https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:51:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466448 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:27:37 +0000 brownepiano 2466448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The only three things that work consistently for us are<br /> 1. Making him go before things (before lunch, before reading books, before going out.. so that there is a logical break.)<br /> 2. Going together (mommy is going pee and then it's your turn)<br /> 3. Setting a timer. He gets SO excited to press stop when the timer on my phone goes off and then will usually go after that. This one is the least consistent though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466424 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:19:12 +0000 Charm54 2466424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter will rarely stop on her own to go either. She gets so caught up in playing. So I had to build it into our day - wake up, before we go out to run errands, before lunch, before nap, etc.</p> <p>I used to ask her "do you have to go potty?" The answer was always no. Then 5 minutes later, cue accident. So now I just say "it's time to go potty!" and she goes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466416 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:15:57 +0000 MrsSRS 2466416@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you have a routine at home? We go when we wake up, before meals, snacks, naps, and outings and that pretty much means every hour or two. So we used to always wash hands before meals and snacks, now we potty and wash. We used to put on shoes to go out, now we potty and put on shoes. If I occasionally have to send DS to the potty mid play it gets handled like any other request. ("Mama asked you to X. You must listen to my words. You can X yourself or I will help you do X, but you have to follow directions now." Then I move to help and don't talk anymore until X is accomplished, then, "Good job! Mama asked you to do X and now it's done so we can play!")<br /> We also used a timer when there was a power struggle problem. Then I could ruefully say that I was sorry, but the timer says it's potty time so we better go...what a stinker that timer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466371 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:57:41 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2466371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Chuckles: I'm trying to get her to watch that episode but because it's not on the PBS app, she's less likely to sit through it (she's weird like that). Plus because she doesn't yet know that she has to go potty, it doesn't resonate with her as much. Right now we're still in the pull-ups/putting her on the potty stage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466344 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:48:29 +0000 Chuckles 2466344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you tried the Daniel Tiger song? the lyrics include, "if you have to go potty, stop and go right away." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466341 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:47:16 +0000 Adira 2466341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For Xander, at daycare, he goes every hour, or maybe it's two - but like you said, it's a group activity, all the kids go. But at home, he's a camel and really only has to go maybe four times (upon wake-up, around lunch-time, after nap, before bed). If we try to get him to go more often, he's very resistant and refuses to go or will throw a tantrum! Now that I know his schedule, it's a lot easier to get him to go. In the morning and after the nap are the easiest because we haven't started an activity yet. The other times, I just try to time them between activities, like we're stopping for lunch anyway, so I'll say "Let's go potty before lunch!" But it definitely took me a while to figure out his schedule and we definitely had accidents before we figured it out. He's turning 3 at the end of the month.</p> <p>ETA: Something that often works with us is one of us (Hubs or me) going potty at the same time. So when it's time to go potty, I might stop what we're doing and say "Pause! I have to go potty! Want to go potty with me?" and we'll either take turns going or he'll use his little potty while I'm on the regular toilet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466334 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:44:08 +0000 deerylou 2466334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're fully trained (30 months), but run into the same issue. She'd probably hold it until Christmas if it meant she could keep playing. At this point, there's no incentives, we just announce that it's time to go. She doesn't always like it, but hey. I'll get down to eye level and say something like, "I know you're having a lot of fun and want to keep playing. But mommy needs to take you potty now. We'll come right back. Bring teddy, if you want!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466330 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:40:06 +0000 ValentineMommy 2466330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't ask if DS needs to go. We just tell him it's time.</p> <p>When he resists, we usually give him my cell phone to play a game on for 5-10 minutes.</p> <p>ETA: When we started potty training, we also used the "potty watch". It rings at 30/60/or 90 min intervals. For whatever reason, this self motivated our son. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/incentives-to-stop-and-go#post-2466283 Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:21:33 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2466283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're lightly potty training my 32 month old. She knows what it means to go, she's comfortable doing it, but as is typical, we have a really hard time getting her to to stop whatever she's doing to go. She doesn't yet recognize the need to go, so we follow the same schedule her daycare does to take her potty. There's no issue at daycare, since it's basically a group activity, but at home there's very little that will motivate her to stop playing to go.</p> <p>I've tried incentives - marshmallows, her favorite books right near the potty, other toys, etc. - but they usually only work for a day or two and then she loses interest in the motivator. The only thing that could work is letting her play with the PBS app but then I'd never pull her away from that. </p> <p>Just wondering if others have found ideas that work for the duration or do we just keep mixing up the incentives to keep things fresh? </p>