Potting Traning My 2 Year Old!

Hi W.,
I originally came to this site for all the advice from so many moms about potty-training. I would say my 2-almost-3 year old is pretty much, "trained" now and I started at the end of January. He tells me when he has to go; he wears underpants day and night; and he has one or two minor "accidents" every 2 weeks or so (I consider this "trained," because he gets that it was an accident, and doesn't like it).

The things that helped me the most: I set aside 2 weeks and did almost nothing else but potty-train (my hubby did errands, groceries, etc, and took charge of potty-training when I had to get out of the house); My son "went commando" all day until he could tell us when he had to go (not as messy as you might think); I've been letting my son play naked in the back yard since he was walking: he got the sensation of peeing along with seeing the pee come out, that helped him very much.

Lots of other little things too. The most important thing, I guess is: once you are "ready" to start: commit. It was really a full-time thing the first few weeks, but eased up quickly once he "got it."
T

He's not ready. My pediatrician told me a lot of times, boys aren't ready until closer to 3 years old. My son just turned 3 last week, and can't make anything come out, cause he's too tense on the potty. My nephew was 3 years and one month when he decided in ONE DAY to start using the potty.... My advice is: offer it, but let him lead. He's the only one who has control over that issue. :0) Good Luck!

When my son was that age I used my ped's advice and gave him lots of his fav drink and then took him to the potty every 15-30 min and each time he peed he got 1 m&m or pooped he got 2 m&m's worked great, he was completely trained day/night by 2.5. I used the same thing for my daughter and she's now completely trained (day/night) and in big girl panties and she's just turned 25 mo. I will do the same thing when my baby (5 months) is old enough to understand.

Try getting him a urinal. I use Peter Potty (can buy it online at walmart). Greatest investment ever! He was potty trained in a few weeks. Daycare was shocked! he is only two and they have said he should show the 3 year olds how to do it. Made my life so much easier. Before that we had the same problem as you. Also, do get him into underwear soon (no pullups). If you are still using a diaper/pull ups, take the poop and shake it into the toilet and tell him poo poo goes in the potty. We took a weekend and had him drink tons and went potty about every 20 minutes. Because he's two I would recommend having him pull down him pants himself even though it's a bit of a struggle. Also, remember to stay positive. I noticed he really didn't want to go when we were feeling frustrated. It was obvious our son felt some of it. We useed the big potty and held his hand for number two and gave the facial expressions. This worked great. Hope this helps. I got a wonderful potty book that gave great and different type of ideas. Let me know if you would like the title.

J.

I am also in the process of potty trainig my 2 1/2 year old son! Try giving your son his favorite drink, but get him to drink a lot! The more he drinks the more he will have to go potty and doing repeatly, he will remember the sensation and what to do! Good luck!

My son did the same thing as yours at two. He didn't really get it down untill he was 2.5. There wasn't anything I did to make him learn. I gave him stickers and treats, but I think you just have to wait untill he's ready. My son still has accidents at night so we just have him wear the pull ups untill he gets that down too.

Hi W..

I'm also potty training my 3 year old. He's been doing better since he's been going to daycare. I keep encouraging him to sit on the potty and I also praise him for just sitting on the potty. This way he knows that he's doing the right thing. He's gone potty for me a few times on the potty and when he does that, I get him a special treat or book or a toy that he's been wanting. I hope this helps!

I.

I'm a SAHM of 4...I have found the magic age to be 3, but if your willing to spend some time with your 2 year old...try giving him a book to look at while he waits. They just have a hard time relaxing enough to go. It's like when we try to squat behind a bush when camping! It's hard for me to do that. Good luck...A.

When my boys were young I would sit them on the potty and run warm water on there private area. That would some times make them go. Then they got the idea.
It's like when you hear water running you how it makes you want to pee.

W., potty training a boy is HARD work! It's fine to start with potty training now, but know that with boys, at least most of the time, they aren't usually potty trained until they are three to four. My son took a very long time to get fully potty trained. He had a hard time with poop. He was 3 and a half before we had the whole process down and 4 until we had the whole process through the night. Don't get frustrated, let him sit on the potty but don't get upset if nothing happens. Don't force him to sit on the toilet for an extended amount of time, because then he will start to resent the potty and associate it with the time mommy gets mad or frustrated at him. I used to sit my son down for 3 mins. if he did something, great, I rewarded him with a sticker or a special treat. If not we praised him for being a big boy and trying his best. Hang in there I know that it can be frustrating, but it will happen! Hope this helps!

Hi W.,

I recently training twins. They also understood the sensation to go. I printed off an adorable, large picture of a pink pig on my printer and called it the Potty Piggy. (I can email you the picture if you like.) I hung it in the bathroom near the toilet. The children began to get very excited at the thought of earning stickers to put all over their Potty Piggy. Within three days, the twins successfully stopped using pullups. Good luck.

Get him out of the diaper and into cloth training pants. I know, it is messy. Then put a plastic pant over the training pant. The diapers and disposible training pants don't allow they to feel the discomfort of being wet. If you are at home, let him run aroung without pants, just a shirt. Your friends will think you are nuts but it works. My son was fully daytime potty trained by 23 months. I also believe in making a really big deal out of success and not out of lack of success. Remind him that he is a big boy and that big boys go in the potty.

You are not alone. I am in the process of potty training my 2 year old daughter. She is much harder than the boys.