My 2 year old is "almost" potty trained. The issue is that he occasionally (twice yesterday) wants to poop on the carpet in his room and run his cars through it. So disgusting! He says he understands that it "isn't mud" and that "it is poop from his butt" and "it is making a mess", etc....he still does it. I don't know how to get him to stop. We have had his room steam vac'd at least 8 times! Maybe this is "normal" boy behavior? We watch him like a hawk, then he is good and does his thing on the potty and we get lax about watching him closely when he is in his room....then, bam-o! Big mess! Any advice?
At that time his big toilet was clogged with paper and toys, so we were waiting on the plumber to come. Once the toilet was unclogged he went back to using his little potty again. Weird. We didn't know that there would be a correlation. I want to add that I took him to his pediatrician for something unrelated and asked her about it. She asked, "Do you think you spend enough time with him?" I'm a stay at home mom for goodness sake!!! I love the blame....
I'm feeling a bit punchy this a.m., so please forgive my response.... Duct tape his diaper on and wait a few more mths and try again!
Sounds like he is really not totally ready to be totally potty trained.
2 Is really young for some children to understand that we do not play with "poo". It would be hard to discipline a 2 year old for doing this cause they just see it as clay or dirt or whatever. He sees his bottom like he sees his mouth. One thing has a place for things to go in and the other thing is a place for things to come out, but with his mouth, he gets to play with the food that goes in, he probably does not really understand we do not play with what comes out.
The only thing I can suggest is to tell him he will have to wear a diaper or pull up till he can learn, not to play with his poo. Let him know he needs to tell you when he needs to go potty. Use electrical tape all the way around the diaper so that he cannot take it off of himself.
Give it a rest till he is a little older.
I would say he isn't ready to be potty trained. If he doesn't understand what poop is, then he won't know the appropriate way to deal with it. Doing it twice in one day sounds like a big red flag. Two year olds are figuring out how to be independent. This might be his way of doing what he "wants" to do, not mom and dad. I would not make a big deal out of it and go back to diapers or pull ups for a few weeks/months. Boys are generally slow to train. It's developmental and normal.
I would not say this is normal boy behavior, but normal 2 year old behavior. My daughter will play with her poop too. I don't really have any advice because he is potty training. My daughter is not quite ready for that due to a speech delay so for her we just dress her in a way that she cannot get into her diaper.
To stop the mess, I would suggest putting him in an outfit, like a onsie, when he is napping or playing in his room so he cannot take off his pull up or undies and play with the poop. My daughter has not played with her poop yet (hopefully won't happen), but she does want to take off her pull up if she is able to right after she poops if I don't get to her in time-she is pee potty trained for the most part. The onsie thing worked for us, good luck.
Yep, those two year old's are something else but this behavior have an odor. Ask him, if he would prefer to sleep on the floor with the poop or in his bed. Also, take his toys away from him, don't give him anything that he could use to terrorize his poop with.
Have you tried buying play-doh, they have so many different types now, such as Burger builder, fun factory and the Spaghetti Factory. Try the Toy r Us stores/Wal-Mart, they carry play-doh. He can smash it all day and it doesn't even have a smell.
Good Luck,
Oh my gosh. I am so sorry but this just made me laugh. Those two year olds can really come up with some good ones, can't they? No advice beyond hang in there and this too shall pass. Good luck.
(My daughter used to pee places and not tell anyone. Even when she was at a friend's house. Like just sitting on the floor playing and she'd pee and go on with whatever. That was always fun when she got home and she'd be wet and I'd ask her if she wet herself. "Yes, in the closet at Marisa's. We were playing." So then I had to call Marisa's mom and tell her to check the closet. uggghh. And she was old enough to know better- over three. Just didn't care.)
The average age for potty trained children these days is somewhere around 39 months. I would say that your son isn't exactly ready for potty training. My advice is to be patient and consistent. Positive reinforcement is really the best way to potty train your child. You could also use the "naughty toy spot" when/if he does it again. You're going to have to take the toys away anyway to clean them. You could put them in the naughty toy spot and when he goes in the potty, give them back to him. Best of luck to you!
Hi B.,
I am an occupational therapist and a parent educator so I have a couple of things you can think about. First of all you can look to see if in general your son is going through a power struggle phase. You will know that if you feel challenged by his behavior.....this may or may not be happening at his age. Here is an article on power struggles if you suspect that is what is happening:
http://incaf.com/articles/Avoiding_Power_Struggles.pdf
So, if power struggles are happening you can take some of the other suggestions about making it so that he cannot get his diaper off or you could put a baby gate up at the door of his room that could come down after he has pooped for the day so he is not pooping in his room. Either of those with minimal explanation, no blame, matter of fact just like you would say "you need to hold my hand in the street". Then, if power struggles are happening you can begin to implement the suggestions in the article helping to use his power more cooperatively so that he is not misbehaving to "get" his power. I have lots of other resources if power struggles are not what is happening, so feel free to contact me directly.
Blessings to you and your family,
K.
This is coming from a teacher so bear with me. How about going out and buying some playdoh for him to use instead? He doesn't understand how germy poop is and may solely be doing because he likes the texture of it. Tell him in terms he can understand he can use playdoh instead. cut out a good size square from a shower curtain liner and place it on the floor to place the clay on. Playdoh is available in the tan (poopy!) color. good luck.
I very much feel your pain my son did the same thing, he was older but circumstances caused him to start potty training much later than normal. He is 5 now and dow not play in it but does still have a few accidents. My suggestion is just persistence and it will eventually pay off. good luck.
