"I have to go potty!"

[EchoMom]

What do you do with a potty training almost 3 year old who uses "I have to go potty" as an excuse just to get out of the playroom or try to get candy?

Sometimes the kids are in the living room, sometimes the kitchen, etc. all over the house, but sometimes I put up a baby gate and we all stay in the playroom. I have one DCB who says he has to go potty just so I'll take him out of the playroom to the bathroom. But then it's a huge hassle because he doesn't really have to go. Or he sits there and tries to grunt and push trying to go #2 because he wants candy for it.

So all day long he keeps saying he has to go #2 and I put him on and off the toilet a million times a day.

What can I do to get him to stop lying? I don't want to ignore him if he's telling the truth but I can't take him to the toilet every 10 minutes.

[SilverSabre25]

put a potty chair in the playroom for when he's in there, would be my first bit of advice.

take him and make him do the work--get undressed, get on the potty, etc...and hang out nearby, in hearing but not in sight. That will cut down on the one-on-one attention and might take some of the fun out of it.

[blandino]

I had the same problem, and if I knew a child was just saying they needed to use the potty for a reason other than going potty, I would send them to the training potty. Obviously this was no fun, and the requests stopped very quickly.

[Blackcat31]

Stop giving candy to him for using the toilet. That is usually what happens when you use candy as a reward when toilet training. The focus is never about learning to go potty but becomes about how to earn candy.

Also, if he can't use the toilet on his own, then I would have him wait until you have potty breaks so you can help him at that time. I can't be taking kids to the toilet every 20 minutes or so and because of that, my rules for toilet training say a child must be able to go on their own or wait until we have bathroom breaks.

[Happy Hearts]

We are not allowed to use food (or candy) as a reward or punishment for anything. I totally agree with this philosophy.

IMHO, going potty is a natural function that requires no reward save an "atta boy, give me five"

[wdmmom]

put a potty chair in the playroom for when he's in there, would be my first bit of advice.

take him and make him do the work--get undressed, get on the potty, etc...and hang out nearby, in hearing but not in sight. That will cut down on the one-on-one attention and might take some of the fun out of it.

Winner, winner chicken dinner!!! happyface::

[EchoMom]

put a potty chair in the playroom for when he's in there, would be my first bit of advice.

take him and make him do the work--get undressed, get on the potty, etc...and hang out nearby, in hearing but not in sight. That will cut down on the one-on-one attention and might take some of the fun out of it.

LOVE this idea! Thank you! See, I knew there were smart ladies here! I'm going to do this.

And about the candy, the candy is not my idea, the candy is what they do at home. When he pees on the potty I don't give him candy, although he still expects me to. But i do give him candy when he poops on the potty because it is still so so rare that he does.

About the training potty in the playroom, is it okay for him to be dropping his pants in front of the other kids in the playroom??? I don't mean for licensing since I'm not licensed, I just mean in general, isn't that weird??

[SilverSabre25]

LOVE this idea! Thank you! See, I knew there were smart ladies here! I'm going to do this.

And about the candy, the candy is not my idea, the candy is what they do at home. When he pees on the potty I don't give him candy, although he still expects me to. But i do give him candy when he poops on the potty because it is still so so rare that he does.

About the training potty in the playroom, is it okay for him to be dropping his pants in front of the other kids in the playroom??? I don't mean for licensing since I'm not licensed, I just mean in general, isn't that weird??

Not IMO; kids don't have modesty at that age, and the have zero concept of privacy. If *you* feel more comfortable, maybe you can find a way to have it just around the corner or slightly concealed beside a large piece or furniture or something.

[Blackcat31]

Not IMO; kids don't have modesty at that age, and the have zero concept of privacy. If *you* feel more comfortable, maybe you can find a way to have it just around the corner or slightly concealed beside a large piece or furniture or something.

We are NOT allowed to let kids do anything bathroom related within sight of others. I guess when the bathroom door is open and everyone can see, it is no big deal but to move the potty chair or changing area to anywhere "public" is a big deal.

As a parent, honestly I am not too sure how I would feel about my kid dropping their drawers in the middle of the playroom. That would definitely be an area where I would tread carefully and ask your licensor and DCF's as it just seems to me that is just opening up the door for all sorts of other issues....kwim?

As a provider, I definitely think you have to do what you have to do in order to get through the day but this is just one area I am not 100% comfortable with and really know no right or wrong answers.