Potty Training a 33 Month Old Boy

Many kids are simply not neurologically or emotionally mature enough to complete potty training until they are three, or sometimes older. Boys tend to train later than girls, and age 3.5 is not uncommon. Toddlers often simply don't recognize the signals until it's too late – their is so much going on in their little worlds that's more interesting. Even if you can coax children to train earlier than their natural inclinations, kids get overwhelmed by looming parental urgency and expectations, or the simple size of the commitment, and regression or prolonged training is more the rule than the exception.

Allowed to proceed at their own speed, kids show interest when they are ready without urging, or even surprise their parents by announcing when they know they are ready. And then they are. Children WANT to train when they are ready, just as they WANT to walk and talk when they are ready.

Comparing your son to your daughter will only become a source of unhappiness for you both. Your little guy sounds like he's getting there, but your eagerness is thwarting you both. Putting him in diapers won't confuse him if you tell him you trust him to learn to use the potty when he's ready. He will appreciate your trust in his ability to grow up just right.

He may not be vocalizing because his body is not mature enough for him to be aware that he needs to pee. Boys bodies usually mature later than girls. I suggest that you stop working so hard at getting him trained. Take him to the potty at the times he would most likely poop so that he gets used to the idea of doing that. Take him to pee every couple of hours. Every 30 minutes is too much work at a time that he seems unable to know ahead of time anyway.

I would use pull-ups, the kind that allow him to feel uncomfortable with being wet. If you want to use big boy underwear you could put a rubber diaper panty on top of it to help protect your floor and furniture.

The more you push him to do something that he's not physically able to do the more he will become defiant. Defiance is a normal way for him to protect himself from the pressure you're putting on him.

Do you use the toilet every 20 to 30 minutes? It could be that he is spending to much time on the potty already so doesn't vocalize to his needs because he doesn't want to spend anymore time in there. I always took my girls when I had to go. That way they weren't over exposed to the bathroom. At three years old he should be using the potty without a problem. Give him a break and don't take him as often. Also, try letting him go to the store with you and let him pick out special big boy underwear. When you get home put them where he can see them but not get them. Tell him when he learns to use the potty he can have them to wear. It worked on my daughter and I learned this trick from my Mom. I have seven brothers so I think my Mom's advice is good...

I agree that you may be expecting too much at this age. I thought that as soon as he went in the potty once, he would know what it was for and that would be that. Boy, was I wrong! It took a long time before he would do #2 in the potty all the time. I would say he was about 3 1/2 and then that was because I would make him dump it out and wash his own underpants in the sink after he messed in them. After about three times, he went consistently in the potty, no more accidents.

He is not ready. When he is ready he will train in one day and ask for it. 33 months is still young by my standards for children today. Most of the kids I work with are trained between 2.5 and 3.5 yrs.

Boys tend to take longer BUT is there a possibility he's hanging on b/c he likes being a baby in your eyes? I mean you're referring to him as 33 months what is that???? He's nearly 3. Use real words with him. Could also be because he feels he has to compete b/c of the 5 month old

It's not at all unusual for them to master to peepee before the poopie.
Some kids think the poop is "part of them" and it scares them that it gets flushed. Can he help you deposit the poop from his diaper into the toilet and flush? Explain that this is the food he eats after all the vitamins go into his body. He might also want to visually check out just "where" this poop os coming out of. I think for boys, it's more mysterious since is it so clearly visible what's happening when they pee. Good luck!