I am in the middle stages of potty training. For the most part besides going out on errands or sleeping at night my son wears his underwear and will tell us if he needs to go potty. #1 that is . He will be two 1/2 in october and he absolutely refuses to go # 2 in the potty. We have tried rewards, and much encouragement but he will hold it in until he has a pull up on. He has even now began hiding finally has to have a bowel movement. We have never made him feel that he was doing a bad thing and we reassure him its ok for #2s to go into the potty. I am worried that him holding it in will hurt his organs and so we give in and give him a pull up. But I am also worried that he will be 5 before he decides that going #2 in the potty is what you are suppose to do. My question is has anyone else experienced this issue and if so how did you get thru it?
A.,
My daughter did the same thing. We knew she could go in the toilet, she just didn't want to. Until we said that we would take her to Disneyland as a reward as soon as she was in real undies full time, that is. She was fully trained within 2 weeks. It worked like a charm.
best of luck
I have a seven year old and a two year old. With my seven year old, we worried at first until our pediatrician assured us she would do it when she was ready. Same goes for our two year old. My seven year old learned it at a preschool watching other kids.
Two is still very young and I wouldn't put a timetable on it. Your child will do it when he's ready. I kind of liken it to going into a store. When my kids grab something and I tell them to put it back, they will not do it. So I ask a store associate to ask for it, and they give it back right away. Perhaps it is the same with potty training. Let him learn from an outside influence. Perhaps watching other kids in a preschool environment would help.
But I would not make a big issue of it, with rewards, etc. It sounds like he's just not ready. He'll get tired of doing it in his pants eventually. We did, didn't we? :)
A.,
I'm really glad you brought this up. I had exactly the opposite happen with my son. My son will be 2 in December and he really absolutely refuses to go #1. I was told that he's simply not able to potty train effectively until he can pull his own pants down, but I feel it's simply not the case. If you find anything out, please pass it along. I'm sure someone is going to say, take away the security of any type of diapers even pull ups. Good luck!
Hi A..
I am also potty training my 2yr old son. He does not poop in the toilet, but the method I'm trying is throwing the poop into the toilet and have him watch me do it. Then he flushes it. He is now able to tell me when he has a BM and will tell me to throw it in the toilet. Maybe try this technique so he knows where it's suppose to go and that it's not a scary thing.
Is he going on a little floor potty or on the big potty? I read somewhere, that sometimes, it is harder for them to bear down sitting on a big potty and that they feel like they will fall. If they are sitting on a small potty that sits on the floor, they are able to brace themselves better and bear down. Once they get the hang of it, then try going back to the big potty.
Hi A.!
I can totally relate to your problem! I am a mom of 3, 2 girls and one boy. My son had the same issue as yours. He is now 5, and I promise, he goes # 2 on the potty!LOL! He was afraid to do # 2 in the potty for some time. He did great w/ # 1 like your son. Im not sure what the fear is, I cannot figure that one out, but I can give you some advice. I got so tired of the pull ups, so I just put underwear on him, and if he went #2 in his undies, o-well! Let me tell you, he picked it up quick, because it feels "yucky" to have poop in your pants! I know it sounds cruel, and mean, but it didn't take long. It is gross, but it was the answer for us. And my son would hold it too, but dont worry, when they have to go bad enough, they will! Just dont give in to the pull up. That is just going to prolong the whole experience. I wish you luck!
T.
A.,
My daughter ( now 3 1/2) did the EXACT same thing! I was soo frustrated. I let her have a choice when she had to go #2 of either going in a diaper or potty. She used to ALWAYS choose the diaper and it was a whole big deal to even get her to go. But eventually, as she got more comfortable with the potty it eventaully became a non-issue. The only advice I can give you is to be patient, there's really nothing you can DO. He'll get it, don't worry!
Hi A.,
It sounds like your son is doing great!!!! Many of the articles/books I have read about potty training indicate that physically children don't really develop the internal control to handle going to the bathroom until much later. I believe that for boys it ranges around the 36 month time frame, with girls being a little sooner. Don't forget that peeing and pooping use two completely different sets of muscles to control what needs to be done. It feels different too. The most important potty training step to remember is that you can't force them to go. ( I know I've tried it ). It creates a very poor situation surrounding bathroom duties for ALL parties involved. I have a son that wasn't potty trained until he was four.(And yes, I was panicking) Then he would pee in the toilet but not poop for at least six months. He use to wear his underwear, change into a pull-up to do his business, then I would clean him up and back into the underwear he went. Sounds strange but it's true. Finally we were visiting my sister, and he had to poop. He couldn't find a pull up and his 6 yr old cousin walked him to the bathroom and he went. But at home it was back to the same routine until the following weekend we were at another sister's home and he was able to poop in her toilet. Finally he got the picture. Yipee!!!! My daughter was toilet trained at the age of three. We worked on it, she lost interest for a couple of months, then she decided to go for it. Within a couple of days she was peeing and pooping like a champ. Neither one of my children have ever had an accident!!!! Not even at night!!!! My 22 month old already shows interest in sitting on the toilet. Being a boy, he even tries to stand and pee, which is very funny since he isn't tall enough for that yet. Maybe he will be my bathroom genius. Good luck.
well, ive worked in several daycares and have seen this alot!!! I believe that the water splashing back on their little bottoms may scare them try a floor potty like sombody already suggested!!
