My child is afraid to poop in the toilet.

Many children find the toilet a little scary at first. Is it really about pooping? Maybe your child doesn’t like the splashing and splattering. It feels very different from using the potty. Practice this in a playful way. You can throw a piece of gingerbread into the toilet as a pretend poop and watch how it splashes and splatters. Point out that it feels weird on the bottom.  

Your child might also be upset that the poop is gone for good. It sounds strange, but to toddlers, it can feel like they’re losing a part of their body when they poop. Address this and explain that it’s a natural part of growing up. Tell them that the poop needs to come out of their tummy, and that it’s good for their body. Start by throwing the poop from the diaper or potty into the toilet together. That’s an intermediate step. Say, for example: “Bye-bye poop, go join the other poops!”