Potty Training Tips - Carol Stream,IL

our son was peeing in the potty perfectly about 4 months before he would poop in it. He wore underwear, but would either poop at nap or bedtime when he was in a diaper, or just hold it in. After he would go 6 days without pooping, we told him he could bring us a diaper to put on him when he needed to poop. We always encouraged him to go in the potty and finally one day he decided he didn't need the diaper to poop in, so he started using the potty and no poop accidents after that. He'll do it in his own time. The occasional diaper beats cleaning out the underwear! Good luck!

I only have one suggestion and you maybe already have tried this. Have you husband have a long talk with him about men using the toilet. What is important and how going on the toilet is a big step in becoming a young man.
When my husband got really involved with the potty training of our son the whole training went very quickly. Prior we were having problems.
Same with proper showering. If his father helps him it goes a lot quicker. Men mentoring boys is the best learning tool there is.
God bless,
S.

Does he go to a particular area in the house to poop? If so, then put his little potty there for a few days to let him get comfortable with the idea of going on the potty. Then, you can move it to the bathroom.

Also, for a few days pay very close attention to him so you can see when he is about to poop and get very excited about it and quickly take him to the potty. Yes, it is time consuming to be on a constant watch of him but it only takes a few days.

Hi LK,

I'm a parent, but I also work as a child therapist. It's very common for children to take awhile to go poop in the toilet or be scared to, even after they've pretty much got a handle on going pee in the toilet. You can tell him that he needs to follow the school/class rules when he is at school, but at home he can wear his underwear if he wants to use the toilet or put his pull ups on if he wants to. You can put both choices on a bottom shelf/closet so that he can put his pull up on if he needs to. Many children will avoid accidents and constipation, etc. by using the pull up for #2 until they are confident enough to go on the potty. When so much pressure is put on children it can often backfire in really inflamed ways, so I caution more drastic meaures. In the end, they all use the toilet!! Happy New Years! A.

You are on the right track if he is peeing in the potty. For whatever reason, it takes longer to poop, especially with boys. My son was the same way. He was just scared to do it. It took 5 months after the time he peed in the potty consistently before he would poop. Just keep encouraging him, especially if he will sit on the potty to try to poop, even if nothing happens. It will happen eventually.

Hello,

My son was the same way when he was three and we were potty training him. He was able to pee in the toilet for a few weeks but would hold his bowel movements for up to 2 days and then go in his underwear. We eventually would have to really watch him and if he gave cues that he was going to go #2 then we would rush him to the toilet and put him on the potty. By the time we took him he couldn't hold it anymore and would go in the toilet. We also would buy something small like a toy car from the Cars movie (he loved those and they are a few bucks) and would say that the next time he went on the potty that he would get it. It took a good 2 months but then it set in. Give lots of positive reinforcement when he does it on his own. Don't worry, it will happen, we all get there but I know it can be painful (and messy) in the process. It's good that you don't get mad at him b/c remember this is not a natural thing....we have taught them to go in diapers since they were born so this is all they know up until now. Good luck!