Potty Training a 3-1/2 Year Old.

I'm in the same boat as you...Dont give up: ) Boys are much more difficult to potty train! I take my son to the potty, I don't wait for him to say he has to go, cuz he won't tell me! He also uses the floor as a toilet! If he doesn't go when we are in there than we just come back in 5 minutes... I set a timer so that he knows. Only use underpants during the day, if he needs a pullup/diaper at nap/night then only use them then. Its can be really draining to have to be the one to take him in there all the time, but I figure he will get the hang of it eventually...(I HOPE!!!) Consistancy is the most important part. Also make sure that anyone that is going to be watching him knows the scoop too!(babysitter, grandparents, dad). I told my husband from day one of potty training, If he has an accident it not his fault its ours because we are the ones that need to get him to the potty till he catches on! Well best of luck to you and your little guy! It will happen it just might take a LOT of hard work: )

I wonder if he is using this as an attention getter. He may just be pulling your chain because you react! My son...years ago now...was easy to train and totally trained at 18 months...guess I was just lucky.

What if you just ignored his behavior...put him on the potty and then if he doesn't go...let him go in his pants...change him and don't say anything about it to him, but maybe talk about it in front of him to someone else like his dad and just say to his dad, the neighbor, etc. that some day he will grow up and be a big boy but not say it to him so he understands that he isn't getting your attention by going in his pants. Good luck!

You could also try getting him excited about a camp or class and tell him only kids who know how to use the potty are able to go.

Boys aren't harder to train. Starting too late makes all kids hard to train.

I would very nonchalantly toss him a rag to clean up his own mess. Don't get riled up, but make him take time out of his playtime to clean up the mess, and then clean himself up, get himself new clothes. Once he realizes you aren't getting worked up and giving him the attention, it won't be his 'win' anymore. I wouldn't clean up his mess. He obviously knows what he is doing, and at 3.5yrs old, he surely does and this is for attention and a power struggle. Make him clean it up, and walk away. He will soon realize its easier to just go in the potty than to make a mess and have to ake 1/2 hour out of his playtime to clean it up.