My 3 yr wont go potty in the potty

Karla - posted on 09/10/2011

Every child is different. My oldest and youngest (a boy and a girl) potty training mostly without issue. But my middle son just would not cooperate. He would go then take his pamper off. He was four before we had him potty trained and that was because he wanted to. Some children enjoy the baby stage and have hard time breaking away from it. We just went with the flow. My older son would do #1 on the potty then do #2 on the floor (granted he was 1) and it use to make me so discouraged. For him it was a matter of he wanted to use the toilet and not the potty and we did not have that problem anymore. My daugther (the strong -willed little person) went from the potty to not wanting to stop playing to go, so I would stop her play and make her sit on the potty until she went. I would give her water and juice until she went and when she did I would reward her. It depends on the personality of the child. Constant praise may work, rewards may work or taking away privileges may work. I use to say to them are you a big boy/girl or are you a baby? With the olde child and the younger child, that worked with my middle son he would look at me like I was an alien. So, for the middle child, I would wake him up in the middle of the night (even tho' I had to go to work in the morning) and make him go to the bathroom and it annoyed him but I got results. It just depends on the child but don't give up keep working at it.

Brennan - posted on 09/08/2011

I went through the same thing with my daughter around that age, but had no problems with my son. This is what worked for me with her. GET HER OUT OF THE PULL UPs! Yes the underware is nasty, but they treat the pull up like diapers. It will be crazy at first, but for some it is a must. Took me about 2 weeks of wet clothes and bed sheets (use a plastic bed liner at night) but it finally worked. You have to be persistant. I got a timer and set it for every 30 minutes and didn't ask, but went and got her and said lets go potty. I had a paper bag that I put small items in (age appr.) like plastic rings, barretts, etc. and if she pottied even a few dribbles she got to reach in the bag for a prize. Don't make a big deal on the many dirty undies or make any comments even though you want to. When you see she had an accident, stop play or what ever and descretly bring her to the potty and say in a kind voice just between the two of you.. ugh oh! lets change your undies and even though they just went potty in their undies, still sit her on the potty and say lets see if your done, the change her and off to playing, but don't forget the grab bag if a few dribbles come. If no potty and she ask for a prize just say, oh we have to wait until you pee pee in the potty. If you do the 30 min rule there shouldn't be any daytime accidents. Night time will follow if that is happening. No big deal to them, right! Good luck. Just keep in mind at that age the can feel the urge, but are usually to busy to stop and go and we have to remind them every 30 minutes at first. When they start getting the ides, you should still remind them every now and again for a while.