Incentives for using the potty? Do you bribe?

[Anonymous]

I bribed the heck out of my kids when they potty trained! Cheerios, M&M's, Hot Wheels...whatever motivated them. It worked, and they have no food issues.

[Anonymous]

Really, this is not something that is going to have the lasting effects that people fear it will! Every single kid I know well was bribed at least in SOME way for the potty and many many of them with candy. These are all older kids, none have food issues, none are scared in any way and none expect rewards for every day behavior

Figure out what works, get it done when you can, and stop "sighing" at people who have BTDT and have moved on. They may just have figured out this is not a hill to die on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question--our DS has been doing pretty well peeing on the potty but absolutely refuses to poop on the potty (and will not go at all when we try to do no diaper all day until he gets a nighttime diaper right before bed). So he's been getting an M&M every time he pees on the potty for a month. What would you do at this point? He's 2.5.

Try something bigger.

We did Matchbox cars for our DS. Figure out what he wants! We had the same issue with poop for some reason. Make it worth his while to poop in the potty.

[Anonymous]

I was going to say I literally bribed the crap out of my kids, but then I remembered one of mine was a poop resister and no bribes- big or small, candy or toys- worked until he was ready to poop in the toilet. But with pee for him and with both for my first kid, jelly beans or M&Ms worked like a charm. It wasn't a problem weaning them off it, either.

[Anonymous]

M&Ms worked for us, and now knowing my son even better I am glad I went with instant gratification and not a long range thing (like one week dry gets you a big truck!) - he does not think that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was going to say I literally bribed the crap out of my kids, but then I remembered one of mine was a poop resister and no bribes- big or small, candy or toys- worked until he was ready to poop in the toilet. But with pee for him and with both for my first kid, jelly beans or M&Ms worked like a charm. It wasn't a problem weaning them off it, either.

Did you keep bribing for pee until he was ready to do #2? I have a similar problem with my DS now.

[Anonymous]

One M&Ms or Kiss for potty.
Kid was dry at night and during the day, could clearly fell when she needed to poop but would not use the potty for it.
She could not care less about stickers but LOVEs sweets.
We bribed and it worked beautifully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should never use food as a reward or a bribe. Try a sticker chart.

we don't use food as rewards or bribes generally, but did it for toilet training. One small pack of m and ms later, she was potty trained.

[Anonymous]

Candies for everytime they use the potty or whenever they succesully peed/pooped?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was going to say I literally bribed the crap out of my kids, but then I remembered one of mine was a poop resister and no bribes- big or small, candy or toys- worked until he was ready to poop in the toilet. But with pee for him and with both for my first kid, jelly beans or M&Ms worked like a charm. It wasn't a problem weaning them off it, either.

Did you keep bribing for pee until he was ready to do #2? I have a similar problem with my DS now.

PP here. No, we were long over bribing for pee by the time he decided he was ready for poop. It might've happened 6 months or more later or something horrible like that. Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child is scared, he is not developmentally ready to potty train. Just as you can't force a child to walk, you can't force a child to pee or poop on a toilet. Take a break and try again in a few months.

+1000

[Anonymous]

I didn't bribe DD - I just waited until A) she did it on her own (poop) and B) she was super ready to pee on the potty. We had very few accidents. I would guess that I waited longer than most people do though. I figure why train - they'll do it on their own eventually.

[Anonymous]

That's a good question from 14:20. My son isn't potty trained yet, but does like to use his potty strictly before bedtime (just to stall, really). Do you give an m&m (or other bribe) every time they sit on the potty? Or only when pee or poop comes out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's a good question from 14:20. My son isn't potty trained yet, but does like to use his potty strictly before bedtime (just to stall, really). Do you give an m&m (or other bribe) every time they sit on the potty? Or only when pee or poop comes out?

Personally, we only gave when DD actually put some pee or poop in the potty. Not just for sitting, because she'd sit there forever if she could. Like you said, it's a great stalling tactic and kids are not stupid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i give my kids the moon when PTing. It only lasts about 2-3 weeks than it becomes a natural thing and they stop asking. Until that point though anything goes! You know what I found works best though? A constant stream of ridiculous over the top praise. Songs, dances, clapping, jumping up and down...make it as over the top as you can!

This. Our DD is still potty training, but man, she loves a dance party! When she uses the potty we go overboard with dancing and singing....she has a blasts and feels super accomplished as we are praising her for being such a big girl.