Potty Training Stubborn 2 Yr Old???

Personally, I think he's a bit young for this and he doesn't seem ready to me which will require much more time and patience than if you just waited until he was a little older. Sitting down at first and use which ever type of toilet he is most comfortable with.

What I've learned is not to push them. If he were truly ready, he would do it. I hear stories about how difficult potty training was and all the accidents, etc. We don't have those stories. Our son told us he was ready at 2, and so we didn't push. We only have one accident story that he had while playing one day. No other stories to tell.
We have an almost 2 year old again, and she tells us when she needs to go, but she won't go in the toilet. We don't push. We just make a big deal when she tells us and sits there.

We have found this way to be very successful. Also, 18 months is very early. They all show indicators that they are becoming interested and know when they have gone or need to go at 18 months, but most are not ready to train. Let him tell you. If you're having trouble with it, then wait until he's ready. Forcing him will create a rebellion because that's the only thing he knows he has control of. JMO hope it helps some.

Sitting first, on a training potty, but I suggest you relax on this for now. If it becomes a battle of wills, you will lose.

If we had made any serious efforts to potty train our oldest before age 3, it would have been...a problem. He was almost 4 before he got there and what it really took was having an older (potty trained) child around for him to emulate.

Here's how it played out before we looked after the older boy (after school) for 2 weeks:

Daddy wanted son 1 to go potty. Son 1 wanted what he wanted - to keep doing what HE wanted to do. He could "control" Daddy's behavior & the situation by NOT using the potty - and that is the route most strong willed kids will go if they know you are really invested in using them using the potty.

So...my advice...let him get a little older...and then, let is be "his" idea as much as possible.

I live with THREE strong willed boys and a strong willed husband - sometimes they should have horns to lock, I swear! GOOD LUCK and HUGS!

It was easier for my boys to learn standing at the toilet like their Dad did.

I have little girls, so not sure what the difference would be as far as readiness, but a couple of things that I did with my oldest was 1) not make a big deal about accidents, 2) make a big deal at first when she did go potty, and 3) I let her run around the house w/o any bottoms on. That way she was able to actually tell when she was going pottying. I started her right around 2, as I was pregnant with my youngest at the time. She is now PT except for nighttime, which we are currently working on.

I think 18 months was probably a bit young to start, however I had an 18 month old boy that wanted to go on the potty. Basically, we went when we took him, but didn't if I didn't take him. I didn't actually consider this potty training. When he gets older, it will "click" and he'll tell you when he wants to go. I can say with my last son, he started around 2-1/2 and now, at 3, tells me when he needs to go and has VERY few accidents (maybe once a month). So, just stick with it. As for sitting or standing, my older son started sitting on the potty backwards - grandma swore by this tecnique and taught 4 boys to potty train. Younger son, stood from day 1. I think it's whatever they are comfortable doing. My opinion, if he'll stand, that's the easiest and cleanest way (he doesn't have to touch the toilet) if he stands. Next thought, pull ups. Older son was in diapers through that 18 month on up time until I was really ready to potty train (remember, I didn't consider that potty training). Once he was training, just undies, no pull ups (unless for nap or bed). Younger son started at 2-1/2 and went straight to undies. I think this helps them realize when they have to go and to start to control it. I also did a lot of naked time. Something about being naked from the waist down made my younger son not have accidents. We also allowed him to go in the yard, which was fun and novel for him. Another idea for you, keep a water bottle with a lid in the car for those inpromptu times when he has to go and it's not easy to unload and go inside (I have 3, so it's a LOT easier if I don't have to take everyone in for the 1 to potty). I can get that one child out of the carseat, put his weenie in the hole of the water bottle, he can pee, and we can be on our way. Just make sure you don't mistake it for apple juice! Ha, ha!

I have two extremely stubborn boys and both potty trained when they decided it was time - one was just after he turned 3 and the other was 3 1/2. They were both capable and ready long before. My oldest frustrated me greatly, but with the second I was much better. We just introduced the potty and asked him a lot if he needed go, for a year. One day he decided it was time and that was the end. It can be extremely frustrating and we all get tired of the diapers, but keep in mind that he won't start kindergarten in diapers.

We live in the country and with both my boys I had a 'potty rock.' It was so cool to potty on the potty rock that I didn't really have to remind them much. I didn't even start trying to potty train until 2 1/2 and I'd wait until the summer since we spend most of our day outside anyway. I would explain to them that when we are outside we use the potty rock and when we are inside we potty in the water in the big boy toilet. We really didn't have any issues and it only took about a week! I work so I typically do this on a week I am off in order to maintain consistency. Whatever you do just make sure everyone is on board and you all remain consistent. Good Luck!!

I first introduced the potty to my son when he was about 2 years old. He has a small kids potty but the funny thing is he has always only wanted to use the big potty, he has a stool to help him get up onto the potty and he sits on it to pee. We have been progressing slowly...for awhile he would only use the potty at bath time. I started a sticker chart for him...to get a sticker he needs to use the potty and then wash his hands, it's worked very well along with making a really big deal every time he goes!

He's now 2 yrs 10 mo. and we're still working on it. He wears underwear at home most of the day and diapers when we go out. He still has accidents. I try not to push him. He is supposed to begin preschool at 3 yrs old and the requirement is that he is to be fully potty trained, I think 3 is an early age for a boy to be fully potty trained so we may end up having to wait a year.

Kids are all different. My oldest was ready to start at 18 months. And my youngest was about 2 1/2 before he was ready to start. I think we had that both on the big potty cause they did not like the little one much even if I would put the little seat on the big potty. I would turn them around backwords on it. That is what the babysitter told me to do with my oldest and it worked really well. We waited till he had doing down really good before we introduced standing up. And it was much less messy!!!!!!!!

Good Luck and God Bless!!!

Sounds to me like he's just not ready yet. It's good that you've tried early but on average kids are better-equipped to potty train when they are closer to 3 years old (I say "on average b/c of course there are always early and late learners). That was certainly the case with my 3 children. My oldest was very adept at peeing in the potty by the time she was 2 1/2 (and was also staying dry through the night, too) but pooping took another 6-7 months. My other children learned very quickly once they turned 3 . . . I would say 3-4 weeks. I introduced them to the idea when they were 2 to make sure they undersood the concept, but they really weren't interested in actually using the potty.

So my suggestion is to stop for now. Wait a few months, then try again.

Hi L.,

Our babysitter has been right on with everything. She teaches 5 boys all near the same age (3). We tried training with our son at 2 and 2 1/2 and no luck. She told us not to worry that with boys they tend to potty train later than girls and right around the age of 3 it's like a light bulb goes off with them! This is exactly what happened with our son! We bought some big boy undies, some of the other boys in his daycare were potty training so they all wanted to go in the potty once they saw their friends going. From then on out we never had a problem. I bet your son will hit this point soon! Best of luck!

First of all, I wouldn't sweat it. He'll get there eventually - they all do!

Second, with my son, we started everything by letting him pee outside in the grass - standing up, of course. He thought it was so much fun, and it was a great way to get the ball rolling and keep his diaper dry!

Third, I used a baby potty chair with my first (a son) and thought it was the most disgusting thing ever. For my second (a daughter), we just bought the small seat that fits on top of the big potty. So much better! The clean-up of that other one is SO gross.

Overall, just keep at it but DON'T let it be a stress on your household - your son will get there!

Hope this was helpful!
Jen
www.morethanmothers.com

My best advice is to make sure that the potty is always in site. My 2 yr old is potty trained and if when he has to go, doesnt see his potty, he gets terribly frustrated and will go on the floor. Also, let him go half naked for awhile. Its easier for my son to use the potty if hes not wearing any pants then if hes all comfortable in a diaper.

I have to agree that it sounds like it's too early. I too tried to encourage potty training many, many times before my son was ready. At our 3-year-old check-up, I asked my pediatrician why it wasn't working. He said "do you want to make you and him miserable for the next few months? or do you want potty training to be a fun experience?" well, duh. He said that it really is best to wait until they are ready. So, I let it go. At not quite 3 1/2, Will said one day "I don't want to wear diapers." And that was pretty much it! We had about 2 weeks of lots of accidents as he figured it out, but he and I were both into it, so it was so much better!!

I know that diapers aren't fun, but really, I think this is something that is especially true for little boys - when they are ready, that's when it's time.