, the potty chair fairy came and took away the potty chairs and left present. Now she goes in the toilet.

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C.S.

answers from Chicago on

Okay I think one of the reponses was just way to cruel for me, it hurt to read it, but anyway....Ithink the pooping comes a little later than peeing in the toilet. Just give him some time for it to come on it's own, and it will. You don't want to force it, and make it too big of a deal. Most children pee first and a couple month later the pooing comes. Praise you son for the great work he is doing going #1 on the toilet! Let him be proud of that for a while. # 2 will happen when he is ready! Good luck. Give LOTS of praise:)

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C.H.

answers from Fort Wayne on

This might sound like dramatic maybe even cruel to you but my first child was the same way and this worked for me. I tried it all before I finally gave in to cloth training pants at night. I did alot of laundry and morning baths but it did not last long. When she would poop in her pants I made her clean it out and dunk her own poopy pants in the toilet. Don't leave him alone doing in though my toilet swallowed a pair one time, so she said. I forced her little hands to do it. She hated it. It did not take her long to realize mommy was not going to clean it up so if she pooped she would have too and it must have just grossed her out so bad because she suddenly stopped. Funny part is she is now 22 and training her son the same way because she refuses to do it and as of today he has only poohed his pants 4 times in a month. I don't think it mentally scared her because she is doing it with hers. lol She still remembers me doing the same thing with her 3 younger syblings and can laugh about it but still will say "Mom that was so gross". lol Hey it worked and that is what I wanted. Before you try this method you might want to try a big boy seat that sits on the big pot first. He may just not like the feeling if it is a large movement and is not DROPPING from his bottem. I never used a potty chair. I used the big seat and for boys there is the cup. My 7 year old still pushes it down and does his deed. Good Luck J..

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C.U.

answers from Chicago on

When we used pull-ups they were put on over her panties, so that she didnt feel the "diaper" and go. They were just to prevent peeing on her pants when we were out. When we did use them, they were only when we were going out, and at first at bed time....I would say get mommy a pull-up, remember these are just incase you have an accident, we still need to go on the potty. We wore them for the first month now she wont even let me put them on her anymore. As far as pooping goes, its just like potty training him to go pee, you cant force it. My daughter does not have pee accidents anymore, but we still have poop accidents. The last time she had one was 4 days ago, and I threw her Ariel panties in the garbage, because I told her that she ruined them, and they were gross, she cried, I told her that when she poops in her panties that we will have to throw them away. (You could always wash them and hide them too.) You could try it if he really likes his undies like mine does. Good Luck.

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Z.

answers from Chicago on

That one lady who forced her kid to wash their dirty diaper in the toilet as a punishment is a bit coocoo for coco puffs. I would not recommend this regardless of how short it took for her kid to learn to potty. All kids learn at different speeds and all kids eventually learn. Take your time and definately be practice a little patience in front of your child.

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

I would get rid of the potty chair. Have him pick out a kid toilet seat at the store that only he can use. Also let him get a stool that he can use if he needs help getting on the toilet.

I really like Meghan's idea of of stages. I would let him poop in the diaper, in the bathroom and remind him that big kids poop on the toilet. Only introduce the toilet after he gets used to pooping in the bathroom. What you do not want him to do is hoard his poop. Two of my nephews do this and it is horrible for the child (painful cramps, use of medication, doctor visits, etc). You also don't want it to become a power struggle. He'll get it eventually, but you must be very patient and not get angry. If he does make a mess in his pants, you can say, "Let's clean you up." Make sure he helps as much as he can though (he can throw away the soiled diaper for example). Tell him that since he's a big boy now, if he has an accident, he will be expected to help clean it up since he's supposed to be pooping on the toilet.

My middle daughter had a hard time learning to poop sitting down. I suggested to her that she squat on the toilet (none of my 3 kids would use a potty chair - they all started with the toilet. They also started potty-training at 3 1/2). I was there to help steady her and it worked. Fairly soon, she was sitting down, but the heels of her feet would be on the toilet seat (semi-squat position). She sits normally now (she's 6).

You need lots of patience and understanding. Gently guiding your child to use the toilet and back off when you sense his frustration. You know your child best. It will happen eventually. Good luck!

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J.K.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter was the same way. She would ask for a pull up when she had to poop. I really believe she didn't understand how to poop sitting on the potty. When she looked like she had to go, I would have her sit on the potty, and try. Eventually she figured it out, and never pooped in her underwear. Now, my son, who just turned three knew how to poop in the potty for the longest time and still have accidents. Every kid figures it out sooner or later. Sometimes it just takes time. Oh, and my kids never got in trouble for having accidents, unless like in the case of my son, he refused to go when I told him to, and then he had an accident. Good luck! Potty training is a very stressful time for everyone!

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J.C.

answers from Indianapolis on

LOL --- My son will also be 3 on Jan 4th and my name is J., just keep trying!!

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M.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter had the same problem. She would do everything but poop. She would even ask for a diaper to poop. We worked with her. I read in the parent mag. that she had to do steps. so we first said she had to do it in the bathroom but in a diaper and then we had her pooping in thediaper but in the potty. she did it. two weeks for each. then just one day she decided to do it on he potty. she had to make that choice. my friends told me that that was all that she could control because we control her the rest of the day. so we went with it because we did not not want her to poop in her underwear. she then has started to do it for the past month or more. she loves it and is doing great dont push it he will do it she is also turning three jan. 6. good luck, and i hope this helps

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