Any good potty training tips?

Stephanie - posted on 09/02/2010

I have always been told that boys were harder to potty train than girls I didn't believe it until I started potty training my son. I started potty training at 2 and did like you are working at his pace I never thought I would get my son potty trained. It was march of this yr and he still wasn't potty trained I was getting discourage thinking I was going to have a 3 yr old in pullups, but one morning he woke up and decided that he didn't want to wear pullups anymore and he has been potting everyday since, he was in 3 in June. Keep up the great work and don't get discouraged he will start using the potty when he is ready.

Adele - posted on 09/02/2010

Last year I toilet trailed my nephew while my sister was recovering from surgery, What for warm weather then I put him in undies and told him he was a big boy and to tellme if he wanted toilet, although I did take him often to get him use to the potty.I also removed the nite time pull ups and toileted when he went to bed and before I went to bed at 10pm, also encouraging him to go when he got up. It took 3 days and he has had no wet bebs and just the odd accident when he has left it to long when outside playing. ( which was sorted without any fuss)

Allison - posted on 08/31/2010

Here is what worked for me, and my son was 3 yrs and 3 months.
First, if you have a husband or other adult male in the house allow your son to watch him go to the bathroom and/or allow him to watch you go to the bathroom. We did both. We live in the north, so I took a week off work in January while my husband was away on vacation. I stocked up on everything we would need so I didn't have to leave the house for anything for the first 3 or 4 days. And we told him for the week prior that on that certain day he was NOT going to wear pull-ups anymore, that he was a big guy and had to start going to the bathroom like a big guy. We got up that morning and put undies on and everytime he went in the potty he got a new hot wheels car. He had one accident the first day and one the second day. I didn't scold him, I reassured him that it was okay and that he was doing a great job. After the 2nd day didn't even care about getting a new car, in fact I started "recycling" the cars I had already given him. Prior to that he was already going thru the night dry, so that was never an issue for us. I have had friends that have had to use night pull ups for longer. That was it for us. They really will do it when they are ready. If you have not already, talk to his doctor. It was very reassuring to me to hear that my doc didn't get her son trained until he was 3 1/2 years old. I think the key for me was being able to take the time to really totally focus on it for several days in a row without any other distractions.

Jessica - posted on 08/30/2010

He will do it when he is ready!... My son turned 3 in June and I can finally just say now that he is completely potty trained where he doesn't wear a pullup at night or anything. I never pushed him and I just let him do his own thing. It helped that he was in daycare and he wanted to be like the other kids, but when I tried with him I was the one who just got frustrated with it. I was pregnant with my daughter and felt he really needed to be potty trained before she was born, and it didn't work. I gave up and let him be himself, and he did it. All good things in all good time. Good luck! (and don't listen to those who tell you not to use pullups... I am a 40+ hour a week working single mom of 2 and 1 on the way... I do not have time to wash messy sheets every morning, and do not want my carpets to smell like pee... do whatever is comfortable for you)

Monica - posted on 08/30/2010

My son was scared of his potty. So I had to watch him very carefully to get his bathroom patterns down. As soon as he started showing the signs, I pulled his pants down and set him on the pot. If he tried to get up, I would make him stay. When something was in the potty, I made a big deal out of it and gave him a lolly pop. This went on for about 1 week, then he started doing it on his own. I know you don't want to force him, but sometimes, and with somethings it is needed. Your going to find along the way, that you will have to force him to do a lot of things he is not ready for

Elizabeth - posted on 08/30/2010

I have 2 girls - so only know through my sister in law - buy are a little harder than girls form what I'm told but here's what we did and it worked well. Sound weird but if you have the privacy and the weather cooperates...
We let them run around naked and they immediately associated the "feeling" with that happens after "that feeling" of having to go to the bathroom. DO NOT use pullups or training pants - ask any pediatrician - it only delays the process. Part of what gets them trained is that feeling of being uncomfortable. It's messy for you bu the results are worth it. Rewards (stickers, chochkee type stuff...) and LOTS of praise (but DON'T punish). There is also a potty training "target practice kit" out there. Also - know that night time is very different form bed time. You can not patty train a child to be dry or get up to go to the bathroom. Night time is purely a brain developmental thing and will happen as his sleep patterns mature.
Hope this helps!

Marci - posted on 08/29/2010

I HAD MY KIDS TO GO PEE ON MOMMA'S FLOWERS OUTSIDE....THEY WOULD GET SO EXCITED THAT EVENTUALLY THEY UNDERSTOOD WHEN THEY HAD TO GO....

Victoria - posted on 08/29/2010

try putting cheerios in the toilet and have him try aimimg at them or do a potty dance make a big thing out of it. now for the #2 we got a train my really like and when he went potty,he got to play with it,but when he didn't go potty he didn't get the toy until he went. that happen just one weeken he was broken. Best of luck

Jaime - posted on 08/28/2010

I used a book called 'how to potty train your child in a day" or something like that. My son was 2 1/2 at the time and it worked great for him.