any advice potty training a 2 1/2 year old

April - posted on 11/30/2008

I think the child has to be ready. My son was potty trained right at 2. He is 4 now and has had like 2 accidents. My daughter on the other hand was peeing in the potty at 2 1/2 and still pooping in her panties. Then one day she just quit and started going to the bathroom when she needed to. We didn't use stickers or candy or anything we just praised them and told them they were getting so big. That worked better than the stickers. I know my kids are weird! haha! Good luck!

Tanya - posted on 11/29/2008

First off, does he show interest in it...he has to initiate the interest rather than you saying OK, time to start potty training. It would be a waste of time to try to do this if he is not ready. Boys mature later than girls.



That being said...consistency is the key. The best advice I got was from a woman with 5 children. She said that once you decide to start the process, you get rid of the diapers and don't use the pull-ups at all except for bedtime (because wetting to bed can still remain an issue longer than daytime issues). You put a pair of big boy or big girl panties on them and every 1-2 hours, whenever your child gives you a clue that they have to go to the bathroom, right after meals (meals stimulate the need to use the bathroom), before you leave the house, the moment you arrive somewhere (another house, store, restaurant, etc.) you take them to the bathroom and sit on there for a few minutes like it's no big deal. It's just part of the routine. If they go to the bathroom then it's a big deal and there is praise, praise, praise given. No going back and forth between big kid pants and diapers/pull-ups during the daytime though because it confuses the little one. Bring changes of clothes with you wherever you go and expect some accidents in the beginning. Hey, it's part of parenting. We all went through it. It takes time. Summer is a great time to potty train as well because there is less clothing to wear and less fuss. Good luck.

Andrada - posted on 11/29/2008

I agree "Toilet Training in less than a Day" is a Fantastic book. My son is autisitc and everyone is amazed that he is TOTALLY potty trained. It took one weekend for him. Friday at preschool has was in a pull up, Monday he was in underwear and never had an accident at school. Boys usually do better closer to 3 but this book has a readiness quiz you can give your child to make sure that he is ready.

Carolyn - posted on 11/29/2008

I agree with Jamie, do not push. It is soo much easier when you see signs they are ready...like they are aware when they poop (hiding in the corner, or squating behind a chair to fill their diaper), they are interested in what a potty is for, etc. I trained my first son at 2 yrs, and it was a STRUGGLE! Then someone told me that for boys, 3 yrs is much easier. They were right, I had no problem with the next one. The method I used was the 3-day, $75 approach. Three days of no diapers or pull ups, just new special underwear. You show them where they are supposed to put their pee and poo, and leave it up to them. As a 2 1/2 to three year old, they like to say "I do it myself!" And, when the pee runs down the leg, they figure it out pretty fast. Nobody likes that feeling. Diapers are so absorbent, that kids don't even realize they pee until you take away the diapers! Don't yell or scold when they miss, but do praise and clap when they go in the potty. You do have to be attentive, and follow them around so you know where the puddles are, but in three days they should have it down. The $75 is for carpet cleaning ;-)

Jamie - posted on 11/29/2008

We used a timer. Every 15 min. it would beep and it would be "Potty time." During potty time, read a book on the potty, sing songs, etc. Sometimes she went and sometimes she didn't but it became more and more consistent and we could even start moving to 20 min. as she was staying dry. There were a couple times when she didn't want to stop what she was doing to go potty, but I told her she would lose that privilege (computer, movie, etc), that she wouldn't get to pick out new princess underwear, and she had to keep wearing diapers if she didn't go when it was time. It worked for us. We used training pants and plastic pants at daycare (at her request) and pull-ups at home. She did great and was potty trained in a month! She was in underwear even at night in 2 months! She was also 2 1/2! The key was consistency between daycare and home, I think! My son may not be so simple, I think! He seems to be a lot more stubborn! We will have to wait and see, he is only 18 months right now! Good luck! Oh, and remember not to push him! He will train faster if he feels it is his idea than if he feels you are trying to force something on him! It's a toddler thing!

Kristy - posted on 11/28/2008

The key is to make a BIG DEAL out of any success! People say boys are harder but my son was a lot easier than my daughter. We went on a special BIG BOY SHOPPING TRIP for big boy underwear - he picked them out. We also bought a box of cherrios and made a game out of potty time. We would see if we could "sink the cherrios"... he LOVED this! It was a great incentive for him to go potty. We also had a "poopy chart" made out of construction paper (we did this together) and posted it on the wall beside his potty - every time he went poopy he would put a sticker (we used balls of various kinds - from Dollar tree). We had one at home adn at my mothers house (he stayed with her a lot too). A far as your mom - talk to her honestly about your expectations. Tell her you want to try this(whatever your plan) with him and need everyone on the same page and being consistent so he can learn quicker. Good Luck!!!

Eve - posted on 11/28/2008

out of all my four children my last one was the easiest.thomas is 2 1/2 and the daycare started him off on a wednesday he was there she tells him to go every 20minutes and i had to do the same when he got home so i didnt go out for 2 days so i can be persistent with him to go potty.he was toilet trained in 2 weeks.as for the poos he just went on the potty himself and touch wood he hasnt had any accidents.u have to be patient and consistent with them otherwise it wont work

Janine - posted on 11/28/2008

Cori, I've been there. My kids are 18 months apart. I've had both kids in diapers and both in pull ups at one time or another. It's hard when you have a baby and one young enough to be trained and they both need you. Good luck to everyone on potty training your children. What ever works the best for your child is the best to do. It takes time and a lots of accidents before you're through.

Cori - posted on 11/28/2008

My daughter is far from potty trained.. but we're trying. I brought her to Michael's (the craft store) to pick out stickers.. then she gets one when she goes and we make a huge deal about it. We're using pull-ups right now because we have a 3 month old at home too and I can't deal with undies right now. Her pull-ups have Dora on them and when I put them on her I say "now, don't poop or pee on Dora.. we poop and pee in the potty." It's working slowly but surely. I think it would be faster.. but we get distracted with what the baby needs and don't always get her on the potty in time.

Donna - posted on 11/28/2008

Lots of juice!!! or liquid, fill him up. Sit him on the potty and get really excited as soon as anything comes out!

Janine - posted on 11/28/2008

every one is saying how boys train harder than girls. NOT in my house. I started training my daughter when she was two( she showed no interest before that) She was almost 6 before she was trained completely over night was the worst. Now my son he was almost 2 when he started to train and I say he trained himself. I went in the bathroom one day and there he was sitting and peeing. No problems.

Caron - posted on 11/28/2008

I agree with the other posts, but would like to add a couple of things. I potty trained my 2 1/2 year old son this summer. I would make a big deal out of how gross it is to poop in a diaper, and tell him that poop goes in the potty. I actually gave him chocolate chips when he peed on the potty and he got a few extra when he pooped. I told him when he could go potty and keep his underwear dry for 2 weeks, we would go buy him a toy that he picked out. This also marked the end of chocolate chips. If he asked for them again, I would just tell him to go play with his new toy. I would also not say, "Don't wet you're pants". Focus on what you want him to do, which is stay dry. Remind him to keep his underwear dry by going potty when he needs to. It helps to have underwear with his favorite characters on them - "Keep Lightening McQueen dry"... Hope this helps some :)

Mel - posted on 11/28/2008

The post by Janine Legere, worked for my nephew, its a pretty amazing storey of a boy I didn't think would ever potty train, (health issues included) anyway, the sticker program was the toilet training hero of that storey !!

Janine - posted on 11/28/2008

I started with smarties then moved to stickers. One small sticker for a pee and either two little ones or a big one for a poop. This way he can show off his good job to other people ( Dad, Aunts, Uncles) Have a sticker book for them. I made one out of construction paper I got from the dollar store and that's where I got the stickers to.
Just be up front with your mom, she should understand. Explain that for potty training to work everyone has to be consistent with getting him to go. Have him go in with you when you go and say "OH, Mommy peed..!!!" Tell him he's a big boy when he pees and make a BIG DEAL out of it everytime. It's a pain in the A%^ but it's works. Good luck

Danielle - posted on 11/28/2008

There's a book called "Toilet training in less than one day"
It was written in like 1976. Best system ever. I trained both my kids in 1 day!
Unbelievable but it works. It's kinda hard to find in stores 'cause it's so old but you can find it on Amazon.
Good luck!

Amber - posted on 11/28/2008

boys seem to generally take a little longer, as I understand it, it's their anatomy and really isn't anything more. My daughter is 28 months, and at 18 months asked to use the potty, did once, and since then only once or twice has she. I am waiting for her to let me know... wish I had more advice