The M&M's worked for PL...so now what!?

[maddycakes]

Let me start by saying that I NEVER intended to use food or treats as incentives for potty learning, for many, many reasons. I was so adamantly opposed to it....but wouldn't you know, it happened by accident about 10 days ago that DD thought that if she peed on the potty she'd get an M&M (FWIW, that wasn't the deal...I told her that if she went on the potty she'd get a sticker and after 5 stickers, she'd get an M&M...but she obviously didn't hear that part). So she peed on the potty and asked for an M&M. Repeat scenario for every pee and poop she's made (all of them on the potty no less) for the past 10 days. All of this started on the morning she just woke up and told us she wanted to wear big girl underwear unprovoked by us, so it was totally driven by her motivation.

So now what? How do I extract myself from this cycle? I want her to still go on the potty obviously, but I don't want to continue with M&Ms. She's 2.5this week and she seems committed to going on the potty, but honestly I think a lot of it is tied to the M&Ms (Can you blame her? We otherwise don't eat candy in our house.) Is it too soon to stop doing this kind of positive reinforcement? Will the novelty eventually wear off? Sometimes I can distract her right after going so she forgets about the M&M part, but she's called me out on it several times later on, so she knows what I'm up to. Stickers do not motivate her so switching the bait is unlikely to work, and besides at some point I just want her to go without this kind of quid pro quo arrangement.

Any experienced mamas or papas out there have advice? THANKS!

[Swandira]

I used the m&ms with my first kid, and he just stopped asking after a couple of days. If I were in your current situation, I would probably try switching the deal: now you have to use the potty twice to get an m&m, then a few days later it's three times for one m&m, and so on until she forgets about the rewards and toilet use becomes part of her regular routine.

Good luck!
Nealy

[walking burp cloth]

We used jelly belly's. I just put some in a baggie, and let ds see them as they diminished. When they were all gone, they were all gone. No more beans to be had. He coped well and continued using the potty.

[lnitti]

I've never been in this situation.

What if you put the m&m's in a bowl where she can reach and get one anytime she wants - not tied to pottying. if she knows she can have it when she wants, then maybe she won't ask for one after she potties. Maybe that can break the potty association? Then when they are all gone (maybe after a few days), she can see there aren't anymore.

[Tizzy]

We used those little rocket candies. I can't even remember precisely how, but it ended up that he'd get one for a poop after awhile. And then eventually he was "weaned" and it was great! Until his little brother started to use the toilet now we're back to rockets for poop for DS1 and for poop and pee for DS2. It wasn't too difficult to wean DS1 off of them the first time so I'm not too apprehensive. It is annoying to remember to have them on me at all times though when we are out and about.

[JBaxter]

Totally agree with putting them in a container and letting them see when they are empty.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

We just switched around until there was "nothing left". Oh, the m&m's are gone, how about a swedish fish? The swedish fish are gone, how about a mini marshmallow? Oh, the marshmallows are gone, how about a carrot? No? No carrot? Sorry, then. Good job on the potty!

[Boot]

I bribed my ds to use the potty. It worked! We used those little fruit treats at first but then when they ran out I got yogurt covered dried banana chips, then apricots, then dates. I didn't remind him and he gradually forgot. It's kind of like the old weaning trick 'don't offer, don't refuse'. The only trouble was that my little daycare girl got a treat too and SHE never forgot. I eventually just told her we're not doing that anymore. He still gets dried fruit as a random treat though.

[Catherine12]

I used bribery on my dd. I'm not proud of it. But it worked.

I followed a don't offer, don't refuse policy. If she asked for her reward after using the potty I gave it to her. If I could distract her and avoid giving the reward, even better. After awhile she wasn't as interested in the reward (the candy had lost a lot of its novelty) and stopped asking. It did take a few months, though.

Using the potty will become a habit, and most kids will prefer underwear and pottying to diapers once they have the hang of it. So in a way using the potty is its own reward.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by MissMommyNiceNice

We just switched around until there was "nothing left". Oh, the m&m's are gone, how about a swedish fish? The swedish fish are gone, how about a mini marshmallow? Oh, the marshmallows are gone, how about a carrot? No? No carrot? Sorry, then. Good job on the potty!

This is hilarious!!!!

[PatchChild]

I moved the M's to a different room and DS had to ask. Most of the time he just forgot. Then the container eventually emptied and, well, that was it. Way easier than I'd feared.

[StrawberryFields]

I quit offering but always gave one when he asked. Eventually he stopped asking. Especially when I directed him right into something fun after going potty. It was really simple, not a big struggle at all. Good luck!