Potty Training - Springfield, TN

Updated on November 20, 2006
S.S. asks from Springfield, TN
16 answers

I have been trying to potty train my son for almost 4 months now with no success. He will be two next week and he will go into the bathroom and raise his shirt as if he is going to go to the potty, but when I sit him on it he screams at the top of his lungs like someone has done something to him. I even have one of those soft seats to sit on the toilet, but nothing seems to be working.Both of my other sons were potty trained by the time they were two or a little bit after. Any suggestions?

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So What Happened?

Well, my son is now two and we are still trying the potty training thing. I am sorry but I have never waited for my kids to show signs of being "ready". I feel if they are doing more than what is expected for their age they are ready to be potty trained. My son can take and put on his clothes, he drinks out of a regular cup, he is counting some and he also knows that he is supposed to go to the bathroom and he also tries to wipe himself. Thanks for all the suggestions, but I am still open to them.

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T.

answers from Chattanooga on

Boys take longer. My son would go if I put him on (pee) but would not poop at all when he was 2. He kept telling me he would do it when he was 3. A couple of weks after his 3rd bday, his preschool was on fall break. I threw away the pull ups completely and he was trained within the week.

My dgt. was completely trained by 2 years 9 months (3.5 months sooner). Good luck!

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A.M.

answers from Chattanooga on

Hey girl!!! Do not fret!!! I ahve a three year old boy and he is so stubborn. He knows the drill and is getting very good at the whole potty thing, but it took me a while.
Here's a trick that helps us. Sounds silly, but if you are desperate enough you will give it a whirl.
Take some cheerios and throw them in the potty and have him aim for the cheerios, it works. It worked for my son. He kinda thought it was like a game and then he got to where we would not have to use them anymore. Give it a try. GOOD LUCK!!!

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J.S.

answers from Little Rock on

it just doesn't sound like he's ready yet. boys are usually closer to 3 before they're completely ready so try not to rush it, it'll just cause frustration for the both of you. maybe forget it for now and try again in the spring or summer when it's warmer and you can put him in underwear, let him have a few accidents, and he'll figure it out if he's ready then. pull ups are not good, they usually confuse them and hold them back. he may do it a little earlier since he sees his brothers but all kids are different, so try not to compare him. just let him be the one to show the signs that he's ready. good luck.

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D.J.

answers from Knoxville on

I would back off. Each child is different and even though the other two were potty trained by then it is very early. It is more like potty learning than training. These children have been taught to eliminate in their diapers and now we are expecting them to forget that and learn to go in a potty. Let him lead the way and you will have much better results.

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N.C.

answers from Johnson City on

I had to learn the hard way to wait until they are ready. I tried to potty train my little girl this summer and she was two and a half and I was unsuccessful. But this fall I was. I don't know what happened in those couple of months in between the time I tried and when she just wanted too. I guess it really just depends on the child. I wouldn't force him because this just might make him more scared of the bathroom. When I first started to potty training my little girl after she showed me she was interested I took her to the bathroom everytime I went. Maybe you can get your younger son to go to the bathroom while his older brothers do so he will know what to do and this may help.

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T.S.

answers from Johnson City on

I noticed that when I went to the bathroom my now 3 yr old son wanted to come in with me so I let him. Now when I go he says I gotta go potty so I help him up on the potty and he goes, Now he goes thru phases, one day he will one he wont but he is trying and there are times he goes all by himself. Try taking him in the room with you when you go, maybe when he sees that you use it he will want to try.

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S.W.

answers from Atlanta on

I also think it's way too early. I know you said your other two were trained by two, but that is definitely not the norm. I would back WAY off. Wait for him to show more interest.

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R.N.

answers from Atlanta on

Um, I think you are just starting him to early.

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S.H.

answers from Atlanta on

Most kids don't train before 2... especially boys. If your others did, you were lucky. Just be patient and he will want to be like his siblings and friends. My son didn't train until he was over 3, but then he never had an accident and we never had to think about it again. Sounds like you son just needs to wait until it's his time.

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H.S.

answers from Atlanta on

I trained both of my children at 25 months in a week. I have a boy and a girl. I do not subscribe to the waiting for signs methods.

My son did not like his potty seat and barely used the soft seat that goes on the toilet. Have you tried placing him on the regular toilet? I put my son on backwards so he does not fall in. Works great for us.

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C.H.

answers from Augusta on

He's just not ready and pushing him will just prolong it. Give him a break for a little while till hes atleast 2 1/2 and try reintroducing it. Its also a fact that children who are forced into potty training early are more likely to be bed wetters. Not something I'm making up either, my ped told me this when I was stressed over my son who was 2 1/2 not wanting to go.And you know that just b/c the others did doesnt make him ready.

J.B.

answers from Memphis on

Little boys are usually not ready until they are around three...on average as others are saying. Your first two were just above average. <smile>

If you wait until he is ready...you can train him in a week. Put that seat away for months - then try it again. If you get negative reaction, put it away for another long stretch.

I didn't give my kids much sugar...believe it or not they learned in one week (boys at three, girl at two) with three M&M's as a reward each time they went. But we did the try it for a fews days and put it away ordeal a few times.

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A.L.

answers from Columbus on

Hi S., I too went through that with my three year old. I tried with the same results. He either did not want to go or screamed. I finally had an idea. Does your son have a favorite superhero? Mine loves spiderman. So I told him how cool it was to stay dry and be like spiderman who stays dry all the time. Another thing I did was take him and let him choose his underwear and pullups. I noticed this way he tried not to get them wet. So every time I asked him if he needed to go I reminded him how all the cool superheroes stayed coo and DRY! Good luck!!

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T.D.

answers from Knoxville on

i have found out (not from my child) when i was a nanny that a sticker chart helps, also giving him a book so he doesn't feel pressure to go. (when we feel pressure as adults we won't go so the same for him)
also try shooting at cereal in the tollet.

also, he isn't your other two sons he is himself and he will be ready on his own time.

~T.~

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C.S.

answers from Columbus on

I think you should just let it go for a while and let him decide when he is ready. Both of my children trained when they were closer to three (one right before and one right after. Once they decided they were ready to do it there were no fights and minimal accidents etc. Its great that your older kids were able to train this early but its very common for (boys especially) to train later. Good luck

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A.S.

answers from Jackson on

S.,

Give him some time. My oldest did this too. He turned 4 in October, but he didn't get potty trained until around May. If you push too hard, he will completely revert back even if he has been going to the potty. When my husband left for Iraq last year, my son was using it a little, but he just stopped all together. I was able to get both of my sons potty trained by mid summer this year (4 months after daddy got home). Sending lil bro to bathroom with older ones may help but i wouldn't push too hard right now. My Ped asked about potty training every visit. I had to tell her no but that we were working on it. Just be patient with him. It will happen when he is ready. Hope this helps.

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