Potty Training a 26 Month old...Am I Crazy?

Keep up with the scheduled potty time. Also try to make potty time something to look forward to. We used the small candies as treats and also used things in the toilet like food coloring with liquid soap to make colored bubbles when he tinkles or you could try those floating targets for boys to aim at which also helps to nip the miss mess.

Keep trying! My first child was very much like that. He used to want to put a diaper back on to pee in it and loved sitting in wet diapers. It will click with him soon enough. Potty training is frustrating for kids and their parents and it is not a perfect process. Hang in there and don't let him sabotage the progress he has already made. Good Luck!

When you are at home take him out of the pulls ups and try those absorbent underwear. Have him change himself if he has a number 1 accident. My daughter was the same way and she got sick of changing her underwear. I also would just let her run around the house in her undies.

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No dont give up, he obviously is trying and wants to go potty like a big boy. Thats awsome. I know girls are differant than boys, but my little girl started potty training when she was 13 months old, and she started going pee in the potty everytime I went potty, and then I would leave the bathroom door open and available to her any time of the day. There went a period of time she quit using the potty, and I just let it go, if she went she went and if not she will when she is ready. Then one day she started it back and this time didnt give up. She was I guess around 17/18months old and she was goin pee in the potty everytime. Then on her 2nd birthday she went poopoo in the potty and now she is 3 years old and has only had maybe one or 2 accients.. So If your little boy knows he is going in the potty and can understand the concept of using the potty, he will know when he has to go and he will surprise you and just go on his own and you'll prob do as I did one day and hollared her name, and she answered and I followed her voice and seen she had went to the potty all on her own and youll be very impressed.Good luck. But my advice is dont give up, leave the door open all the time, or else buy a little musical potty chair (as thats how I potty trained her) and bring it to the livingroom or wher eyou spend most your time at, and allow him to go to that potty as he feels the need. But good luck!!

I started my daughter at 2 to potty train her. But I did learn that she really wasn't ready until she was about 2 1/2. I don't see anything wrong with starting at 2, just be very patient and understanding with accidents. Never scold and always make a HUGE deal when he potties or even has a dry pullup after a nap/night. I gave prizes after every potty or dry experience. My daughter likes mini marshmallow2 and Hershey Kisses (something small). You could also take him to the library and get potty books and videos. Keep up the "every half hour" thing. I know it's tougher when you are out in public, but do your best. He'll get it!! Good luck!! I hope this helps.

Okay, I am the non-pull up kind of mom. If you really want to give it a go, put him in big boy underwear so he sees the results of not telling you. You will have a few clean ups, but if he is truly ready to potty train, there won't be that many. Carry a bag with a change of clothes and paper towels when you go out, our rule is that you try before you leave a clean potty (i.e. home, a restaurant, a clean store, etc). At home, let him go bare bottom or in undies only, and whenever there is a mess to clean, you do the first wipe up and have him use a wet wipe after you to clean up the mess. You don't want him to think that he makes the mess and you clean it up. Also, if he makes a mess, don't scold for the mess but praise him for running to tell you and helping with the clean up. Both of mine went straight from diapers to underwear because they asked for underwear, and potty training was easy because they wanted it. We always encouraged sitting on the potty and read lots of potty books. Good luck!!!! If he is ready, it will be fast and relatively painless. My daugheter trained at about 2 years and 2 or 3 months, and my son trained a few weeks before turning 3. I am lucky that both of them are dry sleepers and we never had to wear diapers or pull ups at bedtime. ( :

If he doesn't tell you he has to go, he's not ready. The trick is to get him to tell you. If you want to potty train big boy underwear is the place to start. When he tells you reward him (sticker chart, calling daddy to tell him, etc.) when he goes on the potty reward him again (sticker chart, etc.). Some are easy, some our hard, they all take time:)

My son was also the kind who wouldn't take the initiative himself either. This applied to everything not just potty training. Once I would nudge him toward the change he always switched quickly though. Potty training was the same. At 2 1/2 he still wouldn't do anything even though we introduced the potty before his 2nd birthday. We were temporarily staying in a house that was getting new carpet when we moved out so I decided it was time to nudge. with the potty in reach he went bottomless for a day. When he started peeing, I'd put him on the potty. After a few times he would look for it and run when he started going. The next day he wore underwear. The first time he didn't go for the potty but was horrified by the soggy underwear. After that he'd run for it when he started peeing. The third day he wore underpants and I asked him every so often if he needed to go. If he said yes we went, if no we didn't, and if he wet his pants we changed them. By the time we moved (a couple of months) he was telling me when he needed to go. Hope my story helps. Good Luck!

J.,
Toilet training before the difficult, limit testing age of 3 is a great idea. I found that the routine of using the toilet every morning upon waking and every evening before bath was a good one to have because when age 3 came around and there were some "fights" about things, the routine for using the toilet was set and was not a fight. Knowing the function of the toilet and having used it is the biggest hurdle to toilet training. Is the refusal to tell you when he needs to use the toilet simply because his play would be interrupted? Could you try setting specific times when there is already a break in play - i.e., before meals, before leaving the house for errands or other reasons? Do not give up. It sounds like you have made great progress.
T.

I would encourage him to go to the potty once every hour to begin with. He will soon get into the habit and realize that he has to go. I wouldn't give up if he is doing so good. My little boy was 18 months when he was potty trained and he never had any problems. He wouldn't want to stop playing sometimes, and I'd let him fill up a coke bottle. We would mark on the bottle how high he filled it up. Next time, we used the bottle, he would try to go past the first mark. 18 months is a bit young, but he did great. I think your little guy is ready so go for it.

Plus, I would get rid of the Pull Ups. It really seemed to make a difference that my son got to wear the big boy pants. You could use pull ups at bed time.

J.,
I have a 3 1/2 year old boy who went through 3-4 potty cycles since the age of 2. He was finally trained a month after turning 3. We would get real excited with each 'cycle', but you are right until he decides to do it- you are fighting a losing battle. Right after he turned 3 I put him in his big boy pants and he did really well. I used small incentives at that time- a couple of m&ms when he went on the potty. I was a firm believer in waiting until they are ready. In my case it meant it took longer, but once he was ready it was only about a week and it was done. The other thing is he will eventually not like a dirty diaper...which is a great time to start. Good Luck!
L.

No you arn't...lol All of us as moms will go through the challenge of potty training in different ways...My son potty trained completely by the time he was 3....My daughter on the other hand did really well with the potty during the day and was going potty and wearing panty's by the time she was 3...but we still had issues at night...She finally started staying dry all night long a few months after her 4th b-day....she will be 5 in Jan and and she is 100% potty trained and doing good and she did it without me pushing her.....I think letting them do it by theirselves with mommy's help is much better then forcing them too.......He sounds like he is doing really good just let him do it at his pace.....good luck

Hey J.,

I know the common thinking is 'wait with boys' but my son was day trained by 24 months. He is now three and still sleeps nights in a pullup. I would ask your son if he needs to potty all the time -- like every thirty minutes. Kept it light but be sure to tell him exactly what it is you want from him.

It sounds you are on track.
K.

You gave him a car before he could drive... If he is not telling you when he has to go, then he is not ready. If you keep taking him every 30 min or so, then he will get used to you taking him and therefore, why tell you that he needs to go when he thinks you are going to take him? He may be interested in the potty, because is new to him. That doesn't mean he is ready to take on the task. Take the pull-ups away and go back to diapers. Don't worry, if he really is ready then he will show MORE signs of readiness. When my son was ready, he used to pinch his outside of his diaper as if trying to stop his urine from coming out. He was 30 months. Good luck!

NO!!! Don't give up! My daughter potty trained at two. And did great. i think the pull ups make it harder for them. Try putting on underwear when you guys are around the house and you are real close....Good Luck!

Nope you are not crazy at all! I have a 20mo old, I am training him too. He is my second child, so I am considered a pro at this game ;-) We have tons of potty training books from Dora to Thomas to others(yep, he's a big Dora fan). He has been doing wonderful for the past 3days.I now need to go him some big boy undies to hasten this process.

Good luck!

No, you're not crazy. Alot of children potty train at 3 yrs old and they know when they are ready. Maybe you can use padded underwear during the day instead of the pull-ups. That way he'll make a connection that he'll get wet if he doesn't go to the potty. Also, use potty candy. Every time he goes on the potty, give him a treat (like 1 M&M). There's also an old way of keeping the underwear off, the potty out so you can help him associate "I have to go" with the pot. Good luck!

I don't think you are crazy at all. I have 2 daughters that are almost exactly 2 yrs apart ( 11/17/99 and 11/14/01 DOB's)and I was pretty determined that I wanted to avoid both of them in diapers at the same time. When my youngest was born, my older almost 2 year old was wearing pull ups overnight and panties during the day. We only used the pull ups for about a month and she did really well overnight in panties after that. I have heard that girls are easier and usually potty train younger than boys, but why not start. If he wasn't ready to start trying he wouldn't go when you put him on the potty and he would be wetting the pull ups like a diaper. He may not recognize the feeling of having to go yet, but that will come with practice. I know I can't be the only mom who cringes when you see an older child still in diapers. I say continue with what you have been trying and try little rewards. We had a sticker chart that my girls both used, when they went potty like they should they got to pick out a new sticker for their "Potty Training Award". Good luck!!!

Hi~
Do you mean that he actually 'uses' the potty every 30 min, or that he just 'goes TO' the potty willingly?

If he ever DOES tell you BEFORE he has to go, make a really big 'hoorah' about it (just enough to encourage him -- NOT enough to scare him! LOL), and the positive reinforcement will probably make him want to please you further. Don't they make a training 'diaper' now that gets cold when wet? Might try those!

I also think you can go onto the MamaSource website and somehow look up other articles in their archives about specific topics. There have been LOTS about potty training! It's a pretty overwhelming challenge, sometimes, but most kids eventually 'get it'!

No mom, you're not crazy at all! =0) My youngest will be 27 months old on Sunday. All on his own one day, he began to run to the potty when he needed to go pee. At that time, his teachers told us he was ready for pull-ups. The one thing people here don't mention is that pull-ups most certainly serve as a transition from diapers to underwear. They teach the child to "pull down" and "pull up" their own pants........something normal diapers do not allow a 2yr old to do. At least I've never seen a 2yr old who can put on their own traditional diaper. LOL My son has now mastered pulling his own shorts and pull-up up and down on his own. So NOW, we are about to switch him to underwear. He now has all the signs..he knows what peepee and poop are, he recognizes the urge to go, he can pull his own pants down and up, and he can flush and wash his hands. I truly believe all children learn to potty at different ages and at different paces. However, I also believe that once you ditch pull-ups it's extremely important to never ever go back. That's why it's such a big decision that everyone in thier life HAS to be ready to tackle. His parents, his teachers, his grandparents....everyone. So, I'm in for a messy September along with you! =0) But, look at it this way..........it's much better to be able to train with little shorts and washable crocs.....then with long pants, socks, and shoes once it gets cold soon! I wish you luck if you decide to go with your gut and train your son and I wish you luck if you decide to hold off a bit longer! You just have to do what's right for you and your little one. =0)

At 18 months old, my younger son became interested in the potty (seeing big brother use it was a big factor, I'm sure). For about a week. Then he refused to go for a while. Then he showed some more moderate interest. But for the past month or so (he's now 27 months old), he's taken to pulling off his diapers (wet or dry) sometimes. So, I was having to clean up pee from the floor anyway, so am trying to potty-train him. I'm getting a bit of success -- he does actually go whenever I put him on the potty -- but he doesn't *tell* me he has to go. I'm trying to do better about recognizing his "gotta go" signs (the other day, I recognized he was kinda acting like he didn't know which way to go, and then grabbed himself), so I was able to get him to a potty in time. But mostly, it's just me telling him to go.

My older son was a lot easier to p-t, because I accidentally left him diaperless one time, and when he knew he had to go pee-pee (and we were *not* working on p-t), he said in a distressed tone, "Oh, mommy, I go pee-pee!" so I took him potty, and he went. My younger son couldn't care less if he goes pee-pee *anywhere*! My older son also drank a lot more liquid, so it was easier for me to keep track of his drink-pee cycle. My younger son sometimes won't drink at all (even when given a choice between milk or water, he sometimes chooses nothing), so if I were to take him as often as every 15-30 minutes, many times he has nothing. And then gets frustrated that I've put him on the potty and interrupted his play. But lately, when I've asked him if he needs to go potty, he will either truthfully say no or get up and run to the potty. So we're getting there.

Honestly, I don't think my son is quite ready, but his pulling off his diaper leaves me no choice. Just as different kids learn to roll over, crawl, walk, and talk at different ages, so some kids p-t at different ages.

I'd keep going with your son, though, because I think in his case "practice makes perfect." As long as he's not frustrated by being put on the potty, and you're not getting frustrated by putting him on the potty, then I think this encouragement to use the potty -- to get him accustomed to going in the big white bowl instead of his diaper -- is a good thing.

Hi J.,
No, I dont think your crazy. Both of my children (who are now 10 & 19) were both trained before they turned 2. They were both very easy and didnt relapse. Neither were bed wetters either. To me, it sounds like yur son IS ready. Dont give up. He'll tell you eventually. Maybe make it a game of some sort so he'll tell you. Because as it seems, you have him almost trained already! Good Luck!

NO, you're not crazy! Of course he's ready, and don't let anyone insult his intelligence otherwise. I used the book Toilet Training in Less than a Day on my 27-month old son (after piddling with training for 6 months), and was trained in less than a day. You can find the book cheap on amazon.com, or maybe try the library. It works, but you do have to follow all the steps. Some people think it is ok to have a 4-year-old pooping in his pants; that's gross, and an insult to their capabilities. He can do it!!

First off your not crazy!! I have 27 month old little boy that I am potty training. I was planning on holding off on the potty training until closer to 3 but, he showed alot of interest and actually went by himself so we decided to start. He can tell me when he needs to go and he did fine during the day, but at night he couldn't hold it. So when he ran out of diapers we bought pull ups thinking it would be helpful for nighttime and for long days out. We told him they were underwear, and that he still couldn't pee in them. Well the pull ups were the biggest potty training mistake I ever made! I never used them w/ my first and My son has realized that he can pee in them and doesn't want to wear real underwear he thinks this is better a Diaper w/ Cars or Toystory on it!! My advice is if he doesn't tell you he needs to go to wait b/c until then you'll have to put him on the potty every 30 mins and hope he goes on the potty not your carpet! :) Also don't use pull ups!! They confuse the kids!

Hi J.,no don't give up.Keep on with what you are doing I think he will soon get what you are doing and he will than go on his on.

Not at all. You're on the right track, don't give up now! He's still might be a little young to "tell you"-but you keep taking him and eventually he may go all by himself. Don't let this opportunity pass by b/c it may be too hard or frustrating. I think there's nothing more frustrating than having a child almost potty trained and giving up. If you give up now, he may not be "ready" till he's 4. Gross! (now, now, to all of the other moms out there with 4-yo's still using pull-ups, I understand there may be some physical difficulty preventing training...but it's still gross!)
Good Luck & God Bless :)

Go for it NOW!!, But I do agree with a lot of the other moms, get rid of the pull ups. It's a hard few days, but it makes a HUGE difference. They are just confusing. Go get some "big boy" underwear, with spiderman or TMNT or something, along with the training underwear (thick in the middle) and use the "cool" underwear as kind of reward for going to the potty on his own. My oldest was closer to three when he was trained and my youngest still has accidents and he is three and a half (he's doing great since school started though) but know many a mom who has trained way earlier and made it. GOOD LUCK!!!

J.,
Good for you that he is interested. Let him take his own pace. My first son, now 6 was well over three when he got the hang of it but was interested. My 3 year old however has mastered it, mostly because he went with his brother everytime he had to go to the bathroom. He still has accidents but rarely... and mostly because he gets preccupied. Let him do it at his own pace really... That is the best thing, do not pressure or punish him. He will eventually start telling you when he needs to go. My three year old just now tells us, he now has started just going in there without telling us does his thing and comes out. He does however go to daycare. Maybe he is intrested but not willing to be committed to it yet and boys seem to be harder to train and he still has time.
A.