Jump to content

Menu

Playing with poop...please tell me someone else had


Recommended Posts

a toddler who did this. It is just disgusting. My 26mo loves to play with her poop.

 

If you dealt with this, what were your consequences? My toddler receives an immediate, strong negative reaction EVERY time. I have started giving her a time-out on the toilet while I clean up the mess, and then she has more time-out in her room after I clean her up and while I cool down. She will get it....I think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do I want to share this in cyberspace? hmmmmmmmm

 

My nickname was PamelaPeePeePooPooBucket when I was a young child. I went to town painting the bathroom <sigh>.

 

In my defense, I was much younger than your child. My parents took it as an indication I was ready to potty train so I was potty trained. At 26months old, she's definitely old enough.

 

Honestly, punishment isn't likely to work in this situation. This is a supervise and prevent to extinguish situation.

 

I would also make sure she is getting PLENTY of sensory play (playdough, finger paint, shaving/whipping cream, peanut butter in place of those would be good also).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My sister had major problems with this with one of her kids. In her case, it was only happening when he was in his room at nighttime or naptime with a dirty diaper. One time she came to get him from his nap and found a horror scene. From then on, she cut the feet out of a sleeper and put it on him backwards so that he couldn't get out of it and couldn't get to his diaper. That worked very well.

 

Lisa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 2 year-old has done this a couple of times. I don't think it's a thing that warrants any punishment or time-out (and I doubt they have the mental capacity to understand that yet anyway). I think it's a weird phase where they're curious and trying to figure out what the heck it is. :ack2: We're also potty-training right now and 2 yro is afraid to poop anywhere but in a diaper. I just think this is a weird developmental thing. I think the solution is just lots and lots of supervision - try to stop her before she starts. :eek:

 

If it's any consolation, one of our 2 yro's used to go behind the curtain in our living room and poop (this was a long time ago). :D This didn't last long and I have no idea why this toddler thought this was "the thing to do".

 

Two year-olds are just babies who can walk around and talk a little. Who knows what kind of fantasy imagery swirls around in their little minds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Two words for you: Duct.tape. Yup..that's it. You could also put her diaper on backwards with a piece of duct tape to secure it. It sounds like it has become a habit for her. Unless you're ready to potty train, then I would suggest making it harder for her to have access to her poop! If you can "redirect her creative energy" to playdough, finger paints, etc, perhaps you can break the habit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

She is being potty trained, and she is wearing underwear. She is clearly ready and able with the exception of the poop thing. I swear she waits until she has a clear moment, slips away, and does the deed. It doesn't take any time. With three other kids, I am just not available every single second of the day. All it takes is for me to turn my back while I'm getting something out of the oven or wiping my 3yo's butt or washing someone else's hair or..... She even takes off her underwear during her naptime. She is just crazy.

 

She will get it. Since she is usually smiling and having fun after her poop playtime, I have to imagine that a negative reaction will have some impact. This little 26mo is very perceptive for her age.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DD3 who has very high sensory needs did this. She would wait until I was in the other room and then go at her diaper. We bought thin fleece pjs, cut the feet and arms off (tank top with legs) and put it on backwards. It was the only way to keep her out of it. Nap time was the worst. I had to clean her crib rails and walls several times around 18mths. She either out grew it or lost interest in trying after about 6mths.

 

She was in those backwards pjs from night until she had her bm daily. Usually in the morning. Then I could put real clothes on her. Then at nap time, she was put back in them while she slept.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a LOT of experience in this department. The big thing I would say is: NO ATTENTION to it!!!! I would not give a firm NO or anything, as some kids would see that as a fun game and it may escalate or return. ("wow, that got a strong reaction from mommy! I'll have to remember that!") I would methodically go about cleaning with ZERO attention to the child, ZERO emotion on either end of the spectrum. This holds true for potty training accidents of any sort, but have an all-out celebration when it is done properly in the toilet.

 

If the child enjoyed the feeling then it was memorable. I'd allow lots of fingerpainting and playing with playdough, squishing gel, cookie dough, etc. to replace that cool feeling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

a toddler who did this. It is just disgusting. My 26mo loves to play with her poop.

 

If you dealt with this, what were your consequences? My toddler receives an immediate, strong negative reaction EVERY time. I have started giving her a time-out on the toilet while I clean up the mess, and then she has more time-out in her room after I clean her up and while I cool down. She will get it....I think?

 

 

I haven't read the other responses, but my two dds did this when they were 1 y/o and 2 y/o - they are now 31 and almost 30.

 

I put them in their room while I cleaned it up - and explained firmly, in few words, and in a nice tone of voice (mostly to the 2 yr old) that it was to go in the toilet and it was not to be used for fingerpaint.

 

BTW, they did it on my birthday -- like 100 years ago -- while I was cleaning up (buckets of soapy water), a friend of my mom's showed up at the door with a plant for me for my birthday. The irony was priceless - years before when I had been their babysitter, I had forgotten to put 'rubber pants' on one of their dks when I had put her in her crib to sleep. The next morning, when mom walked into her room, dd was covered!

 

My sister told me it is a sign of a creative kid.:glare:

Edited by MariannNOVA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My kids did not.....my sisters did.

 

My twin sisters and my youngest sister are only 15 months apart. The youngest did a doody in her diaper and then took it off and all three of them "painted" the bedroom with it.

 

I was 8 years old when that happened and I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad had to come home from work to help.

 

We laugh...a lot....about it now...but then it was...:scared::ack2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does she normally poop around the same time each day? My suggestion is to take her panties completely off and play near the bathroom with her until she's gotta go -- reward her successful "poop in the potty" with a big chocolate (what gal can refuse that, huh?!).

 

Once she gets it in the toilet a couple times, with the chocolate reward, lots of hand clapping and yays she'll be on the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My kids (twins) did this. Oy. For them, they were super well-behaved during the day, but then would go nuts at night and do it (among other destructive behaviors). We took it as a cue that they needed to potty train. But I think in their case that was wrong and may have exacerbated the behavior because originally it happened because they pulled their diapers off and happened to poop. With potty training, they were exposed to the poop even more and that seemed to raise the interest factor while at the same time they weren't really able to potty train fully for almost a year. It didn't work and it took a good, long while to break them of it fully - many months of it happening occasionally (sorry).

 

My kids were under 2 when they did it. I tried to make it clear to them how disgusted I was personally, but not to punish them or lose it at them about it (though it was hard, I admit). I think at that age, it's hard to make them really understand the connection between the punishment and what happened - at least in this case. The pediatrician assured us it was normal - fairly common even.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DD3 who has very high sensory needs did this. She would wait until I was in the other room and then go at her diaper. We bought thin fleece pjs, cut the feet and arms off (tank top with legs) and put it on backwards. It was the only way to keep her out of it. Nap time was the worst. I had to clean her crib rails and walls several times around 18mths. She either out grew it or lost interest in trying after about 6mths.

 

She was in those backwards pjs from night until she had her bm daily. Usually in the morning. Then I could put real clothes on her. Then at nap time, she was put back in them while she slept.

 

This is what we did since they only did it at naptime/bedtime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I feel vindicated. :lol:

 

I've not had this experience with any of my kids, fortunately, but I've known people who did. One friend in particular whose adopted son did this SWEARS it's just because he's adopted. :glare: The thing is, all 4 of her kids are adopted and this one child is the only one who did it. I guess they had some other behavior and learning problems with him -- ALL of which she blames on psychiatric problems due to his being adopted and "angry". And yet, when I relayed that my natural-born dd did many of the same things (though not the poop play), and asked why my dd would do those same things if her son only did them because he was adopted and angry, then why did my dd do them? She couldn't answer my question.... she got angry and cut me off. :confused:

 

And no, I didn't say that to her "accusingly". I sincerely wanted to know what the difference was, and why his being adopted was being pinned as the cause of his poop play. While my dd's have never done that, I've heard of plenty of other kids who have... who are NOT adopted. And if her son was getting counseling from a strictly "being adopted" perspective, then what kind of counseling should my dd receive? I just don't understand the whole "blame it on his being adopted" thought. *I* was adopted, and I never did this! :glare:

 

So are any of you ladies' children who do this adopted?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter did this several times when she was 2. She pooped down the vent once (thank goodness for the protective liner inside that catches things dropped down the vent). The second time I caught her frying it in her pan in her fake kitchen. I honestly didn't have any words for that one.:001_huh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter did this several times when she was 2. She pooped down the vent once (thank goodness for the protective liner inside that catches things dropped down the vent). The second time I caught her frying it in her pan in her fake kitchen. I honestly didn't have any words for that one.:001_huh:

 

Um. . . sausage anyone? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter did this several times when she was 2. She pooped down the vent once (thank goodness for the protective liner inside that catches things dropped down the vent). The second time I caught her frying it in her pan in her fake kitchen. I honestly didn't have any words for that one.:001_huh:

 

 

:lol::lol: Now THAT'S one I haven't heard before!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My two younger kids both did this as toddlers, a handful of times each. There were no "consequences"- it never would have occurred to me to punish them for it, they were very young and I assumed it was a pretty normal developmental thing- although I'm sure I did at least tell them it was yucky and that they shouldn't do that. Like someone else said they only did it while they were in bed for a nap or at bedtime. It was gross but it was a very fleeting stage in their lives, fortunately!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, so my son never played with his poop, but he DID do things like pee under his bed (carpeted bedroom) or down the air conditioning vent or in his nightstand drawer. And once he pooped in the litter box AND BURIED IT. I had no idea it was in there till I was cleaning it out and just *knew* that particular piece of poo didn't come out of a cat's bottom.

 

One of my best friends, however, has a daughter who played with her poo regularly and smeared it on her walls. They nicknamed her...

 

Wait for it...

 

Poo Picasso.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The second time I caught her frying it in her pan in her fake kitchen. I honestly didn't have any words for that one.:001_huh:

 

I've seen this! I was at a friends house, she was teaching a group of us women how to make sushi, she was so embarrassed when her daughter came in shaking it around in a plastic pan. :lol:

 

One time I was running down the hall, when I realized my little one was standing in her doorway holding a poop, with a BIG smile on her face. I was like "wait a minute....what was that?". :) It's actually a great memory.

 

I wouldn't punish for it. I think I told my daughter that it's gross, and that you can get sick from touching poop.

I think it's fairly normal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My youngest was a classical poop painter.:D Once while reaching through the leg hole to get to his prize a lump fell out, the dog rushed in to grab a bite, and my middle son vomited at the sight of it all. What a day that was!

:lol: I bet you weren't laughing that day but it is funny now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter did this several times when she was 2. She pooped down the vent once (thank goodness for the protective liner inside that catches things dropped down the vent). The second time I caught her frying it in her pan in her fake kitchen. I honestly didn't have any words for that one.:001_huh:

 

Words fail...

 

:eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...