Potty Time - Minneapolis, MN

E.,
I tried to potty train my daughter close to two, and she wasn't having it. She is now Two years, five months, and she just potty trained in less than a week, it's amazing what a difference a few months made. I got her up one morning and sat her down and looked right at her and said "No more diapers". She asked why and I said cause she is a big girl now and doesn't need them, she is going to wear underwear like mommy. I got her my little pony and Dora underwear and made a show of packing the diapers away(I didn't want to pitch them cause it was a full pack and a shelter can use them). Then it was on the potty every hour, and immediately after waking and drinking. A big fuss when she went, hugs and cheers, plus a few stickers. She was so proud and excited. I wouldn't mess with pull ups, just pull out all the stops, I bet she picks it up fast. Maybe let her pick out some cute undies and a prize that she only gets when she goes. Good luck!

If she is psyched about school, just tel lher she can't go unless she is potty trained. At 3, there is no reason she can't be potty trained. Put her in underwear and don't give her a choice.

Check with the school, I doubt she can go if she is still in diapers. If its a preschool program.... she more than likely needs to be potty trained to even go to the school.

My daughter was 2.5 and completely stubborn with potty training. She was totally ready and had been so I pushed it, and only because she was truely ready. She had started using the potty at 15mos. old and wouldn't fully commit so I made her.

I told her flat out you can't go to preschool unless your potty trained. Which is really their rule. I made it a privelage to go to preschool also. Then I was potty training two other boys at the same time at a daycare and somehow it turned into a competition thing where they all fought over who got to use the bathroom first, there was screaming, pushing, and shoving and it worked like a charm. She wasn't about to let those boys beat her in potty training or not go to preschool.

FYI: I've never heard of a preschool or a daycare center that will let a child move on from the toddler room to the preschool room without being fully potty trained as in can totally take care of their bathroom needs completely, occasionally needing help buttoning or unzipping is one thing but if they need a pull-up they are usually turned away from going.

I am in that same situation as you with my 3 year old. She is so stubborn and she is my second child. My first one was trained at 2. This one has no desire. She is going to be starting preschool next month. I've never heard of a school that will allow a child that is not potty trained.

I took my daughter to her school this week and had the principal show her the classroom. She got to play in the room for about 3 minutes. Guess what? She loves her new room and can't wait to start school. We are on day 4 of wearing underwear and have only had 2 accidents. She is doing very well. It's amazing how well they can do when they choose to do so. Maybe take a trip to see her new room.
Good luck.

I didn't know they could start school if they weren't potty trained. I guess I thought it was a requirement.

Have you talked to her at all. I have a boy so I don't know if things might be different with girls. I talked up real underwear...ones like Papa's and it took about a week for him to really really want to go pick out his underwear, then we went and bought them and had only one accident. He is very careful with his underwear because if he has an accident he has to put the diaper on. He still wears diapers at night and during nap...until I figure out how to get him to get on his own at night and have dry naps.