Seeking Advice on Potty Training a 3 Year Old Boy

My 5 year old son Alex was almost 3 when I finally got him to go on the potty all the time. I would let him run arouns naked while we were home, we had some accidents and I found Natires Miracle ( for puppy accidents works really good for little boy clean ups). I got tired of the diapers and I was pregnant with my second child at the time. I woke up one morning and said ok this is the day we stop using diapers because you're gettign to be a big boy now and you need to wear underwear. He was hesitant at first but then went and got his underwear and put them on. Within the first week we had 2 accidents adn then that was it. At night we use pull ups still, and we still have the occasional accident now at 5 but we're working on that one now too.
Good luck - what the doctors say is true ..they will go when THEY are ready.

Some children, especially boys have a hard time with using the potty. If you are home full time, you can try letting him go nekkid on bottom (helps build body awareness). I also remember my son having a hard time with pooping. We spent alot of time on the potty reading and one time I even gave him a hand held mirror and we talked about where poop comes from.

There are some excellent books and videos for kiddos about using the potty: the public library has some great stuff.

My son wasn't potty trained until 3 years and a few months. BUT, when he did use the potty is was all the time; he rarely even wets at night. I also found that he did better in public (the fear of having an accident in public was a big one for him!) Once you really start hitting the potty training full force, keep your normal activity schedule and bring extra clothes.

Hi. I don't have a son old enough to potty train yet but my sister-in-law has a 4 yr old and she potty trained him by putting fruit loops in the toilet and having him try to aim at them like a game. It made him wnat to go use the potty and it was fun for him...Good Luck.

i'm right there with you. my son is 2 1/2. any ideas let me know!

Hi! I have the same problem. My 3-1/2 year old won't use the toilet. I can only tell you to try what I did. Bribery, blackmail. These other mom's give pretty good advice. good luck,

Hi, my name is C.. I potty trained by son basically COLD TURKEY! I threw away the diapers, got those Pull-Ups and told him as often as possible that "He is a Big Boy and he now has to wear BIG BOY UNDERWARE!!!. His facial expressions were so amazing, and he was so eager to participate. I made him think and feel that he had won a prize or something. And I sat him on the Potty chair in front of Sesame Street, and I took him to the "BIG BOY BATHROOM" every 30 minutes for about a week. It was DONE...I think he actually got tired of the every 30 mins. At Night I would take him every Hour. It was worth missing out on that sleep! I also put him on the Potty chair with headphones on to listen to music while he sat there...I hope this works for you! Positive reinforcement always works...

Don't feel bad... my boys were 3 and 4 when they finally got potty trained at the same time! I thought I was going to lose my mind with two boys and all those stinky diapers!!! Good luck, it's not easy. To me, and from what I hear, much easier to train a girl. I have a now-20 year old girl, she was potty trained completely BY the time she was 2!!!

i had the same problem when my son was three almost 4 years old he refused to go to the bathroom so we made a game out of it which he really enjoyed we played a game called sink the cherios. you get a box of cherios and throw some in the toilet and tell him he has to try to sink the cherios which makes going potty more fun cause we all know how kids like playing games. he was potty trained in about a month. hope this was helpful to you.

My 4 year old boy is potty trained during the day. I took diapers away and let him wear underwear. I do more laundry, but he's getting the point and he enjoys wearing the underwear. I let him pick out the underwear we bought.

r u using pull ups if so lose feeling the wet may cause to want to use the potty

Hi A.- While I dont have too much advice I thought you might just feel better if you knew that someone else is also having the same problem.

My son will be 4 on March 25th. He is not potty trained either. If I put him in underwear he will ask for a pull up to do his business but will not sit on the toilet.(But I have potty chairs in every room hoping he'll want to! LOL Being a preschool teacher who has trained many children through the years I have used all the tricks- food, cherios, toilet stickers, bribery. being naked..... nothing worked! Although many people (INCLUDING HIS TEACHERS AT PRESCHOOL) have made comments and when this has happened my son will hold it and then we have had MAJOR PROBLEMS
I also have a daughter who will be 3 in February and she is fully trained( the peer pressure didnt work either)

I realize now that it is the only thing that he has cotrol over and that he will be trained when HE is GOOD and READY- not when I am.Everyday throughout the day I still encourage him to sit and know that one day he just will UNfortunatelyI know this is difficult when looking for daycare or schools.
I wish you much luck....

Hi. I was right along there with you, my son happened ot be three and a half when he finally started to go to the potty, but not fully potty trained at night till he was 4. Because it was such a long process the doctor told me not to force him and that he will do it when he wants to. Well it was taking too long so a little after meals I would sit him on the toilet for him to go and did that through out the day and baught him underwear he liked that he would not pee in. After a couple weeks of that he did very well using the potty. I hope this helps a little, I know that every child is different so we as mothers have to find out what works for our child. Some people have used snacks and such but my boy did not care.