Potty Training - Riverton,IL

Honestly, no matter what method you use and what you do, they will just DO IT WHEN THEY ARE READY. Each kid is different. It sounds like you have a routine and are sticking to it and that is what matters. He will get it and start asking when HE is ready to do it. Don't judge him by what other toddlers are doing, just hang in there and it will happen!!

In my experience, it depends where he's at on different levels of development. Can he read his body's signals and articulate them? Is he at all interested in being a "big boy" or impressing grownups? All those can factor into it.

A lot of people told me that my daughter would train "when she's ready". While that may be true for most children, she is almost five and if she had a choice -- and with me as her mother, she doesn't -- she would still be in diapers all day. I've tried everything from stickers to stoicism, and the only thing that came even close to working is routine. If your kiddo is ready, just pick a routine and stick to it. If your kiddo isn't ready, I wouldn't press the issue at 2 1/2. He still has a lot of time.

Good luck.

Hi K.,
I have three boys and they all trained at 3 1/2. With my first son, I tried "training" him earlier, but that only led to frustration, accidents and rebellion on his part. I found I was really only trying to catch him before he used his diaper, and he rarely told me he needed to use the potty. I decided to back off and let him decide when he was ready (on advice from doctor and many other moms of boys). The magic age was 3 1/2.

With son #2, I did nothing but wait to see when he showed readiness. Again, 3 1/2. Some earlier interest, but nothing consistent. Seemed once he turned 3 1/2, like on of the other moms said, it took about a week.

Son #3 I thought would be my biggest challenge as he had constipation issues due to "holding it". I thought he'd never want to use the potty. I did try earlier with him, encouraging him to use the potty because of his constipation and occasional need for suppositories but I was never successful. To my surprise, 3 1/2 was the magic age and he decided to use the potty on his own.

Not sure if this is the age you want to hear, but from polling many moms of boys, the majority agree that boys are much slower to potty train than girls and most moms I know with boys have said "over three" when I asked them what age their sons used the potty consistently. I do know of one little guy who decided earlier (around 2 1/2), so hopefully yours will be in that camp! Good luck!

K.,

It is so hard to get through potty training, so many differnt things to frustrate us parents. Well, the good thing is your child is no different for other children. He will ask when he is ready, I would say around three he will. Some kids just take longer than other children. I don't know how you are asking, but the best way is just to ask if he his pants are dry. That way it gets him thinking, ooh keep them dry. Another fun way to help ask, when he is standing at the potty for #1 is to put some fruit loop cereal in and let him shoot them. I found this to be helpful. Most boys can't resist it. Good luck!

K.

Hi K.,

I have 2 boys, now adults, and my experience is that 2 1/2 might be a little early, especially for boys. We had more success, with both boys, when they were 3 1/2.

What we did was to let them run around with no pants on (bare bottoms) when they were home, during the months when it was warm enough to do so. That way, they could put their sensations and their results together more immediately. We also took a little potty with us everywhere we went.

You might find a lot of helpful suggestions on the following websites....

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/T106600.asp

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&a...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&a...

Best wishes,
J.

Hello K. O:

Motivation is the key to potty training. Since you have already started potty training, now start talking to him in a very cool calm atmosphere, two to three times about potty training. Since children always like to do what grown up or big boys and girls are doing. Tell him how he is doing more things and, he can walk or run, he eats like mommy daddy etc, whatever. Then tell him he will go to the potty just like dad. Talk about grown up panties and geting rid of the diaper when he learns how not to make an accident and keep a very good reward for him.

Knowing all this, that he can play longer outside or whatever you choose for him to excite about, he will look forward not to make an accident for Pee. Potty training is THE FIRST COMPLEX ACTIVITY OF THE CHILD THAT TAKES EFFORT ON HIS OWN PART. SINCE WE HAVE RAISED HIS AGE FOR THIS TRAINING, HIS MENTAL CONDITION TO BE READY TO LEARN TO POTTY TRAIN IS VERY IMPORTANT AND A 2 YEAR OLD CAN DO IT VERY EASILY. Just condition his mind to be potty trained and cooperate by being ready when he wants to go.

Did you know today in 2009 there are some groups of parent who are potty training their children starting from the age of 6 months. Yes 6 months. Look in Yahoo groups you will find them, just for the sake of reading about it. There are some websites also teaching this kind of potty training.

But, today most of us start from 2-5 years. Mostly two.
With a little extra effort you will soon overcome it.

Just feel positive and make your son feel positive that he is doing a great job, he does not want to make an accident. When he makes an accident, do not discourage him. Keep a positive attitude and make him understand that this is not appreciable, but instead completely wrong, and no one makes these accidents, the proper way is to run to the washroom.

Children will ask you to go to potty when you will tell them not to make an accident but run to the wash room and ask, I will help you. When he remembers these instructtions, then he starts asking you. And still in the beginning he will not ask you all the time, sometime you will ask him and another time he will ask. An action starts becoming a habit after at least remembering it 5 times. 20-25 repeats by the child will make it a habit forming to remember, that he has to go to the washroom for pee.

Keep your patients, make him remember and it will be over soon. Any questions do not forget to ask.

Good luck and hope he learns faster

F. A

Our son started potty training at 2 1/2years as well - he was definitely ready. That was about 8 months ago. Since then, we've had only one or two accidents with #2 that he just wasn't able to read his body's signals but has been doing awesome with that end of things (no pun intended.)

As far as #1 - you'll have to do the 30 minute reminder for a few weeks and gradually can move to 45 -60 minutes. Eventually - maybe a month or two down the road, he'll be better able to read this signs. We found that before our son was able to get to the bathroom completely dry - he would stop and RUN to the bathroom - his indicator was that he'd sprinkle a little in his pants and realized that he needed to go. So his pants would be slightly damp, but he, as far as I'm concerned, definitley made it to the toilet. We praised those efforts as being fully successful since he did read his body's cues correctly.

Even 8 months later, we still get a few #1 accidents - maybe one every 3-4 weeks, but I'd rather throw those pants and underwear in the laundry than be back in diapers or use pull ups!

Good luck and stick with it!

I think it depends on the child. Our 2.5 yr old has been telling us for a year that she has to go, and for 6 months if we ask her, she says no whether she has to go or not, but then wants her own independance of telling us instead of asking.

I think each child is different though.

Hi K.!

I have two boys. My first son was potty trained by 3 and night time trainedy by 3-1/2. I think its very important to keep in mind that it really is not about you training him but him letting you know when he is ready. His body will start showing the signs. And as someone else posted then it will happen within a week! Boys are typically not ready to start "training" until 3 - 3-1/2. I would give your son some more time. When he does start telling you he has to go and he wants to use the potty that is one sign of readiness. Then start taking him. Once he's been successful you will see that he's starting to be ready. Another indicator will be that his diaper or pullup will be dry for longer periods of time meaning that his body is ready to hold it. My other son is two now. He tells me all the time that he wants to use the potty. He's copying his older brother. I take him to use it when he asks but I don't expect anything and he hasn't gone yet. He just sits. His body is not ready even though he's communicating that he wants to be. So, as I mentioned to you, I plan to keep my eye on the wetness of his diaper and listen to his communications. Good luck; I, personally, feel you can either stress yourself out with the potty training or you can wait for your son to let you know he's ready (so he doesn't get frustrated, too). Most pediatricians will tell you age 3-1/2 is typical for boys and night time training can take much longer! Up until age 5 or so.

We started around 2 1/2, but very casually. He would go #1 on the potty anytime I put him on it, but he wouldn't EVER tell me he had to go himself. He would have accidents constantly. I'd have him go on the potty and 10 minutes later he'd have an accident in his "big boy undies." This went on for MONTHS!

He was almost 3 1/2 before he started telling me he had to go. One day he just decided he was ready and that was it. He told me he wanted to wear his undies and he was ready to keep them dry. He had 2 or 3 accidents the 1st day and that was pretty much it. It was SO SO SO easy when he was ready. With my 2nd (who is almost 2 1/2) I'm planning to do the same thing. Have him go on the potty, but I'm not pushing b/c it was such a nightmare. Hopefully when he's ready it will be just as easy as it was with his brother.

Good Luck!

Hi K. he's still very young. He'll start asking to go just give him some time. Be glad that he's going. My grandson is 3 1/2 and just getting it together.