Seeking Advice on Potty Training

Hi Sonya,

Do not get frustrating but, try putting on underwear I know it may a little hard at first with the number two's. I promise it will work maybe buy some cheat underwear from family dollar something like that it work for both or my boys. Good luck and tell me how is goes.

T.

27-months is still quite young, especially for a boy. My pediatrician told me not to even start potty training my son until he consistantly woke up with a dry diaper. My son is 3.5-years-old and has only just now become potty trained with urine. Good luck to you. I have found that my pediatrician gives great advice, just call their office and they are glad to answer these types of questions for you.

I have two girls who did not get it untill they were closer to three yrs of age and from other moms who have boys, they have said that boys are harder to train and take longer. I do know that boy or girl, it is not something to rush, the more you rush the longer it takes for them to get it.

Keep track of what his potty schedule is, like if he is going every half hour, then take him in to the potty every half hour.

To make this more fun for him, try putting food coloring drops in the potty water so that when he goes potty "its magic" and changes color. You can use food coloring or the tablets at any store(k-mart,wal-mart,drug store) for the bath tub water.

My girlfriend who has a son also put cherrios in the potty and he had to shoot them down.

Hope this helps:)

My oldest brother told me this is what our Dad did for all five of my brothers, and I passed the information on to my husband to use with our son (he's 14 now).

Your husband will best teach your son, because he knows the "feelings". There's nothing preverted about this, but he needs to "see" his Dad actually using the potty. This includes having a bowel movement.

My Dad had my brothers stand on his shoes, in front of him, to elevate them to aim correctly in the commode. Mom kept a box of Cherrios in the bathroom and a few were thrown in the water for them to aim for. THIS WORKS!!

Make it routine to go to the bathroom first thing in the morning. You'll notice that he has a little erection, RUN to the bathroom.

After drinking liquids, before or after a meal, about 15-30 minutes, say to him "Baby, let's go try to peepee in the pot." I would tell my son, if he said that he didn't have to go, "Let's try and push out the poo-poo/peepee." Worked for him.

TAKE THE DIAPER OFF. Let him choose his new BIG BOY under pants, just like dads. Ok, dad may not wear Diego or Big Bird but he can wear Spiderman, Batman and Sponge Bob. OFF WITH THE DIAPER, it'll hamper all your efforts.

Please remember that Mom's and son's use the potty differently. I had a girlfriend who put her son on the potty for a hour at a time, only to have him stand up and go all over her. I thought it was hilarious, she didn't get it.

But I stress your husband's involvement. My husband told me that our son saw him use the urnial in the "Big Boy's room" and he was hooked. Of course Dad had to hold him up, but he did it.

Good luck.

Hi, Sonya

Maybe he isn't quite ready yet. He will mostly likely show more sign soon. If he is starting to get an interest just keep trying your best with what you can.

My daughter is 3 1/2 years old and still poops in her pants. I am hoping she will give in to the potty soon. She knows but apparently isn't ready to let it go yet. Like the old saying goes you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink it. Hold in there it will come.

Good luck, M. H.

I used the methods in Potty Training In A Day book. Although I did not read the book, a good friend at the time walked me through the basic steps.

1. Get a doll or teddy that you can pretend to give water to in a bottle or sippy cup. When I it was time for Dolly/Teddy to go potty, I put a medicine dropper filled with water in my hand behind the doll and said (pretending a doll is talking to you), "Oh, Dolly/Teddy has to go potty." And showed my almost 3 year old how Dolly/Teddy goes potty, by holding the doll over the toilet and squeezing the dropper.
2. Take the diaper (or pull-ups) off for the day. Only big-boy pants and shirt nothing else.
3. Have lots of favorite beverages; milk, kool-aid, juice, pop whatever.
4. Have treats like a small bag of M&Ms ready for reward (2-3 M&Ms per successful potty trip).
5. Read all Potty books. Library or book stores have a ton and we had 5 of them. Talk Potty ALL day!
6. Ask frequently, "Do you have to use the potty like Dolly/Teddy?"
7. If accidents happen, have an "oh well" attitude. They may happen even at 40 years old :-)

Now, when I did this 5 years ago, my daughter went a teaspoon size amount in the 13 hours we trained. I am convinced that Potty Training is as stressful for the child as it is for the parents. When she finally went it was PRAISE. PRAISE. PRAISE. Success is oh so sweet. In other words, do not stress out, relax drink some tea, let you child try the tea, do some Potty-Yoga! Make it a game, fun yet useful practice.

From a mother with 4 boys and all were potty train by 2 1/2, let them run naked in the backyard. Prep by giving him great things to drink. Cool-aide, punch, lemonade. Then, let him loose. Bring a potty chair outside and when you see him go, praise, praise praise(we used 3 M&Ms, to bribe) It took them all about 1 day to get it. But it was an all day effort. This was just for daytime. We still used pull ups until 3. I also used potty training in a day. It works!!!
Good luck.

Well, I am obviously going to be in the minority here. But, babies are born with the instinct to not soil themselves AND knowing when they have to go. We teach them to go in their diapers. Consequently, to 'potty train' your child you have to re-teach them the body awareness they were born with.

This will involve some messes. But, if you keep your child in a diaper just to avoid the messes then you aren't helping the situation at all.

One thing many moms have used to reteach their kids the 'urge' awareness is to strip off the diaper and put them in a long t-shirt. Something oversized that goes below the knees. When you notice your son going pee say 'YOu're going Pee!!!' Be very excited let him know this is a good thing. This will help him make the connection between the sensation and what he is doing.

Try to watch for the 'signals' ... there are alwasy signals of when a child is 'going'. They get quiet, they get figity, something ....

Also, keep track of how many times a day and when during the day he goes. Does he have to pee 20 minutes after drinking something, right when he wakes up, etc.... then when you believe it is getting 'that time' ... take him to the potty.

www.diaperfreebaby.com has some good advice.

With an older child it can take some time. But, when you help your son recognize his potty urges he eventually will go potty. Make it a fun thing. You can sing songs together in the bathroom, play little hand games.... anything to make going potty a fun time.

Good luck!

Sonya,

My son just turned 3 on May 29th and the following weekend June 7th I suggested he wear underwear because it was so hot out and the diaper kept sticking to him. That was the weekend he potty trained. HE WAS READY!! No diapers during the day after that just a night time diaper for overnights. We even did a two hour drive recently with no pull-ups and I was nervous he would have an accident in the car. No problems, he uses the potty all day. I just am not pushing the overnight issue yet. So just be patient and wait a little longer, in the meantime, encourage use of the potty chair etc. My son at age 2 started going in the potty chair and would do so occassional for the past 10 months, it wasn't until June when he decided he was ready to give up diapers, then a week or so into that he wanted to be a "big boy" and use the big potty. So I cleaned up the potty chair and put it away. Hang in there, from my experience boys take a little longer and keep encouraging him to use the potty, but don't push the issue. I used stickers as reward - dollar stores have the awesome sparkly ones. Then on the back of the bathroom door I carefully taped a pretty 8 1/2 by 11 scrapbook page with his name across the top for him to put his stickers on. (later I can put these right into his scrapbook with the dates etc.) We have filled 3 sheets at this point. He asks for a sticker every time. By the way just before we started training I took him to pick out cool stickers he wanted - that made him have even more control of a situation and feel grown-up. Good Luck.

Had four chiuldren in five years and potty training the first was difficult but when his sister arrived he had many accidents. NEVER potty trained a child again.
Boought them the underpants of thier choice and then put them up on a high shelf that they could see but not get to. If they showed an interest in the bathroom I told them to go ahaead and call me when they are done to help with the wiping but put the same diaper back on them. Often the had masking tape holding the dry diaper together! Each day they got a new diaper. If they asked for help my response was ' don't bother just do it in your diaper'. they key is NOT to invest in this game or task. Once they realise you really don't care and that the underpants will not come off the shelf until they decide to do what is need to wear them they potty train themselves! Once they were completely dry day and night I would take down one pairs of underpants.

This potting training in three day etc. is a bunch of garbage! The children become so focused on trying to please their mom or whomever. the mom are doing this to their children so they can brag that their child is poyty trained.But at what cost?? Often children will have an accident in the 'big boy pants' just because they can and also to get attention. Psychologically it can mess up these little ones in many ways. Children manipulate us in so many ways that this is one area I deleted. Happily

BEST ADVICE EVER... When they are ready physically, mentally, emotionally, THEY WILL train in a sanp! My daughter knew all the signs, how to use the potty, could physically use it, but it didn't happen until SHE was ready. No need to push them. They will train and stay trained when they are ready. My daughter was 3yrs, 3 months when it happened.

Also, if you push the issue when they are not ready, you will have accidents to constantly clean. For now, you know where the messes are. Why create more work for yourself? But keep educating. Have daddy take him in with him, he'll see how boys go potty (depending on height, some learn by sitting). Talk about it too. The more comfortable he is with the idea, the more confidence he'll have when he's ready.

Once trained you do have to keep reminding them to go...play time is more important and fun! But the method of taking them every hour...that is training yourself to do something, not the child. But meal time, before long car rides or shopping trips are good reminder times. When they realize they have to go, it's NOW, not in 5 minutes.

I would start by taking him every 1 hour. Give him lots to drink, so he will be more successfull when he tries. He is still a little young, don't push him, let him lead the way.

typically boys are closer to 3 1/2 by the time they are "trained". So it may take along time to get him to recognize the urges and comprehend what they mean.
Just be consistant. Once you start training in earnest take him every hour or so... Have him at least try. Praise the dry diapers.
Does he stay dry at night? I don't even try to train them till they do. Thankfully I have not had a child with an immature bladder. Having an intrest in training does not mean they are physically ready.
Once you start training, it will take time... I do not count a child as fully trained until there have been NO accidents for about a month. Patience is the key... If you are feeling like you are forcing the issue, then just stop... They get it.
With our 2nd hubby wanted me to "force" him to train... ha, I almost lost it mentally and decided that I can't force the stuborn child to do it, so i would make hints and ask him to go at certain times (morning, snack time, after lunch, dinner and bed time)And didn't stress the accidents. He is FULLY trained now and isn't even 4 yet. They will get it eventually...
Good luck!

I swear by the book "Toilet Training in less than a day". The authors last names are Azrin & Foxx. Worked for both of my boys at 2 1/2 and 2 respectively. Give it a go!