Potty Training - Salt Flat,TX

Is she still wearing diapers? Or have you gone straight to undies? Try not to stress too much... the average age nowadays is around 36 months. That is average so some will be under 36 months and some won't.

Here's a terrific website that gives some great "readiness" checklists, as well as every tip you can imagine about different training approaches: http://www.parentingscience.com/toilet-training-readiness...

And here's another one that differentiates between 'training' and 'larning,' an extremely valuable distinction: http://www.betterkidcare.psu.edu/AngelUnits/OneHour/Toile...

The 'best' experiences (quickest, least stress on parent and child), in my observation, have been when the parents prepare the child for success with books and videos, demonstrations, role-playing with dolls/toys, and positive, playful messages of every sort. Somewhere between 2.5 and 4 years, the child announces he/she wants to use the potty. From that point, it's only a day or a week until the transition is complete. No rewards are needed, because this great new skill is a thrill. And getting to wear big-kid undies are quite a nice treat.

I feel your pain, because we are in the same boat with our DD who is now 3.5 and has no interest in the potty at all. Actually she is quite anti-potty, and if you want you can read the questions that I have posted about her and potty training before, as well as the responses:

http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/5304277468700606465

http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/8665888092856647681

She is still not wanting anything to do with the potty, and I am sure at least some of it is her personality - she is VERY strong-willed and VERY stubborn. The latest bit of advice that I heard regarding kids like her is to let her decide that potty training and using the potty is her choice and her decision. So every day we just ask her, "Do you want to try going on the potty today?" "Do you want to wear diapers or underpants?" And every morning the answer is NO. I am willing to give it more time, but she will be turning 4 in August and when she starts preschool, she will need to be trained, so if we are still getting the same responses come summertime, then I am thinking we just might have to go cold turkey, let her go just in underpants or bare-bottomed and hustle her over to the potty every time she starts to go (we've tried it before and have ended up with up to 10 soiled panties and accidents on the floor in one morning). I've been telling her that if she wants to go to school next year she will need to start using the potty, but I don't think she's quite buying that right now.

I was just talking to a friend of mine whose son is a year younger than my daughter and he's been potty training really well for the past few months because they just give him an M&M every time he goes and that's good enough for him. Apparently he is very reward motivated and some kids just respond great to that sort of thing, but it seems that DD is not one of them. She could not care less about candy, or stickers, or anything if it means sitting on the potty - she would rather just not have to sit on the potty and she still screams like you are killing her if you try to make her sit on it, never mind relaxing enough to let some pee come out.

It's hard when it seems like she should be trained because maybe a bunch more kids her age are trained already and their parents did not have much difficulty with it, but every kid is different, and I know lots of kids that did not train until they were closer to 4. I did get some suggestions to check out the 3 Day Potty Training method and you can too if you want - I am thinking I might have to give it a try if DD does not change her mind by this summer.

Most definitely wait. Pushing her will cause her to push you back. She might be feeling a little insecure about something in her life that you don't even realize. Maybe it will pass in a couple of months. Put a little potty in the main living area of the house and completely ignore it and her. In a couple of months, you can try to bribe her with something she really, really wants. I did this with my son and my close friend did it with her son too. It worked for both boys. Let it go for now. Ugh, potty training....no one prepares you for this battle. No fun. :)

Set a date for when you are going to do it. Read books and online about potty training to get ideas. Formulate a plan and then throw the diapers away and do it. Do not go back. Say you are a big girl now and this is what big girls do. Get some pretty frilly panties that she will not want to mess up. Do it when you can stay home close to the potty for several days and be positive but firm. Brag on any success.

I would suggest only starting when she is showing multiple signs of being ready. I started with my son 1 week before his 3 birthday and I never stopped... but it took us 1 1/2 years before he had 1 and 2 mastered.... he wasn't ready and it was frustrating for a LONG time.

My daughter was ready... she woke up dry, she understood the concept, she sat on the potty here and there, she wanted to do it (with prizes of course), she felt happy about it most of the time.

My advice.. Start when you feel their ready.. not because
they are turning a certain age... OR YOU WILL HATE IT trust me!!!
And don't do it because someone else is or everyone is telling you she should be or you feel pressure too... TRUST ME!!! do it when she is ready!! It will keep you sane and make potty training a much better, shorter experience.

I absolutely think you should just wait. I would try to suggest it every day in the mornings, like "want to try to use the big girl potty today". One day she will be ready. I really believe there isn't an age. It might be in a month, it might be in six. As you've seen by now, they can change so quickly. Don't push too hard for her to use it or she will be afraid of it. I suggest getting the book called "once upon a potty" for girls. It's adorable & will be some fun reading for her to think about it on her own terms.

I don't have any advice for you because I'm in the same boat. Mine just turned 3 and we've tried everything. She says that she wants to wear underwear, but she doesn't want to use the potty. Yesterday we tried underwear (again) and ended up with 6 pairs of wet pants before we threw in the towel. It's SO frustrating! So, I just thought I'd let you know that you're not alone... lol. I hope you get some great advice!

i'm also in the same boat. my daughter will be 3 in may and she just has NO desire to potty train. so, i'm also interested to hear some responses.... :)