Potty Training! - Chicago,IL

I'm right there with you. We worked for one week at home and then ventured out into the regular world (which Mommy desperately needed). We are still having some accidents, but he actually did better when we were out and about. He does have an older brother, and every time we went somewhere we all went to the restroom. That might have helped, because he was very good about waiting until we got to a restroom. At home he has some accidents, but he's getting better.

I would not use pullups just because you are not at home. I would absolutely keep him in underwear all day, no matter what. It really helps reinforce everything he is learning about his body and that feeling that he needs to go. If you are out and he pees into a pullups, it could take him longer to really get the concepts.

He might be ready to start stretching that 30 minutes into 45 or even 1 hour. If he has an accident, just shorten the time. It really won't be long before he is able to take the lead.

Sounds like he's doing great! Keep up the good work.

ETA - Pooping on the potty? What's that? I lucked out (big time) with my oldest. He protested the first couple of days and asked for a diaper to poop in. But he got over it, and the only time he had poop accidents was when he had diarrhea.

My youngest is finally pooping on the potty. The first couple of weeks he would just run off and poop in his underwear :-( That our he would strip down and squat on the bathroom floor. Hey, at least it wasn't the carpet! He's been much better the past few days.

I think you just have to keep him in underwear and keep cleaning it up. If he doesn't catch on in a couple of weeks, you could consider getting really cheep underwear from the dollar store and just throw it away. A friend of mine did that with her son. She said she was sick of washing out his underwear and just started throwing it away if he pooped in it.

Patience. Hang in there!

You can stretch it out to 45 minutes or an hour or so now, since he doesn't have to go each time at 30. If you're catching him most of the time, great, if not cut down on the timing. You also might want to get a timer, either one he wears that looks like a watch or another one you both hear. You want him to go on his own, a timer would help put the responsibility on him to go and you wouldn't have to be the enforcer ツ

I personally wouldn't and didn't use pull-ups, they're really diapers and kids use them as such, they wick the wet away so there's no incentive for them not to. I used cloth trainers for all 3 kids, doubled up on them at night or when we went out, and used covers over them. If they start to wet in those they're more apt to catch themselves.

As far as pooping I would get him to the potty as soon as you see him making "the face" or trying to hide. Don't pressure him, just take his hand and tell him it's time to go potty. The more he does it in the potty the easier it will get for him. And as you discover his own timing of needing to go you can get him to the potty then. The cloth trainers help here, too, it's not so comfy to poop in something that can't just be ripped away. My guy was 27 months when he trained, he was starting to hold it, I also didn't want it to turn into a struggle, or for him to be traumatized so I went online to find help and found this site:
http://www.rogerknapp.com/medical/pottytrainingrefusals.htm

The one thing that truly helped him to want to poop on the potty was a "power incentive," which I learned about and is explained on the site, one of the ways to help a "poop refuser." He was running to poop of his own free will within a little over 24 hours. And this was a child who previously would have nothing to do with rewards - stickers, M&M's, toys, nothing, so we were both happy ツ

I did the 3-day don't go anywhere thing.
You stay home, make sure he has plenty of water or some diluted juice to drink.
I kept him in underwear. Told him we were staying home to potty.
Had a mini party the first day, mini party the 2nd & 3rd days.
No negative reinforcement.
Had him pick out cute underwear of his choice so he'd be excited.
Step stool for the toilet or child toilet.
I would ask him every 30 mins or longer as I figured out how it best worked for him if he wanted to pee.

The key is to try & not go anywhere those 3 days.
Only one accident.
Lots of praise. No negative comments at all!
The parties helped.

Okay, so I the key is to stay home well, of course, one day I HAD to go to the bank so we HAD to go. I waited until right after he peed, went to the bank then took him into the bathroom there. Went home.

Now, whenever I go anywhere, I take him into the bathroom & he will pee even if he doesn't think he HAS to. Also, let him try first.

The parties worked! Gave him a tiny little gift, too.

Pull ups or diaper at night. See if you can get him to pee right before bed!