Question
Hi, my question relates to potty training. I read Mr. Rosemond's book 'Toilet Training Without Tantrums' and began training my son shortly after he turned two. The process went along fairly easy and he began using the toilet to pee regularly. Our trouble is with pooping. He will hold it, hide, and use his underwear only a little at a time. I find him, clean him up, and put him on the potty only for him to do nothing on the potty and poop a little more in clean underwear after I put them back on him. The process repeats continually because he's not going all the way. And to make matters worse, if I don't actually catch him in the act, he still stops himself from finishing and takes his own underwear off himself. I find him running around the house with a dirty behind and occasionally a trail to follow. I had one success one time by taking his underwear off when I realized he needed to poop and he actually went to the potty himself and pooped. But it was only a one time deal, the next time I removed his underwear, he pooped all over the floor. I think this is all taking its toll now, because the more I stress pooping on the potty, the more he doesn't and now, in the past several days he's been peeing in his underwear again. This is unacceptable to me, I will not have him regressing. I know he understands the urges and has control over them. My first question is obviously; what do I do? I've been thinking maybe I need to insist he stays in the bathroom until he poops in the potty but am unsure if he's old enough for me to expect that? The examples in the chapter 'Toilet Training Rehab With An Older Child' are all examples of children 3, 4, or 5 years old. Is my 2 year old too young for this method? But again, he's clearly demonstrated that he understands the urge and has control over it. And if I go that route, my next question is what if he still doesn't go all the way in the toilet and continues to hold some back and make a mess when I allow him out of the bathroom? Or how do I tell he's actually finished before allowing him out? And, are there other options to dealing with this? I'm ready to be hard nosed with him because I think he's being stubborn and he can't be allowed to be pooping and peeing anywhere he wants.
Thank you for any help!
Pam
