Son Won't #2 in Potty

A few ideas . . .
If he's using a commode, the water 'splash' with #2 may bother him.
When he uses his pull-ups, have him wash his own bottom until it's clean and explain that it would be a lot easier to clean himself if he's used the potty and it's not squished all over his bottom.
Since he has a particular schedule to 'go', have him sit on the potty until he goes even if it's all night a time or two, and he'll get the message. Have a little reward for the first time he does use the potty, and set a goal of one week or whatever that if he uses it every time, he gets to go to McDonald's w/Dad or something that would be a treat for him.

Hi Dawn,
I had this problem with my son who is 4 now. I tried everything to get him to poop in the potty. He just wouldn't do it! I don't know if this is what triggered him to start going or not, but I gave him a very simple explanation of where the stinky went after it was flushed. To the septic tank in our case. After that explanation, he was like a pez dispenser.
I'm not sure if this will help you or not, but it's certainly worth a try.
Good luck!
T.

My son did the same thing. We waited it out--told him that when he was ready to poop in the potty, the potty would be there. After a few weeks he decided to give it a try, and then he did fine.

To me it was like most things with parenting--when we got over our worries, our son followed suit.

Good luck,
J.

Hi Dawn

One thing you can try is just NOT putting a pull up on him. I let both of my boys run naked when they potty trained. Put underwear on him when you put him to sleep and don't say anything, go about your normal routine. He will get up and go rather than go in his underwear I suspect. He is treating the pull ups like diapers. SO many kids do. Don't give him the option to poop in them! Make a HUGE deal about it when he goes. My son can't climb on the potty to poop so he has a little potty in there and he comes and gets me when he is done and I give him M&M's.

i have the same problem with my son who is 4 and it doesnt matter underware or pull up he poops if he needs to and doesnt say anything to me till i tell him to get up and go pee not sure if its delay or if he just doesnt want to go i have tried everything i can think of if you find something that works please let me know

We had the exact same experience with both of our boys (now 9 & 5) it last a much longer time with the 1st one. One day it happened (clearly by accident) when he was on the toilet and from that point on we never had a problem. My 1st one had been regularly doing #1 for at least 7mths before it happened and with the 2nd it took about 4mths. It will happen.

John Rosemond had a great solution to this problem in his column this week. Google him on the web and read it. His suggestion will probably work for you.

L. D.

Hi Dawn..I am in the same boat you are in! My son turned three and just will NOT do more than pee in the potty,which he does really well. My 18 year old daughter was like that too, and would go hide to have privacy, so i went to Kmart and bought a 15 dollar pop-up tent, put her potty in it, and that worked! So we just bought a cool "Cars" pop-up for our lil' guy..maybe it will help, just an idea.

My son will be 3 in June and has been completely trained since last September. He was a rock star at the peepee, but not so much the poop. So, I took a mason jar and filled it up with bright, colorful, yummy M&Ms (his favorite!) and put it right by the potty. I sat him down and said, "ok..from now on, when you peepee in the potty, you get 2 M&Ms and when you poop in the potty, you get FIVE M&Ms!!" His little face lit up and that was that. We didn't even make it to the bottom of the jar before it wasn't even an issue anymore. I'm definitely not too good for bribery!! =0)

I feel your pain!!! My daughter did the same thing but for much longer. She was #1 trained since December but just now became #2 trained. I tried everything with her and nothing worked. Then just one day she was laying in bed for a nap, got out of bed on her own and went #2 n the potty all by herself. She then ran in the next room to tell me. She still has trouble when we go on vacation or if she stays at my parents house but always picks right back up when she gets home. My only advice is patience and he will soon get it. The one thing I noticed is that she wants me in the other room when she needs to go and not in the bathroom with her. It took 6 months after being trained #1 and her doctor and mothers day out teacher both agreed that is more than normal. Hopefully it will not take him as long.
Good Luck