Potty bribes

[lovemykidstoo]

So one of my dcb's is 2 and we've been trying to potty train and he's just resisting. He did okay for awhile, but lost interest. Mom says that what seems to be working at home is giving him the candy Mento's at home. She says that she thinks she will bring them here for me to try it. I've never eaten a Mento, aren't they kinda big and maybe a choking hazard? I've never bribed the kids to go potty. It's just something we did. What are your thoughts?

[Cat Herder]

It backfires and they say they have to go constantly to get candy.

Better to go with natural rewards. We pee on the potty, we don't have to sit in pee diapers...

***Now IMHO, a chewy candy (takes some time to eat) IS great for getting kids over the initial fear of sitting on the potty. I used it for my guy with sensory issues. It diverted his attention just long enough for him to realize he was not going to fall in and nothing was going to jump up.... He still uses a potty chair at home, I can't bring myself to put a 5 year old on one, it was a compromise.

[Hollydawn]

I give my ds, 2, an m&m for going potty. But, he actually has to pee to get it, not just sit. I'm not above bribing for potty training!

[Hollydawn]

I meant to add, I wouldn't give a mento. Too big, I would worry about choking.

[Cat Herder]

I meant to add, I wouldn't give a mento. Too big, I would worry about choking.

I assumed mento-minis.

Skittles and chewy sweet tarts are awesome, too. lovethis

[lovemykidstoo]

I guess my gripe is that they are the full sized mentos. Like I said, I've never eaten one, but from what I remember in seeing them, aren't they larger and chewy possible choking hazard? Of course he has gum all the time too.

[Cradle2crayons]

My experience, bribing doesn't work well long term for most. Been there done that. I always have more success not using a physical bribe and instead lots of verbal positive reinforcement.

There are times and places and certain situations where using them short term is a good thing. But the normal average child doesn't need candy to potty. They will train when they are ready. But I've found positive praise and high fives from their proud friends gets he job done with more long term success and a lot less manipulation and cavities from the child

[Cradle2crayons]

I guess my gripe is that they are the full sized mentos. Like I said, I've never eaten one, but from what I remember in seeing them, aren't they larger and chewy possible choking hazard? Of course he has gum all the time too.

Yesssssss the full size mentos would be a HUGE choking hazard!!!

[TwinKristi]

It worked well for us. I would give 2 chocolate chips for successfully going potty. He always went potty for me here. Mom would put him in a diaper at home while training... Talk about confusing! But Mentos are pretty big! I wouldn't do that!

[Cradle2crayons]

It worked well for us. I would give 2 chocolate chips for successfully going potty. He always went potty for me here. Mom would put him in a diaper at home while training... Talk about confusing! But Mentos are pretty big! I wouldn't do that!

All of mine have to wear a diaper until they are dry for two weeks before going into undies... Haven't had a one it has confused yet.

The most confused ones are from parents who don't do a single thing EXCEPT put them in diapers and don't follow up with the training yet expect me to do all the work.

[Kcole1075]

I have done candy before but it didnt work.

Currently I am using stickers. They love it.

But for my 2year old dcb parent s switches him to big boy undies over the weekend and he just got it. Pull ups weren't working a neither was the stickers. He now hates his pull ups.... it was really strange because we tried for two weeks and he just wouldn't go potty. But now he does and tells us.

[Cradle2crayons]

I have done candy before but it didnt work.

Currently I am using stickers. They love it.

But for my 2year old dcb parent s switches him to big boy undies over the weekend and he just got it. Pull ups weren't working a neither was the stickers. He now hates his pull ups.... it was really strange because we tried for two weeks and he just wouldn't go potty. But now he does and tells us.

:: does potty dance for the little guy!! Good for him!!

[CraftyMom]

I also don't bribe kids to go potty. They'll do it when they're ready. If they need a bribe they're not ready in my opinion.

[sharlan]

I've lost count of the number of kids I've potty trained using M&Ms. I use a combination of M&Ms and positive reinforcement. The potty trainee gets 2 M&Ms while everyone else gets one. Everybody yells and shouts, does the potty dance after every success.