Potty Training Help!

[zyas]

We are having trouble with Ava grasping the concept of pooping in the potty. She is doing great with peeing in the potty and tells us when she needs to go. But pooping is a whole other story. We have had many discussions about it and she knows she is supposed to go in the potty and not in her pants but every day, she goes in her pants. We either smell it and realize she has filled her pants or she runs to us and tells us she pooped. ugh. 

Any tips?? I would have thought she'd rather go in the potty as it must be uncomfortable to be going in her underwear or pull up (she only wears these if we go out or at night)

I don't know what else to try....

[lizwinderson]

Anderson always poops at night and tends to try to space himself away from us if he needs to go. I've picked up on that and just started telling him he has to sit on the potty since big boys go on the potty. I also quit with rewards on peeing in the potty but have made it a big deal to poop. He gets a small toy (84 cent hot wheel) and some m&ms then we do a potty dance.

I think watching for what cues she gives will help you know when she is going and then reinforcing that behavior.

[MissMusic]

Hmm I won't be much help here, but I know pooping in the toilet can be scary for kids. Can you have a talk about that with her and see if she's scared?

Do you do potty treats? We did a goldfish cracker for pee and a small M&M for poop.

Is there a time of day when she poops normally? Like, 30 minafter lunch, or around 3:00,etc? You can make a huge game out of it and preemptively sit her on the toilet. I know a friend sat her kid on the toilet and they watched a movie on the laptop until he crapped...and it just sort of happened because he wasn't thinking about it. (Cue big celebration, etc).

[huskiefanuw]

We have the same problem. She does great for pee, but goes off and hides to poop her pants. We keep her in a pull up just because of the poop. We pretty much keep her dry all day and in the same pull up until she poops it, I wish she pooped a certain time of day to know but she doesn't schedule it with me.
I hear its a pretty common issue and eventually they stop playing hide and go poop.

[heatherbee]

DS has been doing the same thing since we started potty training 3 weeks ago. He caught on with the pee quickly and I don't remember the last time he had a pee only accident (I'm sure he will tomorrow since I've said this ). He FINALLY pooped on the toilet yesterday and we made a big deal about it and gave him a mini peanut butter cup (he picked it out from the store when we first started PTing). DH sat in the bathroom with him for awhile playing games and being silly to distract him from what he was supposed to be doing. He didn't poop today though so we shall see!

We still do diapers at night and when we go out, because I'm terrified of the happening in the car or at a store. I'm just not ready to deal. Also, I'm excited I finally had a reason to use the poop emoji!

[aimeefarrahfowler]

we still have issues with poop. If I'm pretty sure he has to poop, I will sit him there with a book or tablet and let him "think about it". He also does better with some privacy, so I'll close the door most of the way and just kinda check in with him. We don't reward pee anymore, but I do make a big deal out of pooping and give him a small cookie for poops (luckily he only poops once a day so we're not gorging on cookies over here).

[justbeth]

Emma has always had to have privacy to poop. When in diapers she would hide, now I have to close the door. I know she needs to go when she kicks me out and insists on 'pribacy'. I usually peek at her through a teensy crack in the door because she likes to try to wipe herself and that's usually ends in disaster.

[melin11]

We had to use bigger bribes for Pooing in the potty. We had a sticker chart, but she wasn't grasping the concept so after going in the potty 3 times she got a small toy then when she didn't grasp that it was after every time she went she would get a book. Now she doesn't ask for books, just chocolate but she hasn't had an accident in months. Good Luck.

[zyas]

thanks everyone. I'm going to try the bigger reward thing now. We still do treats for peeing - she gets 1 M&M. We have put the offer out there for an entire KinderEgg (my mom brought some for us from Canada last month) if she poops on the potty but that has not worked. Today I talked with her about it again and told her we could go pick out some special gifts for her to have one of each time she goes on the potty. I haven't decided what to get yet. But obviously the chocolate isn't cutting it anymore....