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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>3 y/o Touching Her Poop!!!
Sprouts 12:10 PM 05-18-2012
So i watch a 3 y/o girl (she turned 3 in march)...she is still in pull ups because she still has peeing accidents and poops in her diaper still, before she starrted her mom told me she would pee in the potty on her own most of the time.


Sooo just today she was in the corner very quiet, with her hands behind her back, playing with her poop! It was on her clothes and hands a little on her arm! I sprayed everything down with bleach spray, washed her down and changed her clothes.

I told her mom if this happens again we will have to put her in backwwards footsie pajamas until this stops, but what are some of your reccomendations?? What is the psychoology behind this??
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Willow 01:29 PM 05-18-2012
In the context you describe here it sounds like normal curiosity.

A lot of kids go through a phase and seem particularly fascinated by that bodily function. It's gross, but again, totally normal. The bigger deal you make of it the longer it'll last. The curiosity is actually a great sign that she is trying to sort out what's going on and is ready to try potty training again.


If she was wiping it everywhere intentionally (painting with it, throwing it or trying to be destructive knowing things will have to be thrown away because of it) that's a whole 'nother ball of wax. Doesn't sound at all like that was her intention though.



For my foster kiddos who exhibited the intentional painting, playing with similarly textured things like play-doh or even mud outside really helped to swing the inclination in another more positive direction. Some to the point they would ask for the play-doh before they had a bowel movement knowing they'd be praised for using that as their outlet instead of the contents of their diapers. You could see if that might help?

You can also ask mom to dress her in one piece outfits for the time being so she literally doesn't have access to her diaper while she's in your care.
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christinaskids 02:41 PM 05-18-2012
Does she seem behind developmentally? It IS natural for children to be curious, but not at 3. That should of been over by 20 mos or so. At three, she should be following you around driving you crazy with questions of why everything is the way it is. I have heard it can be a sign of traumatization or sexual abuse but may just be that she is behind a little. There also may be a medical reason and something going on down there. Whatever the reason, its gross and I would for sure keep her in clothes that she couldnt dig in.
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Sprouts 07:59 AM 05-19-2012
She's actually very smart and expressive. Her mom said that she usually goes poop on the potty, but the 3 times she has pooped with me it has been in her pull up. Also, her mom said the night before last was the first time she has done this and these past two weeks she has regressed a little. I noticed she likes to play "baby" and she calls my child care "baby school" which I try and fix and say big girl school....
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christinaskids 01:45 PM 05-19-2012
Maybe she is being shy about going poop. I had a five year old like that so i had her go in the bathroom in my bedroom and encouraged her to go more. It worked out pretty well, not sure if you have room for her to try to go while everyones outside or on a different floor. Sounds like she is getting a little too into pretending of being a baby ha.
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itlw8 06:49 PM 05-19-2012
hmmmm do you think mom has told her she will soon go to big girl school( preschool in the fall?) and she needs to stop pooping in her pants and having accidents or she will need to stay at baby school???

maybe she does not want to leave and move on to something new so she is making it known she is still a baby>
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Sprouts 06:12 AM 05-20-2012
Originally Posted by itlw8:
hmmmm do you think mom has told her she will soon go to big girl school( preschool in the fall?) and she needs to stop pooping in her pants and having accidents or she will need to stay at baby school???

maybe she does not want to leave and move on to something new so she is making it known she is still a baby>
Her sister is in K so maybe she sees that as her big girl school, also I dont know if this has anything to do with it, but she does mention her dad here and there but her parents are separated.

I will also try the poop in the other bathroom, but she doesn't really seem to be shy about bodily movements....
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Tags:3 year old, gross topic, playing with poop, poop
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