Can anyone help me with potty training tips?

Dale - posted on 11/20/2008

We bought a bag of little Thomas the tank engine toys, everytime he did no. 2 in the potty, he got a toy or a treat. Lots of encouragement and praise helped, we even tried sitting his nappy in the potty! Once he was used to the potty he didn't expect the treats anymore. He would pee no worries but it took us months to get him to do no. 2 that was after he was 3, he is now 4.5 and wears a nappy to bed which he sometimes does a no.2 in. I've also heard boys are later at potty use than girls which seems to be the ase as my 1 year old daughter gets upset if she wets herself during no nappy time.

Jami - posted on 11/20/2008

My mother was very helpful in potty training my son (and nephew) as she cared for him while I was at work. When we made the decision to start potty training at 2 1/2 (when we felt he was ready), my mother would simply ask him every 1/2 hour if he needed to go potty and would sit him on it regardless to at least "try" for one minute. If he went potty, he got to put a sticker on the Potty Chart and we always made a big deal out of it with the clapping, hugs, etc. If he went #2 on the potty or proactively went to the potty on his own, he got two stickers. I sware to you, he was fully potty trained in three weeks and my nephew, in two. Also, we put him in regular underwear during the day and pull-ups at night for those few weeks of training. After that, just underwear. Fortunately, he has never wet the bed. As for aiming...that's still a work in progress!

Kimberly - posted on 11/20/2008

I have a son with autism but the same method worked for my typical daughter......I went online and printed out PEC cards for the potty method...then I cut them out and glued them to a cardboard and set it on the potty....I numbered them 1-12---ex: 1 pull down your pants, 2 sit on the potty--PEC cards are pictures and we all know men are visual---it worked in two days for both of my children---just a suggestion!! Also no stress as I have seen another mother say...all the best

Kerry - posted on 11/20/2008

Don't stress. Most boys I know are not fully potty trained until 3-1/2. Even if he gets potty trained now, it is very possible that he will regress when the baby gets here and he will have lots of accidents because he wants the attention and the baby wears diapers so why can't he?

Yvonne - posted on 11/20/2008

dear Lyn, I have 2 boys ,4 and 6 yrs. old. BOTH would Pee in the potty before the age of one- if they did'nt have a diaper on [mirroring Dad I guess.] So for peepee I think try to leave the diaper off at home and just keep asking 'do you want to peepee in the pottie?? 'Of couse lots of praise and cheering[we took pics ,etc..]You can anticipate a regular time of day for "poopie" and make it a fun time to Sit on the pottie. Don't force it! Every child really is different!!We had a problem with our first son and he would' hold it in' until he got home from pre-school and we didn't even KNOW until he had some blood appear when we wiped him! He had to take miralax everyday and get sonograms for @ 9 months . The specialist said this is common and it takes quite awhile to clear out the intestines.

[.Personally for us] pull-ups were not the answer. They are not as absorbant and I washed more sheets and things because of the leaks! I do rec omend the washable mattress covers from Malem[they make alarms for deep-sleepers and children whose bladders do not receive the 'pee' signal from the brain- we learned @ this from a urologist the same son went to. ]

I hope this info helps.Let me know if you need more specifics!yj

Kari - posted on 11/20/2008

I agree with having Dad or brothers show him how to do it and make him think its cool. It worked great with my son! We also did the cheerio thing and gave him a sticker after he went successfully. I did notice he got discouraged when he had an accident and we got mad, so just let him know its okay but explain to him that he needs to go on the toilet and not in his underwear.

Jenn - posted on 11/20/2008

Me, and all my family members that have had boys have done the same thing. You throw cheerios or fruit loops in the toilet. They think you are stupid for doing so and find it funny and/or entertaining... then you play sink the cheerios/fruitloops with their urine... it teaches them aim while having fun. Since it is ridiculous and entertaining they seem to take to it rather easily. Pooping on the other hand can be a challenge... alot of boys take forever to take to pooping on the potty... mine did it because they saw kids at daycare older than them doing it and eventually wanted to do it too.

Stacy - posted on 11/20/2008

It took my son until he was almost 4 before he really understood the whole method of potty training! I was so stressed out and tried to pressure him into going. But when I just relaxed and let him take control of when he wanted to go, it was like it finally clicked with him. He used to stand in the bathroom and wet or dirty his pants. But the day he walked in and said "mommy I have to potty" i told him to go in there and he went. It helped that both mommy and daddy were there to give him a big potty praise party, but hey, what more could you ask for?!!

Tess - posted on 11/20/2008

Go to the following link and read about Potty Training Boot Camp: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/story?id...

I used this method with my very reluctant 3rd child (son) and while it didn't take one day, it was over in 3 and we've never gone back! Good luck!

Sue - posted on 11/20/2008

Hiya, don't stress about it. Someone told me that l should have my first child trained at two and l tried and tried but she wasn't having any of it and l was so stressed then someone told me not to worry and that their child was nearly three and it was a lot easier at that age. Just intoduce him slowly and let him get to know his potty and what its for. He will go on it when hes ready. You will probably find it easier with your second child (congratulations by the way) as he or she will have seen their sibling going on the potty already.

User - posted on 11/20/2008

Yes, don't rush and let Jethro tell you when he is ready. This is the one area of life he has control over. Let him be the one to decide. Meanwhile having Dad take him into the bathroom when ever possible and getting a small potty chair may help get him thinking.

Amy - posted on 11/20/2008

Just use lots of enouragement and praise...don't make him feel bad if he has an accident...most importantly BE CONSISTANT! My son wasn't potty trained until just before he turned 3, but we made such a big deal out of him going pee in the toilet that he caught on very quickly...but you have til May until the new one arrives so don't rush him :)

Sharon - posted on 11/20/2008

i have three grown boys...first they are harder to train than girls...second 2 is no big deal it took till my boys where three before there was no more accident...treats and hours of sitting on the potty never worked either...the one thing that did help was having dad show them how its done...or an older brother...its hard but don't give up he'll catch on..happy parenting...wish they came with a manual..lol

Nicole - posted on 11/20/2008

Just leave 'em alone until they're ready. I have 3 children, I didn't even attempt with my oldest until he was 3 and it went better than if I had done it at 2, his brother did it at 2 b/c he saw his big bro do it and my 2 1/2 yr. old daughter is NOT interested! So I'm leaving her alone until she's ready. It's just too much stress on everyone if they're not ready!