Potty Training Help - Lynnwood, WA

Just a funny little story that helped my 3 yr old son poop on the toilet......My Mom bought him a Bob the Builder toilet insert thing, and he still wouldn't even try it. Then my sister came over on day and told him that if he pooped in the toilet, the tractors (on the insert) would eat his poop. I know that sounds vulgar, but it worked! He is still going in the toilet!

Have you tried rewards (aka bribery!)...? It has worked very well for my 3 yr old son. We used candy but you can use anything. Some people use money, like a quarter every time they go. We started off using a few m&m's but have used other candy too. We always put away his halloween and easter candy and make him earn it by using the toilet. Each time he goes he is excited to pick a piece of candy out of his basket. He's now about 3 1/2 and wears underwear during the day and pull ups when he sleeps. And get a bunch of different potty books from the library and read them every day. My son loves "potty poo poo wee wee"! It's a fun book to read. Good luck.

Kids are very different with potty training.It is common for them to have spurts of where they do well nd not so well. One idea I have is potty seats. Does he use a seat at daycare and at home? MAybe he favors the one at daycare. The other thing is do you use the same technique as his daycare provider? At daycare your son is around peers and wants to show them he is a big boy too, and at home he doesnt have that. I used to babysit my niece and she was the same way, she did well with me but not her parents. It turned out that she liked the potty seat I had and she wanted to be like her cuisin. HEr mom tried the reward system and it didnt work to well. When she started asking if she wants to be a big girl and wear undies like her cuisin, she did better.
Best of luck on a frusterating situation!!

Most people will say to wait until he is ready and it is his idea. This is actually what worked for me, as my son was very strong willed. I recently read an article that I would definitely have tried this technique at the time, I think it's worth the read. The situation is a little different, but it might be worth a try, especially since you say he does fine at daycare, he's obviously getting the idea and knows his body's signals. (Personally I think a lot of kids do at an earlier age than most people give them credit for, but again, all kids are different). Here's a link to the article:
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2008...
Good luck! :)

It doesn't seem like he's behind if he does really well at daycare. How consistant are you with it at home? If he knows he can get away with it at home then he doesn't feel the need to do it at home. Kids kind of see going to the potty a chore, it takes them away from what they are doing and away from all the fun, so if they have no reason to go and it doesn't bother you then they don't feel the need to go either. If you truely don't think he's ready wait a few months and try again. Both of my boys were 3 and a half when they potty trained and it only took a weekend. My 2nd had a few more accidents than my 1st, but no real huge problems.
Best Wishes,
W.

my youngest is austic, our inspiration was a "Peter Potty" a small sized urnal, but not a potty chair, that and we made little posters w/ chuckie cheese on them & placed them in each bathroom, and a guarentee we would have a potty party, which we did . I had 2 other neighbors along w/ his brothers & sister and once he hit his week we went and had his party, (no one knew at the place but us) but ever since then we have had no accidents. Mind you he was 5 w/ no incentive or desire to try, so I was amaized.

The book "Toilet Training in Less than a Day" worked on my 27 month old son; he's been in underwear for four months now (except for a pullup at night). It has to be followed precisely. Maybe your son has anxiety issues with you since he sees so little of you, if he does fine with it at daycare.

HI A.,
What I have found with my little one is that they have their own timing and agenda. Be patient and encouraging with him and let him do it in his own time. At least what I have found is if I pushed it, they did the opposite. Hope it works out soon.

1st don't stress, the more you stress the more they won't do it or have bad self esteem. I am a mother of 4 boys 1 to 6 years old, I am also a single mother and full time student. Each one of my boys were different, don't compare your child to someone elses and don't be bothered if he's "behind". We used to put toliet paper in the toliet and tell them to shoot it, sometimes things like saying after you go pee pee we can read a book or watch you favorite show. You'll be fine and when he has accidents make him clean it up the pee not the poop, buy him big boy underwear and believe me it will be a lot of work! Pee in the car outside, but they eventually stop

Be very patient. If he has an accident let it go. Clean it up and reassure him we all did the same thing.
I'm the grandma and when it was time to potty train our grandson we took a plastic container and slit a hole in the top like a bank. Then we put money in a dish next to the bank. Every time he went to the bathroom he got to take money from the dish and put it in his bank.
We told them he could go to Toys R US and buy something. He loved this. He also went to daycare and was being raised by a single mom with help from Grandparents.

A.,
Don't worry, he is normal. Most, if not all kids go through this. Both of my sons(5&7 now)didn't potty train until they were 4yrs. Our youngest would use the potty at 2yrs and we were so excited. Then after a while, he stopped. Both of our boys were potty trained the month before attending pre-school. I put a calendar up on the wall and each time our child used the potty, I would draw a star. Our boys were very excited about this. Once they went to pre-school, peer pressure kicked in. By knowing that other boys their age were using the potty, they were willing to go. When I picked them up, I made sure they went before we left school. I kept up with the calendar as long as necessary. Their reward was going shopping with daddy for big boy underwear. Our oldest picked out the incredible Hulk underwear. He was so excited. Our youngest picked out Cars. We told them that the character wouldn't like to be peed on so try to use the potty. If they had an accident, I didn't make issue of it, I simply helped them take care of it. Our youngest is now 5 and every once in a while he has an accident. Because we don't make an issue of it, he takes care of things himself now and there is no shame or embarassment for him. At night he still needs a pull-up because he doesn't have control of his bladder yet, but he'll get there.
My suggestions that worked for us:
1)Encouraging them to go frequently. No begging, pleading or bribing. "Let's try to make bubbles in the toilet and if nothing happens, no biggie." Our boys love Kim Possible, so I use words like no biggie. They relate to this and it works.
2)Not yelling, getting angry and making an issue.
3)Using a reward like picking out their own underwear or going to the park versus a toy or candy.

Pushing them and trying to rush them when they aren't ready is a mistake as they will revert back to diapers. Then you find yourslef back to a frustrating square one.
Best wishes

It sounds like you just need to be patient. I have a 3 year old also, and I tried potty training several times when he first showed interest, and after a while he lost his interest and I had to back off. But I gave him a couple of months without pushing the issue, and eventually he began to go on his own. he didn't like the way that his dirty diaper felt and I think that was a huge factor with him. With your child it sounds like he has the concept down, it's just going to take a little patience, and a lot of consistency. If you just make sure you take him often enough at home, and maybe try switching him to underwear. I know my son LOVED going and picking the underwear with his favorite character on it, and he didn't like the fact that when he did have an accident, he had to take them off and change clothes. Also I know that it works when you give an incentive like using pennies- give him one to put in his bank when he goes, and take one away when he has an accident. My sister in law tried that, and it worked like a charm. My main advice is just to be patient, and stay on top of it. He'll get it soon:) Just figure out what will get him excited about the idea.