Potty Training - Stockton,CA

I know that you must be frustrated because she has started not being interested in giong on the potty. She is just not ready for that yet. I wouldn't push her into doing it right now. Make her wear a pull-up or diaper again until she can be responsible enough to not pee in her pannies. Sounds from what you said that she still wants her pannies, but on her terms. You need to be in control of the terms. She should not be peeing in her pannies if she wants to have the privelage of wearing them like a big girl. Maybe that will be enough to get her interested again? I hope this helps.

We went through the same thing with my daughter. We tried to ignore it and not make a big deal out of it. Every time she peed her pants (and changed them by herself!), we told her calmly that peepee goes in the potty. We said we were sorry that she had an accident and next time she should try to get to the potty on time. We also made her get a towel and clean up the wet spot of pee, wherever it was. We also reinforced the potty dance everytime we went to the potty to encourage her to do the same. Now, my daughter will go to the potty and say, "I do all by myself!" Don't get discouraged, this too will pass.

Linnaea's information and her website are excellent resources! THe only thing I would add is to remember that kids have all sorts of fears, worries, concerns -- real or imagined -- about using the potty. The more you stress (even if you don't say anything) the more your child will stress. Take a step back...relax. VERY few kids by Kindergarten continue to have issues -- many, MANY kids continue to have accidents, issues, etc. well into their fourth year. Take a deep breath, and enjoy the holiday season!

This is totally normal, D.. 2 1/2 is a great age to begin potty training but only a handful get it right away. Most will show initial enthusiasm, then back slide. It doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. It just means she was all excited about the concept... then discovered it was inconvenient. Plus once the initial excitement wears off (which naturally gets them focused) it is genuinely hard for them to remember. Like any game they play (which is how this seems to them).

You can gently but firmly let her know that underwear is not for peeing in -- it's only for when she ready to do the pee in the potty. Then put her back in pull-ups. Tell her to let you know when she wants to try again. In a few weeks you might ask her if she'd like to try again.

Meanwhile, give her books, point out other kids using the potty. It takes a while for them to get the concept that this is the NEW normal way of doing things. After all, they've been going in a diaper since birth. Next, it takes a while to develop the habit of mindfulness to get to the potty BEFORE they have an accident. Usually they are totally absorbed in whatever play they are doing so at first you will have to send her in every so often to go. But if she won't do it, she's not ready. Just keep a cheerful neutrality about it, to avoid the power struggles.

I teach a two-three year old parent participation preschool class, and believe me most of the kids are still in pull-ups, in various stages of toilet learning. So your girl is not falling behind. For more info about potty training, I have some here:

http://www.earthskids.com/devspecissues.aspx