need potty training help

Lorrie - posted on 08/27/2010

Just give it time she will get it. My oldest son was not completely potty trained until he was 3 1/2. My 2 yr old will tell us he doesn't want to go to the potty because he is the Baby. You can try setting a timer and taking her every 30 min to 1hr even if she doesn't go. Make up a song when she does go in the potty. But most of all just give her time. With my oldest one I thought I was the worst Parent because I couldn't get him potty trained but then it seemed like overnight he started going. Hope this helps. Good Luck.

Stephanie - posted on 08/27/2010

hi i also have tried everything sometimes what works for other people doesnt work for your child. My so is three and still not potty trained but you just keep tring everytime i take him to the potty he tells me ITS NOT WORKING it takes everything in me not to laugh. Just keep working on it. It will happen it might take a little longer then you had planned but when they are ready they will go. Keep you head up.

Sara - posted on 08/27/2010

Hi all the way I trined my daughter who is now 3 1/2 was to just put big girl panties on her and put the potty in the same room we were in that way when she had to go she didn't have to go very far and she wasn't missing out on what we were doing, and if she had an accident I didn't get up set just told her good try and then had her sit on the potty so then she would get used to knowing when she had to go. that way seemed to work for me hope that helps.

Cindy - posted on 08/26/2010

Although the leave it alone suggestion is definitely worth a try, as are most ideas when we are at our wits end, I strongly suggest if you try this method, to put her in underwear. Remove diapers. Then simply clean her up when she makes a mess with no fuss and move on. Or training pants of course. The idea behind this is because children are comfortable using diapers and because they are made so absorbent it is hard for some children to recognize when they are wet or soiled. Switching to underwear will both make it uncomfortable and more noticeable to the child. Still, this is a great method to give a shot with.
Good luck!

Staci - posted on 08/26/2010

As I said before, just leave it be....don't ask her if she has to go ever! Don't go in the bathroom with her when she goes......if she has an accident, have her clean it up and change her pants.......the more I paid attention and had stress over it, the more my daughter didn't want to do it. My BFF sent me a book and in it was suggested that it was a control issue to just leave it alone. No rewards, no punishements, just act like it was no big deal. It works wonders...you really should try it!!

Amanda - posted on 08/25/2010

don't use pull ups put her in panties and take her to the potty every couple of hours . my daughter who will be 3 in january didnt like the potty chair she rather sit on the big potty so just get a potty seat for it. but most importantly she will go when she is ready and feels secure and comfortable... you also gotta make her curious about the potty. let her flush it a couple times ... caution hide all flushable items...lol

Kimberly - posted on 08/25/2010

I am having HUGE problems with this too!!! She knows how to use the potty she has done it before, both #1 and #2....But I can NOT get her to do this on a regular basis! It is quite frustrating actually, I dont want to get mad and yell at her, but i dont know what to do. I ask her "do you have to go potty?" and the answer is always NO. Or sometimes she will yell POTTY and run as fast as she can into the bathroom and open the toilet, but as soon as we put her potty ring on there she freaks out screaming NO POTTY!!! I set her on there and all she does is cry and scream! I got her to pee on it today for the first time in a month or so, and we made a huge deal about it (danced around, clapped, hugged, she got M&M's) but again she doesn't want to do it again. I also have a potty chair but she wants nothing to do with it. Any help would be appreciated!

Staci - posted on 08/25/2010

Don't mention it, don't talk about it, don't reward him for it, don't get excited when it happens.......Just drop the whole thing......he/she is smart, they know what to do. It may have just become a control issue. Worked for me. Good Luck.

Karen - posted on 08/25/2010

My daughter will be three in September. I have only recently started training. I don't want to stress either of us over something she will ultimately get! Your girl is probably like mine, strong willed. I am taking it one day at a time :)

Natasha - posted on 08/24/2010

well what i did was put the small potty in our living room. sounds a bit yucky, but it is working. This way my boy who just turned three in june sees it and has started using it on his own. When he goes we let him help us flush it. we tried pushing our son before three and he out right refused. but now he is just starting to realize when he has to go and knows when he has made an opps when he does have to wear his diaper. make it fun and toddlers love when it is fun. instead of bribing just praise him/her when they just sit on it. they love to please us and themselves. It isn't easy and there is no brochure on the best way to potty train. sometimes you will find what works best with your little one. it just requires a lot of patience.

Kristy - posted on 08/24/2010

The first thing I keep seeing is that you all are having problems potty training your 2 yr old. At 2 VERY FEW children are ready to potty train.
I have potty trained way to many to count because I worked in many toddler rooms at daycare centers. But with my own children the two boys were within days after their 3rd birthday and my girl, she was 4 and couldnt go to pre k till she was totally potty trained. So the weekend before school was to start, I took away the diapers and put underpants on her and she wet herself one time and has not had a accident at all and it has been a year.
So all in all the child has to be ready, they have to dislike the feeling of the diaper,the pee and the poop. Then use encouragement,small rewards and take them everytime you go to the bathroom so that they are comfortable with it.. NO PULL UPS.

Ashley - posted on 08/24/2010

I have a 3 year old, Jacob and an almost 2 year old, Ethan. When i was potty training Jacob, i started when he turned 2. the vary day. We went out and he picked out his own pull ups ( for night time) and he picked out his very own big boy undies! We made a sticker chart so he also got to pick out his potty stickers! ( kids love anything they get to be involved in) We woke up the next morning and put his all into gear. Mommy goes potty when i first wake up so i took him with me and sat him down and told him * big boys go potty in the seat and mommy's and daddy's do too! do you need to pee pee??* and we tried it..since it was first thing in the morning, of course he had to pee so that was very exciting for him!! well i watched the clock and every hour on the hour i would ask him if he had to go potty and we would go in..no joke..you have to stay on top of it or else they wont learn as quick as you would like. ( even if you go out, introduce them to the public restrooms as well) Keep them in their undies as well. Most kids will hate to get their brand new big kid undies wet..as it doesnt feel good and they have to come off. We also did the 'pee-pee train'. When it was time to take him the the bathroom we would sing and clap ' pee pee train pee pee train Jacobs on the pee pee train!!!' we would wait..he would pee and we would get sooooo excited and tell him 'yay!!! jacob pottyed on the the pee pee train!! you are such a big boy!' and we would place a sticker on the chart! we eventually phased out of the stickers and he started just going on his own...however i will safely tell you..he wasnt fully potty trained for about 6 months. He still had the occasional accident. * oh yes..and if u go out and keep them in undies..bring a change of clothes just in case!!!! * and now Ethan, my almost 2 year old..he will be simple to fully potty train bcuz he does EVERYTHING bubba does so when bubba goes potty now, ethan joins him. :) hope some of this helps!

Anne - posted on 08/24/2010

Let me give my experience. My son refused to use the potty and would really cry if he was told to make use of one. I had all shapes of potty's in an effort to get him to use it. Then I gave up.He now goes to the toilet by himself. I dont know what happened but one day he just went to the loo sat on it and that was the end of my potty woes and expensive pampers.

Pamela - posted on 08/21/2010

same here, as soon as we took away the pull-ups during the day he stopped messing in his pants, we kept them for over night but other than that he was in underware and my son is 3 and has been potty-trained for about 6 months now :)

Christa - posted on 08/21/2010

My son's daycare started to put him on the toilet during every diaper change for a year. He still wasn't ready to go by himself until he was 3... Then, I made up a song "Joey's going pee pee on the potty, ... he's such a big boy now!" He loved that song. It took that enthusiastic ghospel style singing and clapping, AND turning on the faucet a bit to make him go the first time... He was ready and it only took a week to get him dry.

Kelli - posted on 08/21/2010

my little girl is 20 months old and she has been potty trained for the past 3 months and i didnt do any candy or stickers she was just ready i guess but i think it helped that i watch 2 boys a 3 and a 4 year old and they would clap for her every time she came out of the bathroom and plus i would take her in to the bath room every half hour for the first week or so and then she would just come and tell me when she had to go but the doctor told me she was to young to be potty trained and that she might stop using the potty and well she hasnt stoped yet so i think he just needs to be ready cant rush him

Adrell - posted on 08/20/2010

i AGREE U MAY NEED 2 WAIT UNTIL THE BABY ARRIVE SO U CAN STICK TO YOUR SCHEDULE. I TRIED TO POTTY TRAIN MY 18 MONTH OLD 3 MONTHS B4 MY BABY CAME JUST ABOUT HAD HIM TRAIN UNTIL THE BABY GOT HERE AND THEN OUR SCHEDULE BECAMED VERY STRESSFUL AND CRAZY BOTH OF US WAS TRING TO ADJUSTED TO THE NEW ADDITION.

Adrell - posted on 08/20/2010

I AM STILL WORKING WITH MY SON WHO JUST TURNED 2 AND I NOTICED HE LOVES USING THE TOILET BETTER THAN POTTY NO MATTER WHEN I PUT HIM ON THE TOILET HE USES IT SO SEE IF HE WOULD USE THE TOILET SO HE CAN FEEL TRULY LIKE A BIG BOY OR HAVE HIM GO WITH A TRUSTED MALE SO HE CAN SEE HOW THEY GO AND MAYBE THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE HIM MORE

Lisette - posted on 08/20/2010

Is she not wanting to sit on the potty at all or is she just not ready to use it on a regular basis?...My daughter just turned 3 a few days ago, and she surprised me when a couple of days right before her birthday, she started to tell me on her own she needed to potty. By her birthday, she used the toilet all day without messing her pull up and continues to do so. I thought girls learned much earlier, although she did compared to my son, but only by 6 mos. Every child is different. They will go when they are ready. You can't rush them. All you can do is get them on a regular schedule to try to potty each day.

Cindy - posted on 08/19/2010

My son was just a little over 2 when he was potty trained, the first time ;) Things were going VERY successfully until we started going backward. My son seemed to be stressed out by it and that turned me inside out and stressed and of course.... that only made it worse :) So, I read up on it.
My son is such a smart boy, so when I knew he understood the idea, I both rewarded (heavily) for his successes, and I also put down his refusals. Now both, from what I read/studied, are accurate, a parent should both reward good behavior and discipline undesirable behavior, but here was my downfall: (we chose a reward system of toy trains. ) As soon as I began taking away the same toys I rewarded him with (I took them away for refusal to use the toilet and for lying), he gained an INSTANT resentment toward going to the bathroom. The risk of having his toys taken away from him was worse than defecating in his underwear. So, my husband and I switched gears a little bit. We went to the dollar store and got a 'treasure' chest full of cheap plastic 'crap' treasures and a bag of those little lollipops. So of course every time there was a success, he was rewarded with a completely new surprise. The rewards were completely off limits for us to take away in regards to toilet training, however, when there were refusals (which immediately decreased) we took away a well known toy. Grounded it so to speak, and upon his next success, he was given both a new reward and his 'grounded' toy back. Very FEW times did we have to take a toy away, and we were without diapers in a matter of 4 days. Children come by anxiety, apprehension, and resentment in new learning situations VERY easily. Keep the focus on successful behavior, and give very little, unemotional, but firm and disciplined, attention to undesired behavior.
For example, upon a refusal, or accident, simply show him/her the soiled underwear, clean it in front of the child, then dress, and in a calm voice, pick up the 'grounded' toy, and say 'this toy is grounded. You can EARN it back the next time you use the toilet, and leave it at that. If your child balks cries, argues, or attempts to negotiate, stand your ground kindly and calmly and move on to something else.
A timer is VERY complimentary to this method. When a child realizes there's an opportunity for reward every time the timer rings, it will become exciting for him/her.
I am simply sharing with you our method that worked VERY well for us in a very short time. This may or may not fit for you and your family. If you truly have tried everything, go to your local library and read, read, read on toilet training. Absorb, without objection, and try again.
Toilet training will come. After all, have you ever met an adult (without mental or physical disability) that is NOT toilet trained? :)
Good luck!

Jennifer - posted on 08/19/2010

i have had all the same issues with potty training as all of you on these posts im still having issues and my son is 4 everybody says its behavorial cause he will go at school but wont go at home.. i have put underwear on him and its no success he just doesnt care and he starts kindergarten next mo and i tell him all the time that he needs to go potty cause the school wont accept him going potty in his pants all the time and he just laughs i give him reeses pieces for going potty it works sometimes but not all the time he wont even go poopy on the potty refuses im so frustrated at this point i really dont have a clue what to do anymore.. help!!!

Suzie - posted on 08/19/2010

my Daughter was the same none if the tricks worked then two weeks ago i took the pull ups away and decided to put her in panties there were no sucess in the first week at home or at daycare we made her change her self and wash out her painties every day and she was responsible to carry them out of daycare and take them home then that weekend we had 50/50 as far as making it and she stayed that way durung the week then she has stayed dry this last weekend but is still not quite making it to the potty for the big job it is our stumbling point right know but she had to think it was her idea and she loves her paintiees and buy pretty ones or caricters she likes as it is a reward in its self to wear princess painties for my sweet heart i am also nine months prego so i know its not the eaisest thing to do laundrey every night but she went from compleat refual to 90% potty trained in two weeks i am a proud Mommy the other thing is even during the week when we had zero sucess but she tried we keep giving postive feed back telling her a for effort never negative which i think help build her self estem and bost her feelings. Good luck its a long road ahead but she will get there.

Becca - posted on 08/18/2010

I whent through the same thing with my 3yr. going on 4yr. old. We just keped inceraging her and let her pick out her own big girl panties. Just two weeks ago she started to go with out telling me she had to at home and sleeping in them without acedents. It will happen just hang in there.

Beth - posted on 08/18/2010

I have 2yr old twin daughters and have been training them off and on since they wer 18 mo.accidents happen and they went double for me...one freaks out cuz she doesn't like change and the other manages to make #1 in the potty but #2 on the kitchen floor and just when I thought I was ready to throw in the towel a friend suggested treats just think of a treat that they don't get often and reward them after they go potty no matter if it's #1 or #2.at first Sophi gave it a shot I praised her and got her ice cream.once Alle saw her getting rewarded like that she followed along and now it's a race to see who gets mommy's attention so they b first to get ice cream...now the trick is to get em out of the bathroom when they been there too long oh well.

Lulu - posted on 08/18/2010

Hi, I've just potty trained my 30 month old daughter - it's been almost 2 weeks and we are 99% completely accident free. I used Gina Fords Potty Training in a week book and I'd really recommend it.

Morgan - posted on 08/18/2010

I have 2 kids and with both, starting out, I let them run around completely naked for about 2 weeks and every 2 minutes I would ask them if they had to go potty and about every 5 or 10 minutes I would set them on the potty. I kept the potty in my living room so they could just go sit on it when ever they wanted. After about 2 weeks I started putting underwear on him and he still had a few accidents but all and all it worked for me. I hope this helps.

Carrie - posted on 08/17/2010

i am 20 wks right now

Susan - posted on 08/17/2010

need help with the #2 thing, he is trained for #1 and has an accident every now and then but refuses to poop in the potty, need help with tricks to get him to do it. he is being held back at his daycare because he isn't completely potty trained, he will get new friends on monday and we have tried explaining to him what is going to happen but nothing yet. any suggestions????!??!?!

Jennifer - posted on 08/17/2010

how far along r u? I tried before my 2nd was born, but if you know you can not fuly train her BEFORE baby is here u might as well wait til baby is settled in cause it wil probably disrupt the cycle!

Carrie - posted on 08/17/2010

i would ask her if she had to go potty she would say no and then bout 5 or 10 minutes later she was wet. I don't want to push her its just i want her out the diapers before the new baby arrives

Emmy - posted on 08/17/2010

yes,sure
i trained my daughter when she was 2 and half years old.i just get rid of the dippers and i bought colorful panties.i told her that she wont go to school and they won't accept her unless she wears it.every hour i as her to set on the potty .in the beginning she refuses to set .i offer her sweets if she is going to set and do it.
good luck!

Leah - posted on 08/15/2010

Don't feel too discouraged. My daughter is now 3 1/2 and is now just getting potty trained! I've tried off and on for the last year and she just didn't get it! Now, after training for 6 days, she is going on the potty every time with only 1 or no accidents during the day. Maybe your little one just isn't ready yet...don't stress yourself out too much.

Cherie - posted on 08/14/2010

My daughter will be 2 in December and we are having problems with potty training too. She knows when she has to go, she tries to go and then she will have an accident. Its frustrating.

Jennifer Jo - posted on 08/14/2010

first of all, untill YOUR CHILD is ready.... he/she wont do it. i have potty trained 5 kids, and i have found that dum dum suckers are a great incentive! give him/her one EVERY time they pee in the beginning... then after they gets the hang of it, taper off the suckers. also i used hershey kisses for pooping and using the same method. couple tips.... NO PULL UPS they are diapers and kids know it! they have thick traning panties at walmart that are GREAT!!! they still get wet... but no puddles!!! hahaha best of luck to u hun! let me know if u need more help

Amanda - posted on 08/14/2010

My son was 4 when he was finally COMPLETELY trained. Turns out the pull-ups were the culprit. As soon as I ditched them, no accidents.

Jennifer - posted on 08/13/2010

my daughter recently turned 2 and we having problems too. She has went pee about 10 times in last month and we get so excited and she gets a sticker and even a Dora treat everytime she does it, but she still won't consistently. I KNOW she knows how to cause we were in livingroom one day and she said "go potty" so we did (only ever pee though - if she is naked and has to poop (even pee sometimes) she wants a diaper on). If we put her on potty when I KNOW she has to poop or pee cause of signs she will just hold it in. I explained what she does to my pediatrician and he told me not to pressure her as could make it worse. Bein 2 and not yet potty-trained ain't that bad - but if they are 3 then I would start worrying. SO hopin my daughter realizes that she should use the potty all the time!!! Hope ur kid does too - but yeah some kids will train at 1 and some not til 3 I guess.

Crystal - posted on 08/13/2010

My son is going to be two in September and I've just started potty training. He didn't seem to understand what 'pee pee on the potty' meant but he completely understands what 'putting his water in the potty' means. Then when he does go, we give him mini M&Ms and make a big deal out of him going on the potty. We've had at the most, only two accidents per day and it really seems to make sense to him. But all kids are different, and learn at different paces. Good Luck!

Kaila - posted on 08/13/2010

My son will be 2 in October and is partially potty trained..I didnt have to do anything to teach him. I couldnt find him one day and when I did he was in the bathroom standing on a stool with his diaper off. He did it all alone and was extremely excited. He now does this when he wants attention as I have a 9 month old daughter too. Can anyone help as to get him to go on the potty all the time??

NAdia - posted on 08/12/2010

Hi Carry...I also have a 2year old and I'm having just as much a probleme with my daughter to potty train...She takes off her nappy and pants and sits on her potty but then just gets up again and refuses to put her nappy back...I'm a first time mother and would love advice on how to pottytrain!!!!Thank you

Carrie - posted on 08/12/2010

i tried stickers candy games i got her the princess toilet seat and the princess potty chair she knows when she has to go but refused the potty chair

Alison - posted on 08/12/2010

Try leaving it alone for a few months. Let him be the decider.

Lisa - posted on 08/12/2010

Hi sweetie, my oldest will be 3 on 08/21 and he is potty trained. When you say everything, what do u mean? Tell me what you've tried and I will let you know if I can help. Easier for you to tell me then me to give useless advice :). I'll see if I can help you figure something out :)