Potty Training - Daytona Beach, FL

My suggestion would be to reward him with a prize (something on the larger side) when he goes #2 in the potty.

Here's how it went for me: My son, who will turn 3 in July, was competely trained on pee-pee by 2 1/2, but he would NEVER go #2 in the potty, no matter how much I pleaded with him. He only wore pull-ups at night, so he would either wait until he had the pull-up on and go #2 at night or he would hold it as long as he could, and then he would ask me to put a pull-up on. I would let him, becuase I wanted him to go, not hold it. Then one day, I finally refused to get a pull-up and told him he HAD to go in the potty no matter what. Instead, he figured out how to get one of his little brother's diapers out of the drawer and diapered himself!

Then about three weeks ago my mom came up with the suggestion of the reward. I don't know why I didn't think of that. Of course my son wasn't going to go #2 in the potty just becasue I was telling him too. He needed more motivation.

We bought him a special toy (nothing outrageous - a toy train for about $25) and we showed it to him in the evening (around the time he would normally ask for a pull-up). He got very excited, and then I explained that we would only open the toy if he went poo-poo in the potty. He decided he would try, but he didn't go (I think he thought just trying would get him the toy) so no toy. He was determined though, and tried again, and sat on that potty until he went. We sang the potty song (something I just made up), did the potty dance, gave him the toy and made a big deal out of it.

At bed time, we put the toy away, and told him that it was special and he could only play with it after going poo-poo in the potty. So, the next night he was excited to go #2 in the potty and get to play with his toy again. He liked the idea that it was special that way. Also, I made sure that his little brother was not allowed to play with it, so that made it even more special to him. He went on for about a week and eventually stopped asking for the toy after every poo-poo, but continued to be fully 100% potty trained since then. He has not once asked for a diaper in three weeks. He can play with the toy all the time now, and is proud of himself and even tells everyone "I'm potty trained!" We still keep a pull-up on him at night, just in case, but he ususally wakes up dry and goes right to the potty.

Also, I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but we potty trained him to go on the big potty, not a little potty chair (I think I would rather change a poopy diaper than have to clean out the potty each time).

Hi L.
Don't fret. He's still a baby boy. But one thing that I would try is putting up a poster board, buy those stars that stick on, and create columns that say #1 or Potty or PeePee and a column that says #2. And let him know each time he does either, he gets a star under that column for the day if he shows you what he did. When he gets a star each day for a week, he gets to go on a trip to the local park to swing or play on the playground, or gets to watch a special movie or go to McDonald's Playground for lunch. Something he can focus on and feel like he's a Big Boy. But it will take him another year or so to be better to the point he won't poop. Plus, wetting is another issue. Always put pullups on him at night, never just underpants, because they sleep so sound and drink so much at dinner, that they will wet until a lot older. We don't want that to set him back either. Good luck
T.

Potty is one of the last things kids feel in control of. Especially boys seem to have a harder time with this. My son needed to see a GI, he would hold it so long, not wanting to go in the toilet that he would get backed up. It will come, reward him when he does good, but do not become discouraged, they all get it in time. We all do things on a schedule that is comfortable to us, he will get it when it feels right.

Just as a precaution, I am a firm believer in making sure nothing is wrong, it's just a quick doctors visit. We also use to keep a portable toilet in any room he was in to give him complete access to trying it on his own.

Lyndat M.

I can truely understand what you g oing thur cuz i had 2 boys mysoelf and sure was a long journey with 2 boys potty traning.. now i am done but except my 4 year old had problem pee bed at night...

If i was you i will show him where the #2 goes so he will see that it dont goes in the pant. I know it might be lil nasty to show him tht but it will see that he will be aware that #2 belong to... It help my boys see that and then they finally put it in the potty or toliet. Try see if tht work for you. good luck... S. P.

My 3 y/o went through the same thing. I just used overnights for sleeping, and delt with lots of clothing changes through the day. He eventually "got" it. I didn't make a fuss over it, just let him learn in his time. Before he was 4 he had everything mastered!
My first son did very well with bribery:)
Don't let this stress you out, they get it in their time.
C.
http://www.workathomeunited.com/C.

L.,

After 4 kids, my suggestion is to just be patient. Kids take two steps forward and one step back when it comes to learning the potty deal. He is just simply not ready yet and if you push it, you will only become frustrated and you will frustrate him. That will cause him to take even longer and he may end up with some issues. Just relax and wait until he is ready to try again. I don't know any kids who never learned to use the potty. Also, point it out when other bigger kids go to the potty and say, "when you are ready, you can do that too."
He will learn, but probably not on your time table.
Take Care.

Most kids tend to have a potty schedule so to speak where at a certain time of day they have to go at least in he #2 business, Start asking him to sit on the potty for you during a time when he normally goes #2. Also when you are cleaning him up take the stool and put it in the potty with him watching to show him this is where it goes. Also, my question would be did he have a #2 that he did on the potty that hurt him that could be why he wont go on the potty because of the "traumatic" experience as some may call it. if that is the case he has to learn that it only hurt on the potty because he held it to long and its all just a learning experience be patient he will get it I am sure. Like someone else said just be glad he isn't holding it so long that he gets constipated and needs a specialist. I went through misery with my youngest and his bowels.

Good Luck Keep working with him.