It Hurts When I Poop!: A Story for Children Who Are Scared to Use the Potty

Price: $9.99 - $7.27
(as of Feb 20, 2026 07:37:08 UTC – Details)

iParenting Media Award Winner

Helping children overcome their fear of pooping with colorful illustrations and a thoughtful story.

Ryan is scared to use the potty. He is afraid to have a poop, because he’s afraid it’s going to hurt. He does NOT want to go. This story, along with Ryan’s “poop program,” will help young children gain the confidence they need to overcome this common problem and establish healthy habits. Includes a Note to Parents by the author.

From the Note to Parents:

The book includes a “poop program” that I use with children between the ages of 3 and 6. While the program is ostensibly for the main character, my hope is that your child will want to follow these steps as well. How you approach the program will vary somewhat depending on your child’s age. Most 3- to 4-year-olds do not need to do the program in a formal way. Instead, you can incorporate parts of the program into your daily routine―make the needed dietary changes, reward successful pooping with stickers, and consider reviewing how poops come out of the body. Most 5- to 6-year-olds are interested in doing the full program, though it is still important to be flexible. For example, if a 5-year-old does not want to do Potty Practice, I would adjust things accordingly.

From the brand

Books for Kids from APA

American Psychological Association works to advance psychology as a science and profession and as a means of promoting health and human welfare. APA publishes books for young readers under its imprint, Magination Press, that aim to make navigating life’s challenges a little easier. It’s the synthesis of psychological science with informational fiction that makes an APA kids book distinctive.

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Publisher ‏ : ‎ Magination Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 15, 2007
Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1433801310
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1433801310
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 2 – 4 years, from customers
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.25 x 0.13 x 10.25 inches
Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool – 1
Best Sellers Rank: #8,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #19 in Children’s Toilet Training Books (Books) #20 in Children’s Daily Activities Books #194 in Children’s Books on Emotions & Feelings (Books)
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