Potty Training My 2-Year-old

D.: From experience, boys are hard to potty train. I think that you should just relax and know that he will eventually decide that he does not like the feel of wet/dirty diapers against his skin. If you are able, you might also try using cloth diapers since they do not pull the wet feeling away from his skin and he will be uncomfortable quicker. Just a suggestion. You will look back on these years and chuckle that you stressed out over this. Cherish each moment and write down everything that you think you will remember. Trust me, the years go quick and before you know it they are independent and don't even want you to help them with their homework!! :) Good luck!

You need to talk to the father, and the grandmother. They need to help with the potty training.

Consistancy is the key to potty training, and even then some children will regress occasonaly.

Potty training does not happen over night, but it does happen.

My husband trained both of our children. He would take them to the bathroom every 15 minutes all day long. He would sat a timer for 15 minutes and once it went off they were off. It became a game after a few times and they both had fun. In one weeks time they were both potty trained. My husband brags about it all the time. Good luck just be patient. you could also stop sending day time diapers to grandma's. Just tell her he is potty trained, and take him to the potty every so often.

Hi I was just emailed this list of links to help potty train some pertain to children who have Autism, but I think they will work on any child. there are a ton of great tips and links for information you might want to check out and see if anything will work for you. Good Luck and I hope you find something to help you out.

http://www. creativepottytraining. com/index. html: An idea for doing a game instead of a sticker chart.

http://www. sensory-processing-disorder. com/The_SPD_Companion -SPD-and-potty-training.html - The Sensory Processing Disorder Companion newsletter issue devoted to potty training.

http://www. epinions. com/content_###-###-#### - description of one autism mom's experience. She includes links to visual aids/PECS.

http://www. teacch. com/toilet. html - advice from TEACHH. Includes a checklist, which some kids find motivating (task completion).

http://www. nas. org. uk/nas/jsp/polopoly. jsp?d=528&a=3366 - from the National Autistic Society in the UK

http://www. autismsa. org. au/pdf/strategies/IS20_Toileting. pdf - Information sheet from the Autism Association of South Australia.

Sample social stories:

http://www. setbc. org/pictureset/resources/potty_story/potty_ story.

pdf - with illustrations

http://www. polyxo. com/socialstories/ss0004. html -

http://www. autism-india. org/apr00. html

http://www. butterflyeffects. com/tips/toilet-training-tips-so cial-story-for-toilet-training.

aspx

http://www. frsd. k12. nj. us/autistic/Social%20Stories/Pages/go ing_to_the_bathroom.

htm

http://etd. lib. ttu. edu/theses/available/etd-10212006-124110/ unrestricted/Brown_Donna_Diss.pdf - page 183 in the document (page 193 according to the viewer), specifically about flushing.

http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=wSznf5We2Jc - video social story about using the bathroom at school instead of peeing outside on the playground.

With Tom and Jerry!

http://www. machkovich. com/CorysAutismRecovery/SocialStories/ GoingToTheRestroomInPublicPlaces.

pdf - about using a public restroom (with pictures)

http://www. machkovich. com/CorysAutismRecovery/SocialStories/ OnceUponAPotty_2.

pdf - about staying dry at night (with pictures)

http://sam26847. tripod. com/id5. html - potty story with pictures

http://sam26847. tripod. com/id23. html - poop story with pictures

http://www. fcps. edu/ss/its/howtos/socstor/Bathroom%20Book. pd f - bathroom story with pictures

http://www. fcps. edu/ss/its/howtos/socstor/In%20the%20Bathroo m.pdf - about leaving the classroom to use the bathroom.

http://www. fcps. edu/ss/its/howtos/socstor/My%20Potty%20Book.

pdf - about potty training (peeing only)

http://www. amazon. com/gp/reader/1853029505/ref=sib_dp_pt/104 -###-###-####-###-###-#####reader-link - an in-depth story about using the toilet and another about washing hands from Carol Gray's book "My Social Stories".

http://www. thepartnership-yh. org. uk/pages/viewpage. asp?uniqi d=62 (just lick on Social Stories - Leeds). This story is about urinals.

http://forums. rocmoms. com/viewtopic. php?t=57&postdays=0& amp; amp; amp; amp;postorder=asc&start=30&sid=bcd79481a4a6c4c7b016a 1125d7803a5 - simple social story used by a special ed teacher

Picture Checklists/Routines:

http://www. do2learn. com/makeaschedule/helpdocs/index. htm - using the toilet checklist with text and simple pictures for each step.

http://www. setbc. org/setbc/communication/frame_pictureset. ht ml?refpage=/pictureset/SubCategory.

aspx?id=50 - toilet routine

http://www. setbc. org/setbc/communication/frame_pictureset. ht ml?refpage=/pictureset/SubCategory.

aspx?id=50 - bathroom routine

http://www. setbc. org/setbc/communication/frame_pictureset. ht ml?refpage=/pictureset/SubCategory.

aspx?id=50 - boy's public bathroom routine

Kid stuff:

http://www. lil-fingers. com/potty/index. html - online potty book. Look at it alone first, to see if you want to use the sound (a talking toilet!) or read it aloud yourself.

http://www. sesameworkshop. org/sesamestreet/games/pottytime/f lash.

php?contentId=16805504 - Elmo online potty game

Other:

http://www. amazon. com/Toilet-Training-Individuals-Related-Di sorders/dp/1885477457/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-###-###-####-###-###-####?ie =UTF8&s=books&qid=1179811052&sr=8-1 - book by Maria Wheeler called "Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism and Related Disorders", soon to be released in a new edition. Given 4 out of 5 stars by 17 Amazon reviewers.

Dear D.,
As the mother of two boys myself, I feel ya' sister! The oldest seemed to get it at about 2 1/2, right before the second was born. I was afraid he would regress with all of the new stress in the house, but he didn't. The second one took a little longer, almost three, but he takes longer in almost everything he does, so that was just the first of many!

The cheerios in the toilet worked for us, too. That was fun enough that my youngest would go try many more times than he needed to! Also, I kept a jar of M&Ms in plain sight in the bathroom and we had a set system of 2 for trying, 5 for pee, 10 for poop. It was very exciting the first time that we got to count out 10!

The best advice my mother gave me about potty training? "I've never seen a Kindergarten-er in diapers." Continue to be patient...Your boys will appreciate it and you'll be more relaxed, which also helps.

Here's to counting out 10 M&Ms!! Good luck to you and your boys!

D., there has been tons of advice posted on this website about potty training. The general consensus is don't push too hard and just relax. Don't start freaking out until they are nearing 4! One of mine was well over three and the other boy was 2 1/2 but then wet the bed until he was 8. We gave big rewards (BIG!) for using the toilet. Just relax and it will happen, I promise.

read "Toilet Training in Less Than a Day" by Azrin and Foxx. It's great! You must follow it very closely for it to work, but it sounds perfect for your situation. Make sure someone else is caring for your other child outside your home on the day you train or there will be too many interruptions.

Hi D., Have you discussed his potty training with the Grandmother and his bio Dad? Even if you don't have a good relationship with her, now is the time to take the reigns (politely) and let her know that he is growing and changing. GIve her all of the tools to help him learn and you will benifit too. We use a timer, set for every 20-30 minutes and when it dings, we potty (taking the pressure off of her and us). Both G'parents have one, as well as pull ups and all of the necessities, which I stock once a month. I praise them as much for following my system as I do my daughter. I figure the extra effort pays off in the end and the difference has been night and day!
If you don't like/trust her, now is a time to take the opportunity to bridge the gap and attempt to better your arrangement. If this is something you have to do regulary, it might as well not be a chore. Take the high road, take pains not to be condecending to her when you are explaining yourself, and most of all, ask her for her help and advice, even if you don't relly want it. Grandparents are much easier when they think they are helping. If she has too many ideas, explain that this is what works in YOUR home and you appriciate her suggestions and or have tried them (who knows, she might have something good to offer..she did raise at least one kid!) but this is what works and his pediatrician suggests concistency. You can always blame it on the Doc. Having had to build a relationship in the past with people I didn't want to deal with, I can tell you this is the best way. Having an improved path of communication and mutal respect (or at least tolerance) is so much easier, even if there is a lot of tounge biting and inner growling. It pays off in the long run and you might be suprised at the support you recieve from the places you least expect it (now and in the future) if you make the effort (don't give up on the first try) and be polite. It CAN work, it is just a pain in the butt. Good luck!

D.

Hi, I am the mom of 2 girls ages 5 and my youngest will be 3 in August (she has been potty trained since this past Nov). The best thing that I have found with both of mine is just getting them in the habbit of going. Which was hard for me when I stayed at home I would tend to forget to take them. But, when I finally started taking them on a regular basis they seamed to get used to being dry and then everything else just fell into place. I started with times like as soon as they get out of bed in the mornings, before and after nap, before they get into the bathtub, and before bedtime. Work other times in as needed. When I potty trained my oldest I would bribe her with popcicles (I have heard of others doing it with suckers or M&M's) whatever he likes, just don't let him have whatever it is unless he goes to the potty. I would give her one everytime and she would go just so she could get one which unknown to her was reinforceing the habbit. Of course I did have to deal with giving her several a day at first then I would cut it down to "If you stay dry all day then you can have one." Hope this helps! -L.

Get your husband to take him in the bathroom together
your son will learn from dad ( my father-in-law potty trained
my son this way)

This is probably the first of many parenting differences you will have with bio gma. Just know this . . . kids are very smart and even at a very young age learn that the rules/expectations can be different between homes or between individuals. Even if she throws routine and/or rules out the window for two days, he can (and will) come home and adjust back to your routine. It may take 24 hours or so, but it will straighten out. So if your going to have to battle with her from time to time, choose to battle over the safety issues and major concerns . . . let the smaller things go. Once he is well trained (in a few months) he will be able to take responsibility for getting himself to the bathroom and it will no longer be an issue.

just wait and don't stress him. you and he are in a hard spot.

Speak to his grandmother, no matter how distant the relationship may be. Tell her what you are trying to accomplish and make her feel that it will benefit her as well. Let her know that diapers could be a thing of the past and she wouldn't have to spend time changing those and she'd be able to spend more time with the grandchild.

Oh my goodness! I would be mad if all your work in potty training comes undone when your child leaves for a visit. I absolutlely would send him with cloth underwear only and say - Take him potty - just as you would go potty yourself if you wanna keep your pants dry!!! Thats the only way. Then for nighttime- I'd send only One pullup and tell em to put a cloth panty over the outside to reinforce his new big boy underwear use. They are only confusing him. Thats like saying " it's ok to do the wrong thing when mama aint here". Good luck. J.

I have five children, but no means no expert. This is my advice though. I had be very consistent, and not in a hurry. I would sit beside them with a book and read until something happened and praise so much. A happy time! I wouldn't concern myself with what the other family members do other than tell them what you are trying to do. He will remember what you expect of him evenually. The more respect you give to him, the more he will want to please you.

Dear D.,

I just wanted to encourage you to continue with potty-training him. My own son (middle child with two sisters)was completely potty trained by 23 months. Between the ages of 18 mos and 2, they are in the "Elmo" stage and want to please mommy and feel proud when you praise them and they love positive rewards (we used M&M's , but Skittles are great too). Once they turn 2 1/2 - 3 they go into a boundary testing phase and it becomes very hard to train them. Several of my friends have boys who still won't go #2 in the potty at age 4+.

Sitting them backwards works very well. Try tossing cheerios or fruit loops in the potty to give him something to aim at. Another thing that worked well for me was to allow my son to take responsibility for any accidents - give him a towel and let him "clean up" (Of course once he was out of sight, I would give a more thorough clean). I also agree that it is unwise to go backwards (IE return to diapers) once potty-training has begun. Just remind yourself that it is only messy for a little while - especially compared to the mess and expense of diapers.

Congratulations on having such a smart little boy - you can get him trained - it sounds like you are well on your way.

Blessings,
D.

Your best bet is to get Mema involved, and let her know how you're doing it so she can mimic while he's there. But, I know how difficult that can be sometimes (I'm not on speaking terms with mine). One of my girls was ready at 1 1/2 yrs, but she had a surgery coming up at 2, so we put it off. We didnt get her trained until about 3 1/2 yrs. Try to remind dad's mom that its about what's best for the child, and good luck :}