Potty Training - Kittrell, NC

My son didn't "get it" about pooping in the potty for almost 6 months. A friend recommended that I have his favorite animal (his dog) poop in the potty. So, I held doggie over the potty and made grunting noises and then secretly dropped raisins in the potty! LOL The look on his face was priceless! I rewarded doggie with M&Ms. It took 2-3 of these "doggie" poopies before he did it too. It was more that he didn't understand it than he refused to do it. Good luck@!

Mel

I've had this same problem with my now 4 1/2 yr old. We too do the daily fiber to help the issue. Mostly my son's issue is just that he didn't want to stop to go, although he would stop to pee. He got to where he knew he needed to go but would hide out of sight and go in his pants rather than go to the potty or tell me/let me see so I could take him. Slowly the situation has gotten better. and now he usually only has dirty pants when he thinks its just gas and its not. I tried not pressuring him and backing off even though I was so frustrated by it. I also did rewards when he would go on his own. As he got to where he would tell me usually then the requirement for a reward became going to the potty himself without me. Now Sometimes he goes and wipes himself and I only know about it afterward if I don't hear him in the bathroom. His rewards were small but something he really liked, sometimes stickers but usually a small toy like bubbles or a hot wheels car. My son will do just about anything for a new car. Just try to keep a cool head even when you want to scream out of frustration and eventually you'll get there.

This method doesn't work for everyone, but we got our 2 1/2 year old boy to be potty trained by letting him go naked one weekend. Both my husband and I work, so the weekend was the only time we could do it, but we literally took off all his clothes and let him run around bare all day and night except nap and bedtime. Without the barrier of pull-ups or underwear, he sensed when he had to go poo-poo and at first, tried to "hold" it in, but every time he got that "face" we ushered him to the potty. One weekend and he was trained. It was probably dumb luck, but it worked for us. Remember if he has accidents right away to not get upset or frustrated. Another suggestion is to let him see you or your hubby going poo-poo. This will make it less scary for him that he knows it "happens to everyone". Good luck!

My son had the same problem. He was four before he would poop on the potty. It's just harder for boys. They stand to pee so the thought of sitting down to go is weird to them. Let him see dad poop so he understands how another male goes potty. Don't worry he'll get the hang of it. It takes time. Good luck

I would not worry. My daughter was still in diapers turning 4 years old. The harder I tried, the more it didn't happen. One day I gave up and it was 6 weeks before her 4th bday. She just up and wanted to wear panties. Started going to the potty like she had been doing it for years. before that, she would have to have her own little place to go poop in her diaper or she would get constipated also. I know it is very frustrating, but I learned the hard way, the child will do it when he/she is ready. Just keep encouraging. Lots of luck.

My daughter was VERY reluctant to give up diapers... a month after she turned four a child at the play ground teased her about her diaper and within days she'd pee all the time in the potty but not poop. It took another few weeks and the promised reward of a gummi tarantula to finally motivate her... of course she expected gummi's from then on but feeling clean and grown up soon out weighted everything else.

It's a frustrating time as a parent especially if you compare with other parents what your child is or isn't doing. Hang in there, every one learns to go eventually, it's just at their own pace.

Thanks for asking the question. I don't have advice for you, though. My son turned 4 this month and we're in the same situation. He's gotten himself very constipated and now is on Miralax daily. I think I may try the treasure chest suggestion. He knows when he's about to poop b/c he'll go in his room or in the backyard and tell me to stay away. He doesn't care if it's in a diaper or in his undewear and doesn't care if he walks around with it for a while before he'll let me change him. Gross! Trying to be patient. Thanks to the moms for the support that this is common and for the suggestions.

As you see you are not alone...and seems especially common in boys. My son (who will be 7 next month) was peepee trained at 3..but didn't poop in the potty til 2 weeks after his 4th birthday. heres how it finally happened..at home he wore underwear and would BEG for a pull-up if he had to poop...and I eventually gave in cause I didn't want him constipated. The sitter wouldn't let him go without a pull-up cause she was afraid that he would poop on her funiture...I told her he wouldn't do that..he would ask for a pull-up. She would always tell him "put your poopy in the potty." One day she caught him dumping the poop out of his pull-up into the toilet.....he was "putting it in the potty" ...LOL He seemed to be scared and still is a little of the noises our toilets made (sometimes it made random noices) and loud flushes still make him hold his ears. 2 weeks after he went to PS he just went in the bathroom...after my Mom told him too...and pooped in the potty. I think seeing all the other kids in PS doing it is what turned things around. Just be patient and keep encouraging.

with my little boy, i made a treasure chest out of a box and put little treats in brown paper bags. each time he made a "stink", he got a treasure. it started getting expensive so i had to narrow it down to every friday instead of everytime. it worked for him.