Kindergarten Haters And Dumb Potty Training Rules in Preschool

We bloggers check our blog traffic to see how many “hits” we’re getting. My software also tells me how you got to me — what you entered into the search or URL line to get to BabyShrink — and this is where it gets interesting. This time of year, I get a lot of searches more »

Help for a Preschooler Afraid of the Potty

Hi Dr. Heather, I am in desperate need of help. I have an almost-4-year-old son who is afraid of public restrooms. At 2 1/2 years old, his preschool teacher thought he may have a speech delay so we did early intervention with Easter Seals through the State run program. Turns out he just wasn’t ready more »

More on Potty Training: When Your Preschooler Poops in Her Sleep

Dear Dr. Heather, I have a question for you regarding my daughter, who turned 3 in October. She has been potty trained (pee at least) since August. Here is the problem….she poops in her sleep. She also poops on the potty if she has to go while she is awake. But mostly, she is pooping more »

Poop-Withholding After a Trauma

Trauma such as illness or injury can cause regression in the developmental achievements of young children. In other words, your child may develop any nature of difficulties that may not be “diagnosable” per se, but rather a short-lived reaction to something traumatic. Reader Alison’s son broke his leg, and since then has become a poop-withholder. more »

Tips for When a Toddler Withholds His Poop

Potty-training complications are pretty common topics of discussion around here. Stephanie’s question about one of the more common complications — poop withholding — comes up at a time when many of us are frantically trying to get our toddlers ready for preschool in the Fall. The frantic pressure parents feel to get their toddler trained more »

Tips for a Toddler Tinkling (and Screaming) in the Bath

Hi Dr. Heather, My husband and I are hoping you can shed some light on a concern we have for our son who is 27 months old. Over the last month during bath time, my son has peed in the bath 3 separate times, and without fail he would then ‘hold himself’ while crying/screaming hysterically! more »

Tips for a Mom Desperate to Potty Train her Toddler

One of my most frequently-asked questions is along the lines of one I recently received: Dear Dr. Heather, My daughter will be 3 in Sept. She absolutely refuses to use the potty. When I take her in the morning it seems she will hold it – even though her diaper is dry- until I give more »

MORE on Poop-Smearing: A Complicated Case

“What,” you may ask, “is the most popular ‘lurkers’ topic at BabyShrink?” Is there a common theme that brings the most readers to this site? Yes, there is. Every day, I check my WordPress “Stats” to see what parents have been reading on BabyShrink. I think it’s hilarious that each and every day I get more »

Is This Daycare Right for My Child?

Hi Dr. Heather, My son turned 3 in July and was potty trained in April of this year. Therefore he had four months before he started in a daycare that required him to be fully potty trained. I have now been blindsided yesterday with an official letter stating they will not be able to continue more »

BabyShrink Handles the Grossest Problem Yet: Poop Smearing

BabyShrink readers Angie, Sharon and Stacy have emailed me over the past few weeks with the same horrified question: Why is my toddler suddenly smearing poop everywhere, and HOW CAN I GET THAT DISGUSTING BEHAVIOR TO STOP?! Although I tried to offer some suggestions, I had never experienced the same thing with my kids, so more »

BabyShrink’s Hubby Answers a Reader’s Question on Potty Training

…And Potty Training?…AS IF!!!

Dear BabyShrink, What is your take on potty training? Just GO FOR IT, or let the child initiate it all? I have heard (or read) everything from “start at 3 months old,”; to “you can do it in ONE (or three) day(s),”; to “they’ll get it when they are developmentally ready.” We are in the more »