The Challenges of Rewards in Potty Training

Rewards can complicate the potty training process, often requiring escalation for effectiveness. When parents initially use rewards like candies, they may find these techniques backfire, leading to dependence on incentives rather than fostering intrinsic motivation. Many children who are not developmentally ready may struggle with tasks like pottying, resulting in feelings of inadequacy when rewards aren’t attainable. Consequently, using rewards can create a messy situation where parents feel pressured to continuously increase the incentives to achieve the desired behavior.