Potty Training - Dundas,MN

We started training our 3 year old because we want to send him to preschool in the fall. He started out waiting until we put the diaper back on to pee. So the second day we put him in training underwear and he had a lot of accidents. I expected it - but needed him to know what it felt like. The 3rd day he went once in the morning and once in the afternoon and held it all the rest of the times until his diaper was on. By the 4th day he was willing to use the potty all day. We have had setbacks here and there, but it did take him a few days to be okay with it.

Also, he won't let us be in the bathroom with him. He likes to go in by himself, get the job done and then come tell us. We are always within earshot and if it's been longer than normal we check on him or if he sounds like he's doing things he shouldn't we check on him.

Good luck - I've decided potty training is my least favorite parenting activity:)

-J.

H.,
When my daughter was afraid of using the potty, I found a great potty training video (hopefully in CD form now) by Duke University called It's Potty Time. It's available online just goggle itor go to Amazon.com. I would carry her little potty chair into the family room and have the video on. At first she would just watch, then she starting using the potty and finally we got it moved into the bathroom. It has some cute songs and both my kids loved it. Good luck. L. K. Duluth, MN

I feel your pain! I'm going through potty training with my daughter, too. It's the most frustrating/difficult part of parenting for me so far! Will he sit on the potty for you but just not pee on it? When he sits on it, can you give him something to distract him a little, with the hopes that he will relax enough to go in the potty? Maybe a book or a book of stickers to look through? A lot of times I can't get my daughter to sit on the potty (especially when I'm pretty sure she needs to go...of course), so I give her a sticker if she sits on the potty, and two stickers if she goes. I let her look at books or look through the sticker book (Walmart- about $5-I got one that is probably more for teachers because it was in with the posterboard, but it has animals and encouraging phrases) and pick out a sticker to put on her potty chart. We're making progress, so I think it's helping. Sometimes when I am trying to get her to sit on the potty, I look at the sticker book and talk about all the great stickers in there and try to get her really excited about it, then I let her look at the sticker book on the potty. It works most of the time! Good luck! I'm gearing up to do the 3 day marathon of underwear only, watching like a hawk and running her to the bathroom. My friends swear by it, so I'm going to give it a try.

Does he feel comfortable sitting on the potty? That's what I have done with all my kids & just started getting my 20 month to sit on the potty. One way is that my kids have never let me go to the potty myself & were always were in there. They started out with books & we sing a fun potty song when they try. If he is scared to go he will get constipated & that will make things even more difficult. One thing I have heard is spend a few days at home with him & be outside if possible & have him go those days without clothes. It will show him what it feels like to go without a diaper or anything. That has worked for many parents.

It's hard to know what's going on, but if he does not stop you may want to take him in to make sure he does not have an infection.

My son just turned 3 and we've been potty training for a couple weeks now. He's doing OK with potty, but pooping is our problem. I think he's just not really ready yet for it. He seems scared to go when he actually has the urge. He started off holding it and was so miserable, now he waits until we aren't around, hides and goes in his underwear. We put so much pressure on him without realizing it that we've made it worse I think. I just got a book called "Mommy, I Have to Go Potty," and it seems to address potty training problems more that the usual book. I have not read much of it yet, but I am getting more ideas now than I've had so far.

Hang in there...I think we both need a lot of hugs and back pats to get through this. Feel free to e-mail me privately for support!