Potty Training Question - Mechanicsburg,PA

It sounds to me like you are heading in the right direction. If he wants to potty in the toilet, that is usually the first obstacle. He will continue to have accidents even when he is completely trained. My sons always avoided going to the potty if they were playing and not wanting to stop to take the time to pee or poop. You are absolutely correct by putting him in undies and not pull-ups. It takes practice and from here, you have to watch how you react to his accidents. If he feels that he is disappointing you, he will feel frustration and failure and he will totally regress. Just reassure him that it is o.k. if he had an accident and give him a hug. Treats or sticker charts work well at this point to just give him the ability to stop and think and plan to use the toilet on his own fruition.
Good luck!

My son is the same age and we just started the process too. I'm told boys are harder to train then girls. Don't get discouraged, my son has had 2 accidents in the last week since starting but I don't see them as steps backwards. They need to remember to go. They have been going in diapers with no problem and need to remember to go potty. Good luck!

It sounds more like he is resistant to the idea than he is not ready. There is a difference. Trust me. My son turned 3 in July. He finally started to actually use the potty this past month. He has been ready for quite some time. Over the summer, we found he could hold his urine in for hours if he wanted to.

I think part of what has finally worked with him has been making him sit on the potty for 5 minutes or so after he has had an accident. We are still working on the BMs. We are making a little progress with them but aren't quite there yet. Honestly, though, it justed seemed like someone flipped a switch in his brain the one night. (About 2 and 1/2 weeks ago). He came out and said he had to potty. Since then he has had only 2 urine accidents.

Like I said above, we had him sitting on the potty periodically throughout the day trying to get him to train. Each time, it seemed within 15 minutes of getting off the potty he had an accident. So after each accident, we had him sit on the potty (partially in hopes of getting the BMs in the potty). I'm not sure if that did it but it helped deter the I'm too busy playing mentality. It takes less time for him to go on the potty himself than if he has an accident has to sit on the potty and then change his pants.

See if you can find a common element to the times that he has his accidents. Is there a certain television show on or is he playing with a certain toy? Maybe he feels what he is doing is more important.

Well, I hope my ramblings have helped a little. Just a little advice from a mom still working through the process with her guy. (My sister potty trained my daughter for me in 1 weekend both wet and BMs. Even she found my son a challenge, though.) Good luck and God grant you the patience needed for this challenge.

I waited until my son was three years old and went right to underwear but I waited until he told me he was ready. In the first two weeks he had several accidents, including just #1. He never had an accident during a nap or overnight though which I thought was weird. But within two weeks he was potty trained. I don't think a few accidents mean that he's not ready.

Also, there is a great video that is just called "The Potty Video" in our house. I have lent it out to friends and it has worked for them also. It is an old video. It's about a birthday party. There are songs like "Super Duper Pooper" and "Tra La La Boom De Ay, I Pull My Pants Away." Sounds silly, I know, but it works great.

I'd say he's ready but he's still young so accidents are going to happen.Dennis will be 3 in February and is just now to the point of wearing regular undies to bed and he still has accidents.
I know my son does it alot when he gets mad at me/someone who's taking care of him.
But he's still young and i say keep up the good work!!!

J.

My suggestion would be keep doing what you are doing. It sounds to me like he was kind of distracted when he did it. He was in the car one time and eating dinner so maybe he just didn't want to get up and go if he was hungry. Little boys can be stubborn I know I've potty trained 2 already. :P I do have to say though that neither of mine were actually pee potty trained until about 3 and my middle didn't bm potty train until 3 1/2 so don't be surprised if it takes a bit. Just be patient and reward when he does and I bet he'll be ready in no time.

Wow - how did you find a daycare willing to take him in underwear??? Ours wants the kids in pull-ups until they are at least 3 in case of accidents.

Anyway, he seems young as far as boys go, but sounds like he is in the early stages of readiness. It will likely take him a few months to remember to use the potty every time. Do you have the Elmo potty training video? If he likes Elmo, the songs in the video may help him remember better.

Best of luck,
K.