Potty Training Advice - Lees Summit,MO

potty training is such a huge step, and i really feel that starting it off right and having the right attitude makes all the difference. it's also frustrating at times because you literally cannot make him go if he chooses not to. my advice is to start slow, introducing him to it, having him come in and "try" while you go, and KEEP IT POSITIVE! reward him for trying. when the time comes, go crazy with praise when he actually does go. tell him how proud you are of him for being such a big boy. positive positive positive. i was lucky - my sitter started him and that helped a lot. i am a first time mom too, so i needed a lot of guidance! ask advice from everyone. all kids are a little bit different so it's hard to tell which tactics might work for him - sticker chart, candy rewards, etc. some kids just know that's what mom wants so they do it. (would that we were all lucky) mostly hang in there, and be patient and positive. good luck! it takes WORK so be prepared!

I agree to wait until he's ready or you'll be wasting your time and you'll get very frustrated. But you can get some books and/or videos to introduce him to the idea. Get a little potty and let him sit on it (dressed ) to watch a show etc. Tell him it's for big boys and he can try it when he's ready.

potty training does not begin when the parent wants it to! Your child has to show definite signs of readiness before the whole concept can click for him.

Grabbing at his diaper as he is beginning the process of urination is a 1st sign.....taking off the diaper in exploration of new motor skills is not. That's just curiosity & a need to prove he can take it off.

Being dry frequently when his diaper is checked is also a sign. Curiosity when you're in the bathroom can also begin the process & can be helped through all of the books available on the market....there's quite a few cute ones out there!

& to be quite honest, with my sons & with my daycare, boys are usually closer to 2 1/2 before that awareness kicks in. Being in a daycare setting will help accelerate the process, & what got my sons "going" was waiting until spring & then I let them pee on the trees! They loved it, none of our neighbors knew, & we didn't have to mess with bulky clothes getting in the way!

Potty training is also all about the parents being trained to take the child regularly (I do it every 30-45 min in the beginning). I do not allow the kids to sit & play on the potty seat. No books, no toys....it's time for "business" or an attempt....& then we leave the room.

I just finished potty training two girls....the older girl's parents began her before her 2nd bd. Big mistake! She was showing signs of curiosity in undressing, had NO awareness of going potty....& it took us 9 months to train. It was insane, with the parents displaying frustration & anger at times. Way wrong way to do it! They also had a tendency to flip back/forth, with training done only at my house....& none at all at home. Or did not keep up with a ready supply of training pants & would put her back in diapers at least once/twice each week. Again, way wrong way to do....it needs to be steady & consistent.

With the younger girl, the parents waited until she was showing definite signs of readiness. She began asking to use the potty or would just sit down on it. This went on for about 2 months, & then one day she decided it was time & was potty-trained from that day! Seriously, no accidents....& it's been almost a month now!!

I am ALL for waiting & letting the child be fully ready. It's quicker, it's easier, fewer accidents, & it's especially helpful when the child is able to verbalize personal needs & able to dress/undress themselves. It truly boosts self-esteem & teaches in a positive way!

Hi S.! I don't think it hurts to try, but I would say that if it doesn't happen in a couple days (3 or 4 max), then he's not ready! We tried with our first son at 2y 6m and after 3 days he was still having accidents and not telling us when he had to go. We stopped and tried again at 2y 9m. He had ONE accident! It just clicked and potty training was literally done in a 1/2 day (pooping took a little longer). If he's ready he will do it fast!

About the not talking...have you had his hearing tested? When our oldest was 18mo he didn't speak and I thought he was just a late bloomer. He understood verbal directions (go get your shoes) and would come when I called his name. His pediatrician said there is some sort of disconnect between receptive vocabulary (hearing) and expressive vocabulary (speaking). We had his hearing tested and sure enough he had 100% fluid blockage in one ear and 50% in the other. The ENT doctor said it was like he had his head under water. He had tubes put in and we began speech therapy. He is 4.5 now and has no delay and never stops talking. Our younger son is 21 months and says about 100 words. I, now, can see a HUGE difference in their vocabulary at that age. It's worth getting checked out!!

Hey S.,

My son is three ans has been potty trained since he was just a little over two. My advice is once you start stick with it and make sure you ask him every 30 minutes or so if he needs to go and once you take the diaper away be done with it do not go back and forth. My son did awesome and because I was scared he would have an accident I was putting him in diapers or pull ups still when we went out or had something to do so he was going in them. Once I stopped putting them on him he used the toilet every time and has never had an accident. He actually did very well and I think would have done it even faster if I would not have been so scared. I still put him in a pull up at night, but he wasn't going in them until his twin sister's arrived a couple months ago and now he's going in them a little a night but wears boxers all day and does not go in them. My advice id be consistent and give rewards when he does go and make a big deal out of how proud you are. Good Luck!!!

T. Cogan
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"Nothing is difficult to those who have the will." --Dutch Poet's Society

My advice to you is to wait until you absolutely without a doubt know 100% for sure that HE is ready to do it. Until then you'll be frustrated with it, and he may even start to feel like he's not doing good at something you want him to do. My son was just over 3 when we started working on it and it went very smoothly and we've had very little trouble since then (he'll be 4 in March). Sometimes betweeb the ages of 2 and 3 he would ask to go on the potty and I'd put him on there but never expecting anything from him (and not getting it). Anyway, I hope however you decide to do it that everything works out great for you and your son!

Hi S.,

No time like the present to get started!! I don't think you need to wait until after Christmas!! As long as you have three or more consecutive days off, I've got a potty training program for you!!

If you're interested, please send me your email address and I can send you some great information on how to potty train your son in THREE DAYS!! I can testify to this, because we used it on our son, and by the end of the second day, he was going all by himself!!

I need your email due to the info. being a PDF file.

Merry CHRISTmas!! ls

If your son is showing signs of readiness then great - get him started! If not, then wait or it will be a nightmare! If he is truly ready then I recommend 3daypottytraining.com. I used it and shared my success with some friends. Many were skeptical, especially when I told them that it even worked at night but 2 of my friends with stubborn boys used it and it really works!! It means 3 days of being stuck to your sons side but it is truly worth it.

Good luck:)