Need Advice for Toilet Training a Toddler

Some kids are resistant to pooping on the toilet for awhile, the actual time they are resistant varies from child to chile. I was able to talk my last potty trainer through it in a couple of days, but some of the kids have taken much longer. I decided to force the issue of potty training in Dec. with my two year old and I did a LOT of laundry for a couple of months. She had good days and bad days. Days where she was excited to use the potty, days where she was too distracted by life to make it there, and days where she was just flat out resistant (diapers are so much less work on their part). But don't worry, keep at it and you will be done with the diapers before you know it.

Both of my girls went through these phases where you thought they were ready, put them in training pants and they would do great for a couple days. Then all of a sudden, they weren't so great. Our rule was if they had 2 accidents in one day they were back in diapers. We would try again the next day. If this continued for more than a few days in a row, they would be in diapers until they showed interest again. A lot of times it would be a couple weeks and they would start telling us they had to go potty. We went through this from the time they were about 2 1/2 to just about 3 when they were trained. My girls are 18 months apart, but they were "day time" potty trained at about the same age (about 1 month before their 3rd birthday) even though every child is different. We didn't use pull ups or diapers for training, we got some of the padded training pants with vinyl covers. They thought that pull ups were diapers - because they weren't cloth inside. Our youngest took much longer to night time potty train. It's been 3 months since she was day time trained and we think that she might just have it. Good luck, she'll get there eventually.

hi
i introduced my now 3 yr old to the potty when she was about 1 1/2 to just get her used to the idea what a potty was. she peed on it a couple times and then we started with big girl undies when she was 2 - 2 1/2. we had several good days and several not good days. she had a problem with constipation so it was a very long process to get her to do her business on the potty. pee was good most of the time, just pooping was a big deal for her and took awhile. but, patience and just keeping up with it i personally think is best. i think if you were to revert back to diapers/pullups then it might confuse her or let her think that it's easier for you and kids are people pleasers. just try to catch her in the act of pooping and stick her on the potty, or if she does it around the same time everyday just stick her on it. my daughter always has wanted to be a lone in the bathroom while pooping. she's never pooped with anyone in there with her. wierd, but it might be something you can try. i also rewarded her with a few m&ms if she put it in the potty.
best of luck!

Hi, J.

Well, this potty stuff can be a long due process. My girl is 3 1/2 now and she does great peeing in the potty. The pooping part still hasn't came all the way. The best thing is to leave the big girl undies on your daughter. We started out in them. None of the glorified pullup's for us. She does use diapers for naps and night times. Other than that she uses big girl undies. She seems to like them. I know she can poop in the potty because she will tell me it goes in the potty. Like I said it is a long process and they will learn.

Good luck! M. H.

I've always heard that girls are easier and earlier then boys but I beg to differ! I have 3 boys then a girl. The boys just did it when I told them to and that was that. My girl was 3 May 23 and is just now (finally!) doing it. My daughter was the same as yours at that age. I couldn't deal with the accidents, honestly it just drove me nuts!(I know, bad mom but I have new floors and furniture!) I'd put her on the potty she wouldn't go 5 minutes later she'd be wet! So I waited until she said she was ready. I asked her often if she was and finally Monday she said yes. She has been going on the potty since. I remind her some but mostly she just goes in the bathroom when she needs to. So I suggest asking her if she wants to and if not go back to diapers until she is. Good luck!

Hi J.

I have a now 9-year-old son (fully potty trained---don't dispair)...but when he was about 2/12-3, he was totally fine on the potty with peeing...totally fine at night...pooping was another story. He would take off his underpants, and put on a Pull-up to poop. Kind of odd...I get it...but ya' know what...thay're ready when they're ready. It didn't take him long to tire of this and he was done with it by like 3-3 1/2yo. You're a nurse, I'm a psychologist, so you know that sometimes things aren't always exactly on YOUR schedule. I wouldn't worry to much just yet.

A

We still have accidents... one year into training. Only once did we take a break from training, and it was only through the night. My daughter kept wetting the bed, and I was getting frustrated. For her benefit, we made her wear "baby panties" (pull-ups) for the rest of the month. She hated them. We tried again the next month, and have had a coupe accidents. However, I'm a lot less stressed about the whole thing. So I guess just use that as your indicator as to when you should take the break; you know, when you both "need" it. Good luck.

We just went through this not that long ago. Ours did fine for three days not one accident and then as soon as she had one.....she kept messing. We stuck through it and it passed. Throw in some rewards for making it through a day. In another week or so she went back to doing it. Good Luck!

27 months is pretty early. I'd keep this light and not put any pressure on her. See if you can give her the choice since she seems pretty advanced cognitively and verbally.

It sounds to me as if she is doing fine. I feel you may be expecting too much if she is actively doing well otherwise in pull ups/ diapers.

My son did great for two weeks and then had three accidents in a row within an hour!

As long as you understand there still will be the 'opps' it sounds as if she is getting it.

For all children, peeing comes first and is so much easier. The BM's are last to learn and the hardest!

keep positive, and be very patient as they pick it up!

J.-

I think that your daughter is right on track. My son was right around the same age when he trained. He had a few accidents in the beginning, also, but he did get it after a few days. (Pooping did take a little longer... about a week.) I think that they just have to get past the habit of just going when they have to go and 'remembering' to get to the potty first. Just keep doing what you're doing; give her praise when she does make it to the potty and tell her that it's okay when you have to clean up a mess and that it will be okay. I found that never going back to diapers was the key (didn't want to add confusion into the mix) and when I felt that pull-ups were needed (at naps, at nighttime, or during an outing) I would put the pull-up on OVER the underwear so that my son could still feel the wet sensation and he could still tell me if he had to use the potty. I think that you're well on your way!