Potty training is sooo hard, I really need some suggestions

Meryl - posted on 04/06/2010

Love the cheerios idea!
My little boy used to hide behind the sofa to do his no. 2's too, so I tried something I had heard and thought was not likely to work but anything's worth a try. I put his potty between the arm of the sofa and the wall (you could do it right behind the sofa) and told him it is his 'den' for his poos! This worked as if by magic. He had the privacy he needed which is why they go behind the sofa in the first place.

Katie - posted on 04/03/2010

Kayla my son use to hide when he had to poop. He knew he was supposed to go in the potty but he was afraid to try. Boys do not like taking the time to stop and go. I found that the more I pushed the potty training the worst it was. I am not a beliver in pull-ups. When I potty trained my son I put him in underwear. Everytime he wet his pants he had to stop what he was doing and change himself. He did not like this so he trained in about a week. He had accidents for a couple of months but he has done well since. I do use pull ups for bed because he does not wake up to go to go potty. Hope this helps.

Justin - posted on 04/03/2010

My daughter was actually really defiant when it came to using the potty, it was truly a battle of the wills with her, she did really well, but then reverted and it took until she as 3 1/2 and ready to go into preschool. Our preschool has a requirement that they must be toilet training and wearing real underware, no pull-ups. It will click for them when they are completely ready. We explained that if she was a "big girl" and used the "big-girl" potty she would be able to go to school. That was her clicking point.

Jodi - posted on 04/02/2010

Its taken us 6 months to get out 2y8mth son to get to about 95% trained - there were days I thought we'd never get there. We've never punished him for accidents but have got strict at times - if I know he's hasn't been in 2 hours I stop everything (tv, cooking etc) and say we aren't doing anything else until he goes to the toilet. That includes before we go to the shops - we just have to be patient and stick to our guns, if he doesn't go then we don't go out until he does. I also found my son has a competitive streak so I say well I'll go first and then you can go after me - he usually runs screaming to the toilet insisting that he goes first! I agree with the other mums - get rid of the pull ups and make the trips away from home short (30mins etc) until he gets the hang of it. Yes there might be some embarassing situations - it will be worth it in the end.

Katy - posted on 04/01/2010

My little boy turned 3 in february and as been since early march, anytime before that i had no chance, i took his pull ups off and left him, he weed a few times in his pants and because i had sugarcoated any acidents he turned round and said "never mind, i can wee wee in my pants its ok", i then turned a little bit stricter (not harshly) just for 1 day, now all i hear is "mummy i need a wee/poo poo" we even had a successful trip round town the other day too in big boy pants......... potty training...done!!

Kate - posted on 04/01/2010

Put on his training pants, not pull ups, and go play outside, or go to the park or something. Tell him if he pees in them that you have to go back in or home depending where you are. He will soon learn he can't just away with it without consequences. Ask him every 20 minutes or so if he has to go. He'll soon get the hang of it.

Devon - posted on 04/01/2010

hey, little boys and the toilet are definately a joy. the first and best thing to do is get rid of the pull up during the day, they're way too convenient and really hurt the process. I know underwea or nude is messier but that's what makes them effective. The second is to ask ALL the time if they need to go. third is to put cheerios in the bowl for him to try to sink, my son was impossible to train sitting down, as soon as the cheerios went in and he got to stand to pee he caught on really quick. Also let him go into the bathroom with his dad when he's gotta go, little boys love to do things just like daddy :) I hope that helps.... patience is definately a virtue.

Steph - posted on 03/30/2010

Hi Kayla, i really feel for you. My little boy is 2 & half and will not entertain the potty at all, i'm reaaly struggling too. x

Steph - posted on 03/30/2010

i am having the same problem with my 3 yr old,wees are fine in toilet sometimes he tells me when he wants to go ,sometimes he goes in his pull up,i dont preasure him to go as i dont want to frighten him away from the toilet all together,no 2's are the same as your little boy,i find him hiding behind the sofa going in his pull up or he will wait until he goes to bed,and then tell me afterwards.i put the no 2 down the toilet and we wave it off when we flush lol and he might do more while i have him on the toilet and then tell me he needs to do no 2 the next day, i use reward system a jelly foor wees and a lolly for no 2's.boys are always slower to train then girls,but with plenty of love,patience and the reward system u and ur lil boy will see results,make going to the toilet fun for him, best of luck x

Katherine - posted on 03/29/2010

Have you tried using rewards? Perhaps a lolly, sticker whatever you think he might be interested in for when he tells you he needs to go, or wverytime he uses the potty. You might also have better luck using the toilet, rather than a potty. We only used a potty for about three weeks before using the toilet.



We used stickers for our little girl and its worked a treat .... although she still doesn't tell us she's ready either, but she sways from side to side when she feels it coming ... perhaps your little man does something similar!! It took us a while to figure it out.



Good luck!