4 year old seems distressed using toilet

[lyssie29]

My 4 year old daughter has been going to toilet fine for wees since September. She s never done a poo. All of a sudden she keeps asking for a potty, won't use the toilets at nursery and keeps saying she's needs a poo so she can get a nappy on but then just has a wee. I picked her up from nursery today and they said she had been crying all morning. She told me it was because she needed a poo and cried all the way home where she rushed into the bathroom and just did a wee in the potty. Not the toilet. I just dont get it.

Poo in the loo fear is quite common so don't worry. My son at that age would sit on the toilet but only with a nappy either attached to him or underneath to catch it. It was very stressful for all concerned and I tried every trick in the book to encourage him but he had a complete mental block. Eventually he one day just did it after I convinced him to let me move the nappy away but it took a looong time to get there. Hopefully that won't be the case for you! I wouldn't make a big deal of it but try small things like tipping poo from potty into the loo, getting her to sit on the loo using a kid's toilet seat to make her feel more secure, even something like getting a small potty that fits inside the loo bowl. And rewards and encouragement whenever she at least tries. Be firm but calm. I hope there'll be others along to give you some other/better tips!

Sorry I've just re-read your post and missed the bits about her just weeing so don't know if my advice is any use!