Help With a Child Staying on the Toilet Too Long

If you are potty training your child, you've probably heard all of the common complaints: He is scared of the potty, she doesn't want to leave her playing to use the toilet, or he sits on the potty but doesn't do anything. Interestingly enough, there are also children who like sitting on the toilet so much that they don't want to leave. You can use several techniques to help a child who has this potty training problem.

  1. Identify the Problem

    • Often, a child who refuses to get off the toilet has an underlying motive. Does your child specifically do this before bedtime? If so, it might be a stalling tactic to avoid going to sleep. If this is the case, tell your child she has exactly four minutes on the toilet before bedtime, and enforce the time limit. Does your child seem to enjoy how you read to her while she's on the potty? Suggest that you continue your reading on the couch together, and tell her that you will read only a limited number of books while she's on the potty. Identifying the problem that causes your child to sit on the toilet for so long is key to solving it.

    Make Potty Time Less 'Fun'

    • Your child may enjoy potty time too much to get off the toilet. Although you don't want to turn potty time into a chore, it's important to keep potty time a bit more low-key. Slowly scale back on any fun activities that you do while your child is on the toilet, such as singing, telling stories or reading books. After your child has spent a decent amount of time on the toilet for one sitting, take out your own book and read it silently, and tell your child that you will give him more of your attention after he finishes.

    Give Rewards for Getting Off the Potty

    • Make the time that your child comes off the toilet fun, to entice her to leave as soon as she's finished. For example, she might get a treat or a sticker on her chart each time she goes to the potty, but she can't get the treat until after she has left the bathroom. Alternatively, you can make each post-potty time fun by playing a tickling game or turning on her favorite music for a few minutes.

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