Seeking Advice from Any Mom About Potty Training

Learning from experience with two sons of my own I found that a gum ball machine worked GREAT! I put a gumball machine on the back of the toilet and when they would potty I rewarded them with a penny to get their own gum out of the machine. Not only did they love the gum but they loved getting to use the machine and do it themselves. Just an idea you can even try m&m's in it whatever he likes. Let me know how things go. GOOD LUCK.

My son was four before he was ready. We tried getting him to go before that, but for some reason he just didn't want to do it. Then right after his fourth birthday he decided he was to big to be wearing diapers and started going in the potty. After all the hard work we did to try to get him potty trained he basically did it himself.

Hi T.

I think from personal experience he probably is not ready and does not need to be forced. Honestly, I waited till right after my three sons third birthday and it took four days that is it. I used to try before when they were two and it didn't take so with my third one i just waited. It is hard when other people have this one trained at so and so age but if he has not caught on or if he refuses then he is definately not ready. Studies show that kids should not be forced and it is a big accomplishment and so on with potty training. I know with my fourth son who is 1 that I will wait because there is no need to stress when you wait and it takes no time at all....

C.

My daughter was completely potty trained at 16 months. At 3 years old I too would feel desparate. How did I do it? One weekend, at age 14 months, I began to let her go without underwear. We began on Friday and ended when she went to Daycare Monday morning. At night I put pull ups on her for bedtime. Yes it was a little messy on Friday, but she didn't want to poop on the floor. She had less success holding her pee at first. I made the potties accessible, one in the living room and one upstairs so she didn't have far to go when she felt the urge. I gave her hugs and kisses when she made it, and reassured her that she would get it right when she made a mistake. He daycare also helped by taking them to the potty every 2 hours. At night I would wake her to go to the potty. Yes it was time consuming, but it was worth it.

First let me say that it is great that he is doing so well. I have 3 kids and it has been my experience that some are ready earlier than others. I truly believe that wach child has his/her on time line. That doesn't mean that we can't try to help them along, just that it really is up to them to decide when they are ready. My daughter was trained before she was 3...my son as 3 1/2. My 3rd is only 15 months so we have a while before we try with her. I think offering praise is great. Just try not to push him too hard. It may make him revert and not want to do it at all. Good luck! I know it's hard, but he will get it!

Great ideas so far! I have a son who just turned three, so I have similar experiences. My son is *almost* fully potty-trained, which means he still poops in his pants sometimes. The best things I have done are A) Relax and not fuss at him when he has an accident and B) Start a sticker chart on a big calendar. I can see from the calendar that he is improving each month. That encourages me--along with the thought that very few kids go to college still in diapers. :P

He's not old enough for you to be desperate yet! I'd back off for a while. You might be surprised that he becomes more willing with less pressure.

I was given some wonderful advice when I was potty training my 3 year-old daughter. We went to the store together and I let her pick out some "big girl panties." I also purchased some plain white "ugly panties". She got to wear the "big girl panties" as long as she made it to the potty. She got to the point where she was saying, "I don't want to pee pee on Cinderella!!" She was trained in one day.

Hi T.,
I also feel that he may not be ready. I have 2 girls and people say that boys are usually older when they are potty trained. My daycare was putting pressure on my 9 yr old during potty training. She wasn't ready and just held it in. She became soooooo constipated. We had to help her with suppositories. I can remember like it was yesterday. We gave her a suppository and put a diaper "back" on her. She cried and screamed to make #2 and it came out like a baseball. I kid you not and I'm not exagerating! I then talked to the daycare and told what was going on and not to force her anymore. Eventually, when she was ready she used the toilet. I didn't force my 2nd daughter. We just showed her how Mommy and big sister used the toilet. I told her that big girls will go on the toilet. Her training went pretty smoothly.
Don't worry, all kids get tired of diapers. He will go in his own due time.
Much success,
D.

Can't say my method will work for you but my son gave me a real hassel getting out the diapers. He would hide and then come to me and let me know hes done his deed. That let me know that he knew when he had to go but wasnt ready. Most important thing is to be consistant with the method your using. For my son I put him in underware, after a few accidents he didnt like the way it felt and started atleast telling me when he had to go but still was reluctant to use the potty. I went and bought him a child toilet seat that fits over ours that had his fav character on it. Its especially great for boys b/c it comes comes with a pee pee guard. I found that my sons child potty chair always seems to leak to the floor. He got the hang of it right before he turned three and just in time before I had my second child. But even after he began potty training he would hold his bowel movements so the doctor recommended enima which u give in the rectum. After a few times, he decided he'd rather go on his own rather than the enima making him go. The emima is painless and gives the child a bowel movement within 10 mins.

I had the same problem with my son. He turned 3 in May 05 and didn't start using the potty ALL THE WAY until right before his birthday! We tried all the rewards and the only one that worked was money (pennies . . . but he didn't know the difference). We would tell him every time he used the potty he would get 1 penny and if he used #2 in the potty he would get $1.00! It took him awhile to get it down but even now he still wants money when he uses the potty!! Everybody kept telling me not to push it that he would go when he got ready. I also heard that #2 can take awhile because it is scarry to them.

I potty trained my 2 1/2 year old by letting him wear underwear all day and then when he would use the potty we would make a big deal about it and jump up and down and clap and yell "your such a big boy" and he was trained in no time.