Looking for Tips on Potty Training

My kids are the almost the same ages- My son will be 3 in late july, I have a daughter who is 17 months, and my 3rd just turned 2 months.

It sounds like you need to wait it out. I tried potty training several months ago, because I didn't want 3 in diapers. We were at that stage, where he would ask to go occasionally, but he would always go when I asked him to (when i could convince him to try) He completely started refusing to go when I got further along. I think because he was jealous and not getting enough mommy time, since I had other things on my mind. Now that my daughter is here, we've started training again. I started about a month ago, and he's apparently ready now. I just stuck him in real underwear one morning, and said that was it. 10 days later, he was getting up to go pee when he needed to. Now we have poop issues, but thats a whole seperate issue.

I've discovered that this is soooo much easier when you don't have to fight or stress over it.

One of the steps I did, was to use pull ups and not diapers, and make my son responsible for changing himself when he peed. I figured it was a step towards getting him used to pulling underwear up and down, and it also made it easier on me when I was huge and uncomfortable.

Hi, K.. I also have a son who turned three in May. He also cries when I sit him on the potty. Though he doesn't have any siblings, he keeps saying he IS a small baby, and he doesn't want to be a big boy. I don't have any ideas to solve your problem, but I just wanted to tell you that other mom is struggling with a similar situation right now. I just remembered that I asked my mother to give me a milk bottle when I was three. I wanted to do it while my 22 months younger sister was drinking hers. I don't know how and when I stopped doing it. I think the days will come when both of our sons will have forgotten their going-back-to-baby period of time, saying 'Mom, stop treating me like a small child.' Let's hang in there: )

I have 3 girls who were potty trained at the age of 2. My son would probably be potty trained if I took more time with him. One thing I did with the girls is take them every 45 minutes. However, in your situation, I would say he has this as an attention getter. Maybe stop it completely for about 2 weeks. This way your not stressed and he's not stressed. Just give yourselves a little break. Also, one thing I never did is give my children pull-ups. I use the thick cloth underwear with the plastic pants. You can get those at any Walmart. When the two weeks is up, tell him, we are going to cloth diapers and when he can use the bathroom all day with no accidents then he can have regular underwear. Also, the plastic pants really help hold everything in. No, it is not fun cleaning them with poo, but I can guarantee that he will not like those and it shouldn't take too long. You will definately need to buy some rubber gloves for this project. I hope I have been some help and GOOD LUCK.

Rememeber, regression is normal for kids under stress, I would be very surprised if he is not anxious about the new baby on the way. He may simply need some time to deal with this and then I'm sure he'll come around.

Hi K.,

Here are some web sites:

http://www.parentingtoddlers.com/pottytraining.html

http://www.thediaperfreebaby.com/

http://potty-training.suite101.com/article.cfm/elimination

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

Go Backwards To Go Forwards - !
I had success with the two little things in potty training: making it interesting, and rewards.

I actually turned my sons around on the potty - this sounds different, but try it! - so they were sitting facing the tank, with their bottom comfortably and firmly supported by the seat. (I didn't use a child potty seat.)

They actually were fascinated by this because they could SEE what was going on! - and they could flush all they wanted!

The other thing was that when they poo'd they got a treat that was reserved ONLY for that. I kept it up high and visible and they very quickly learned that when they showed me that they'd poo'd, they got the little treat. (Dentists everywhere forgive me, I used a single Skittle :-)

Once they got a little bigger they naturally turned around.

I think you need to back off for a while and let him be. I just had this problem myself and I found the more I pushed, the worse it got. We stopped talking about it or even taking him to the potty. It took a few months and then, he was back to being proud to potty. I went to Michaels and bought cloud paper and everytime he went, he put a plane on the paper or road/rail paper and put cars or trains on it.. When all the planes, train, or cars were gone, we went out and got him something special. He got one skittle each time he went potty along with the sticker.We also used fruit loops and he aimed at them. We made it a race. We let him watch daddy and a dvd on pottying. My son fell in 3 times and it scared him, once we got him over his fear everything went great. But there for a while we couldn't talk to him about it. It didn't do any good and made it worse. I think your little boy is worried about another baby and where he will fit into the picture. Will he still get time with just mommy and daddy.... You could try allowing him to make small choices as what to eat that night, what movie to watch, etc... You could let him make something as the "BIG brother for the new baby and tell him all the ways your going to need his help when the baby comes. I think once he understands that he will still be loves, important and still get one on one time with you two, he will potty. Only big boys can do these things, like make special choices. His brother and baby brother to be can't. I know you have told him and done a great job trying to make him feel better but he hasn't grasped it yet. Once he gets it, I think it will be smooth sailing. Hope this helps. Keep me posted.