Potty Training a 2 1/2 Yr Old

I'm a huge fan of this video: http://www.amazon.com/Potty-Power-Boys-Girls/dp/B0002B55DO My son watched it religiously and he's been potty trained (excepted for bedtime) since he was 1.5 yrs. It's a fun instructional video for any young child.

hAVE YOU TRIED TELLING HIM THAT HE CAN WEAR BIG BOY UNDERWEAR WHEN HE STARTS USING THE BIG BOY POTTY.TAKE HIM TO THE STORE AND HIM PICK HIM PICK THEM OUT.

I too share in your anguish. My almost 3 year old shows no interest in potty training. I have two older daughters 13 and 10. We all try to encourage Jarrett to potty like a big boy, but he will have no part of it. The lady that has kept all three of my children says not to push it until this spring when it warms up. She says being able for the little boys to
be outside helps them. Please let me know if you find any other helpful hints. Thank you! R. A.

I feel your pain girl. My goal was to have my son trained by 3....I started when he turned 2 and felt like a complete failure when it didn't happen. Kids are like that, they do things in their own time, 2 1/2 is still young especially with a new baby. I tried everything you mentioned and it didn't work....sticker chart, M&M's, new undies, books about going potty, telling him big boy's go in the potty, etc. NOTHING! Then one day my mom told him big boys go on the potty, they don't wear diapers and BAM that was it no accidents except a few at night. He was 2-3 months over 3 years old. You just never know what will work so don't stress, I know I did and it didn't make things any better. I would try a different daycare if possible, maybe a home one, so you aren't so anxious about him getting held back.

The best way to train a boy is by letting your husband do it. Just make sure his training pot is in the restroom and all your husband has to do is take the little boy into the restroom with him and the little boy will do what he sees his dad do. It doesn't matter who has to go dad or son just repeatedly do so.

Potty training is one of those things that you can't make happen. You seem to have done everthing. Both of my kids were "late" with potty training. My daughter was just over 3-1/2 yrs. old when she finally trained and my son was 4 when we had to go "cold turkey." My daughter was in daycare also, but luckily one that did not require potty training to be in her class. You may want to see if there is another daycare like that. It's a lot less pressure. There was one daycare that I almost put my daughter in that "required" potty training to be accomplished by age 2! She and us would have been totally frustrated by this daycare. She knew when she had to go because she ran behind the chair when she had to "go." So, just because their bodies are ready, it doesn't mean the mind is. One day, at daycare, she went poo-poo in the potty and from then on there was no looking back. She never had an accident. My son preferred the diaper even though he had gone on the big potty and his little potty. We tried rewards and "special wipes" - all the little kid incentives. If I didn't put a diaper on him, he would go by himself and put a pull-up on when he had to go. My husband finally said, take away the pull-ups and we told him, no more and he had to go on the potty and it would be his choice, the little potty or the big one. At this point he was peeing in the potty most of the time. It was hard to wait so long when other mother's kids were training earlier. One lady I know bragged about her child training at 14 months. A few minutes later the child had an "accident" while sitting on her lap. It seems to me the younger they are, the more accidents, so know that your son will train one of these days, and at least the later he may train the less accidents and making emergency stops to find a bathroom on the road! Try not to stress out too much and good luck!

Don't be surprised that it takes longer to train your son. Most articles I've read suggest that you start at 3 years old. If you start earlier it just takes longer. He's got to show interest in the potty, pull up his own pants, sleep thru the night and naps with no accidents, follow simple directions, and tell you when he has to go. I've got a 2 1/2 year old as well and while he will potty when you put him on his "big boy" potty he doesn't tell you when he needs to go and can't stay dry through nap time. We have haven't made a big deal about it since all the Mom advice I keep getting is the best age for boys is 3.

Hey E.,
Have you ever heard of peter potty? It's a flushing urinal for potty training little boys. Of course this doesn't do anything for pooping but maybe it could help when it comes time to go and pee. You can supposedly get it at places like Target but I've never actually seen them there but they have it on line. And I think you should tell your son the truth and tell him that his friends have moved up to the next class because they have become big girls and boys and have learned how to go to the potty. He'll either show that he's not ready or show interest in getting back with his friends and learn to use the potty. Just some ideas... we lived in California when my son turned two and we were able to let him play outside in a privacy fenced back yard with no pants on and it was fun to pee on the fence like the dog and we explained that when you're inside, you have to go to the bathroom and fortunately for us, he was all about making mommy and daddy proud and would do his best to do it. Now my daughter is a different story. She's also 2 1/2 and we go to the potty to poop but sometimes she doesn't have the time to go pee all the time. So I don't think there is any truth of girls are easier or boys are easier. It depends on which gets their father's stubborn genes, LOL!! Good Luck

I think that sometimes it is more difficult to get a first born child interested in the potty when there is a new infant in the house. Your new baby gets a lot of attention that used to be all his. I would just keep that in mind, and maybe give him a little extra praise and attention, i.e.tell him how proud you are that he is such a big boy, etc. I found that with my children I had to take off the diaper altogether, and never use pull ups. The diapers were confusing. You could probably do this over a week end. Also, a reward system is great. If stickers don't work, try something else. Maybe some new "big boy" underwear with his favorite character. There are lots of books/pamphlets with great tips. Good luck!

I have 4 boys and they do all potty train at their own pace....but you can put them in a mind set that will make them want to go to the potty... use cheerios...toss one in the potty and ask him to ring the hole he will treat it as a game...same for a square of toilet paper toss one in the potty and ask him to sink it...tell him if he pottys he can get a treat we always use their favorite candy like m&ms or skittles they could have one or two after they potty...and then tell him if he pottys like a big boy he can move up to the next class like his friends....we use a potty seat one that fits the reg potty but made for childern and a stool or step so they can stand up or sit down and for some reason they like to stand and sink the paper or ring the cheerios.. I hope you have better luck with these... have a good day :)

Listen to his teachers. He will achieve this,too in "HIS" time. You want his to move on,but he is not yet ready. He may not be ready to leave his babyhood, yet. This forces you to spend more time with him.
At least until your daughter arrived, he had all your non-working time. Now he must share you and this forces you back into his grasp. Cuddle and hug him. Let him know he still is "Mommy's little boy".

Hi E.~
I just recommended this to another potty training mom in need. It's a book called "Toilet training in less than a day" It's a short little book that is truly incredible. One of the best parenting help books ever. It will help guide you with this milestone that can sometimes be very challenging. And make it a very fun and rewarding experience for you both.

Best wishes,
C.

I am not sure if you are married but you may want to try sending him to potty with dad. Some dads may feel a little uncomfortable doing this but I have heard that it works. Just like the old saying, baby see, baby do.

Oh--could be that the baby is hindering his progress. Try not to despair. I have four, and have potty trained three--plus another who is not my own. My son decided at 2, when his baby sister came along that diapers were for babies--and he was not that! Try again in a week or so. Sometimes YOU ignoring a situation for awhile inexplicably gives them the motivation to do it themselves. I would tell your very smart little boy exactly where his friends are and why. A bit of positive pier pressure can be good. My sweet dear mother-in-law (really I just adore her!) tried to get me to potty train that same boy at one year because he could make it through the whole night with a dry diaper. I soon figured that was just mama-training and abandoned it. When they get ready it is easy. AND ALWAYS when I am about to reach my wits end with the whole thing.

I have potty trained 5 little boys and I can tell you the best secret to get them to go to the potty. Cheerios!!!! In the big potty, you throw some cheerios in the bowl. Then have the little boy stand on a stool. Tell him he has to pee pee in the big potty and hit the Cheerios to try and sink them. I know it sounds weird, but believe me it works. they want to sink the Cheerios soooooo much. It makes the potty training fun for them.

T.

I am a mom of 5 so I know how it is. If you push him too hard he won't want to train. Take it in stride, even though he really needs to before the next school/class year. One of mine didn't start until 3-4 years even though he was very smart. Some kids just have to do it in their own time. Try to make it a game for him, just get really excited as say lets try to potty like a big boy or "like daddy" or let him aim at cheerios. Sometimes this will work. Or let dad show him. Kids want to do what they see most of the time. Make sure you praise him even for trying, this will encourage him to keep trying. One of mine wouldn't use a kids potty, I had to buy an insert for the toilet and they had no problem with that. Just hang in there, he won't need a diaper for life! Good luck!

I agree with Jill, new baby and he's just not ready yet besides you still have this spring and summer to see if he shows signs many times boys surprise you when they are just about 3. Give it a chance, boys sometimes are a little behind the learning process then girls and don't push him or punish him. Also remember sometimes boys as well as girls have a set back once they learn sometimes mind did we just went forward when that happened remember you've been trained for years this is new for them.

I tought my son to pee in the potty by putting cheerios in there and getting him to try to sink them with the pee stream. haha, it was funny, he would get soo excited.
To get him to "poo" in the potty, I told him there was a hungry "poop monster" that lived in our septic tank, and that it he didnt "poo" in there, the poor monster would starve.
Good Luck

He probably isn't ready yet. Plus you have a new stress at home for him (his 3mon baby sister) and getting out of diapers is one stepaway from continuing to get moms attention. I'm sure he see's it this way. My second son is now 3 1/2 and it took until he was 3yr until I would proclaim he was actually potty trained. He only a few months ago started to actually tell me he had to go before he went. He also is very smart and becoming bilingual.His younger brother is 15 months younger. I felt this was part of the reason. Just relax for a while and then try again in 2 months. Good luck.
I'm a married stay at home mom of 5; with 4 6 1/2 yr and younger.

E., as you know, you're not alone... my sons are now 13, 16 & 17, none of them potty trained at the same time as the other... i thought they had problems compared to my 3 daughters, who had no problems communicating when they had to go before hand... but my sons, all 3 disliked using the potty chair, they all wanted to stand up at the toilet... step-stool and cherrios or not, expect some messes, especially in the morning when he's still trying to fully wake-up... once he gets the hang of it, he'll have no problem with just going on his own without coming to tell you he has to go... as one of the other ladies stated, it could be that there's another baby in the house now... even if you still give him a lot of attention, he knows he has to share you now... don't feel guilty, he'll get over it in due time... continue with the positive praise and be patient...

My son, Owen.. I was also very concerned about training him because last August he was starting his prek 3 year classes and HAD to be potty trained as well. His birthday is April 1st so he was already 3. We TRIED and TRIED, he just didn't want to do it... SOOOO frustrating.. I know he knew what we wanted him to do.. but he just did not want to.

So after many failed attempts, one morning literally about 2 weeks before school was to start, I sent my husband away with our daughter, first thing on a Saturday morning. I had gotten this book called "Toilet Training in Less Than A Day". Someone had told me about it and I also read the reviews.. sounded good to me.. You will also need a doll that comes with her own potty and can pee in the potty when u give it water. Most reviews said that realistically it may take 2-3 days, but was successful according to most of the reviews. But as far as diapers and pullups go, we went cold turkey. Putting them back on your child while trying to train only confuses them. Even at naps & bedtime, no more nothing. I wasn't very comfortable with this!! Let me tell you!! BUT it worked and actually it was several MONTHS before he had an accident in bed. But after I trained him he never wore diaper/pullups again at anytime. He is in a twin size bed and I had gotten these mattress pads from One Step Ahead.. they don't cover the mattress, just big enough to cover the area he lays. So easy to clean up. I just always made sure I had extra blankets/sheets, etc.. But once he realized, I think, that he wasn't getting his diaper/pullups back and I had also bought him Thomas the Train underwear, his favorite, he was good.

So I can understand your frustration and I am in the middle of training my daughter now.. haven't taken pullups away from her yet, only because she's in prek 2 classes and I don't want her teachers to deal with a mess right now. But in a couple of weeks it's spring break, I have a whole week and she's going to have some changes!

Anyway, if you want anymore information on this book or the mattress covers, let me know. I'll be glad to get it for u.

K.

I have a four year old son and we had many failed attempts at potty training. The one thing I learned from the experience was that you can't force it. It is one thing they have control over and it has to be when they are ready. He was a little over three and one day it just clicked. I took away the pull-ups and diapers and let him run around in just a t-shirt. He realized it had no where to go but the potty. He mastered peeing real early on, poop was a different story. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.