help with potty training

Alisha - posted on 04/09/2011

I'm having a lot of trouble with potty training too! My son will be 2 in a couple of weeks, and he just couldn't care less if he wets or even poos on himself! I've tried the whole letting him run around with out pants on so he will realize when he's peeing or pooing, but he hasn't caught on at all. And now he's refusing to sit on the potty. I've always let him watch me potty, and he's seen other kids his age potty in front of him (I babysit other kids during the day). My son just isn't ready which is really frustrating. I'm sick of wasting money on diapers and I have another one on the way. Let me know if you figure out a trick! I think I just have to wait...

Jennifer - posted on 03/29/2011

My son started at 20 months, now he is 22 months and doing well. He has had times when he refused for a litle bit and I just let him wet his pants. We dont use pull ups so he was uncomfortable enough I think to change his mind. If you use pull ups I would get undies and give it a go with those. Yes, it is kind of messy at times especially when you want to go out somewhere but i just carried like 3 extra sets of clothes. carried our potty everywhere in the car for a bit too. I have a fold up seat that we use in public toilets now that works well. He isn't too young. Just needs to understand as fast as possible that it is not something he can use for a control thing...dont let it be a power struggle. We also eventually started giving him one mini m&m per sucessful potty trip.

Melissa - posted on 03/28/2011

He's probablymnt ready. Wait awhile and try again. It's more of a matter when your child is ready and when he can recognize that he needs to potty. It's also a matter if he can hold his pee for long periods of time. It might be better to wait until he's between 2 and 3. Good luck!

Jennifer - posted on 03/28/2011

Amen to leaving him alone! When u count ur babies age in months....... They're still babies!!!!! I have 3 boys and they all pottie trained by 3 without fuss or fight bc we didn't do just that.... Fuss or fight! We push our kids to "grow up" too fast for what? To make it easier for ourselves!That's sad!

Monica - posted on 03/27/2011

amanda my daughter does the same thing lol. she wipes herself, pulls her panties or pull up down, and gives me the toilet paper for me to wipe lol. i let her go pee pee first then she gets down and says u pee pee now mommy. haha then tells me yeeahhhh toilet paper... :/ i have the toilet cover too and she uses it but not all the time, she likes to be big like mommy and daddy. but its funny u said that

Amanda - posted on 03/27/2011

I agree too. Not too young at all!! We started with my daughter at 14 months, when she started saying pee and taking off her diaper before she went. We've never used one of those training potties that sit on the floor. We have one, but it was always a toy and her babies would sit on it (or in it). We have a seat that fits over our toilet and I think it helped that she always saw us use the bathroom. It associates a place with going as well, not just using the potty in the livingroom or where-ever.

We did really well at first and had several diaper free weeks. At about 16 months she went through a phase where she wanted nothing to do with the potty, so we backed off. We did teach her to change herself though. We used pullups and if she was wet, she had to pull them down, clean herself (we followed with a "finishing wipe") and put a new pull up on. That way she was still practicing the mechanics, even if she didn't want to use the potty. At about 18 months she started to warm back up to it and now at 22 months she prefers not to wear her diaper, knowing she has to tell us she needs to use the potty. She has even told me she needed to go during a bath, went, and then finished her bath. She doesn't like to be dirty or want to sit in dirty bath water, so it has been easier for us. We still use a pull up when we go out because she is too petite to use most toilets and I don't have a portable potty seat to stick in my purse.

I started my son potty training at 18 months and just wasn't ready. We tried again at 2 and 3. He wasn't fully day trained until about 3 1/2 and through the night close to 5. He does have allergy and immune system issues which cause problems with him being able to always tell when he has to go so I'm sure that delayed training a little...but overall he was just a late trainer. Everyone is different and the biggest piece of advice I can give is to let your son lead. If he acts anxious about using the potty, seems scared, or wants to avoid it for whatever reason, don't push it. You can try rewards and positive feedback for doing what you want, but I've found when it comes down to it, they won't be receptive to training unless they feel comfortable and at ease. Continue to let him watch you (and anyone else you are comfortable letting him watch) use the bathroom. My daughter likes to hand me the toilet paper too. We talk about going "pee pee" and "poo poo" and wiping. She likes to help flush and waves goodbye as it goes down. Even if he isn't interested in using it himself, having him familiarized with the routines and helping him understand what to expect will make it easier in the long run I think.

Monica - posted on 03/27/2011

i agree with alexandra and dont disagree with her doing it early. it is much more easier than having to wipe and change ALL THE TIME. and there is that age where they look silly in diapers. I had put caylees potty out before she was one for her to do whatever with it. she first played with it and put toys in it lol then she one day sat on it and went pee pee. then after we all got excited and told her she was a big girl then she wanted to continue...but like i said i agree with alexandra

Monica - posted on 03/27/2011

i know this may seem girly, but get a doll and set it on the potty and let him see how it is being a big girl/boy. or have you tried the potty dance? it really works. caylee loves to do dances and singing, and she has been doing pretty good she is starting to get in big girl panties and in those or pull ups she maybe has 2 accidents.

Melanie - posted on 03/27/2011

My son is 22 months old and I agree with many others it is a great time to start.
Instead of "training" him to use the potty/ toilet, I "time" when he goes. By doing this I take him to the toilet every hour on the hour and sit him on the toilet. 9 times out of 10 he WONT do anything, but by letting him sit there on his own terms is helping him. He has used the toilet twice in 3 months. By no means am I going to give up on it. he now tells me "weee" just AFTER he has done one. I think this is a great sign that he is starting to recognise the signs between wet and dry.
Wait for your son to let you know that he is ready. Ever tried letting him sit on the potty in the lounge room (with a nappy/dipper on) while he is watching TV? All in all make it fun and make a game from it. he will start going back to the potty when he is ready.

Liz - posted on 03/27/2011

We started when my daughter was 18 months, she was excited at first and would read books while going, but then she began asking to go just to read books and was getting distracted. We have just started up again at 21 months as she is doing quite well, probably 1/2 in potty and 1/2 in nappy (particularly when we are out) or on the floor. She seems to have a better understanding of her body now and when she actually needs to go, so hopefully we can put a little more concentrated effort into it.

Susan - posted on 03/27/2011

I have twin boys and they were gone 3 before they were potty trained. We tried and 2 and its was a complete diaster, then again at 2 and half and after a month they were still not getting it. They turned 3 and one day they both turned around, said mummmy i don't want a nappy anymore and just did it. Within 48 hours they were dry. I don't think it matters what age...when they re ready they ll do it, they ve got to be physically developed enough to know the feeling of wanting to go, otherwise its more routine, you pushing the idea and luck rather than them acually knowing when they want to go! Good luck whatever you decide to do and remember he won't be in nappies 4 ever :o)

Amber - posted on 03/26/2011

My son started in underwear at 20 months with few accidents. Our potty training schedule is just that a schedule, every two hours he sits on the potty and pees and poops with no problem. I started this when he was 13 months and in diapers needless to say once his diapers stayed dry all day I switched him to underwear and haven't looked back. Some days he will resist the toilet but I don't give him the option, he needs to at least " try" to go potty. He will always pee if he trys and most of the time he is happy to sit on the potty. Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 03/26/2011

Thank you everyone for your help

Hazuki - posted on 03/26/2011

I don't think it's too young. I started my daughter when she was 4 months old. She was just about fully potty trained at 6 months. It wasn't easy. Then I sent her to daycare and told them they had to continue with the potty training and they didn't so she ended up losing it. She does tell right after she goes instead of before now. We stopped potty training because from what I read after 8 months you had to stop because the window was gone and then to restart when she was 18. She is now 22 months and we are working on it.

Julia - posted on 03/26/2011

I am having the same problem with my son so we are taking a break :( Everyone just keeps telling me when hes ready he will do it but it is frustrating when they take a step back. like i said maybe a break then go back it the potty

April - posted on 03/26/2011

I agree that 22 months is not too young to start, especially if he has shown interest, but I also agree that there's no reason to push him. You don't want him to become afraid of the potty. My son is 22 months, and he showed interest in the potty three months ago. About two months ago, I started taking him to the potty every time he would say "peepee potty." Sometimes he would go, and sometimes he wouldn't. I also started taking him to the potty every time I could tell he was trying to poop. After just a few days of doing this, he started asking for the potty before trying to poop. I haven't changed a poopy diaper in two weeks, except for one while we were not at home. He pees in the potty 2-3 times a day, and the diaper usually stays dry at home except at night and during naps. Every child is different, so don't be discouraged. The fact that he's already had some success shows that he's ahead of the game. Good luck!

Alexandra - posted on 03/25/2011

mine is also 22 months old and the feeling of no diapers EVER is so wonderful. 22 months is the perfect age to do it. But you have to be fully committed to it and have no diapers in the house. Because you will be weak and go back to using them. I know I am going to get flack for saying that hes not to young. But I have trained many children all with the same method. It may not click in the 3 days but that's cause I never was fully following it. Just pick a day and go for it and never look back!

Sabrina - posted on 03/25/2011

My son is also 22 months old and he shows NO interest so I am waiting until he shows me he wants to go potty on the big boy potty

Chelle - posted on 03/24/2011

I agree with lisa leave him be !! Hes far to young

Lisa - posted on 03/22/2011

leave him alone.....my daughter wasnt potty trained till 2 and a half...my son is also 22 months old and i would even think of trying to start that right now