Toddlers

Updated on May 16, 2008
T.S. asks from Santa Ana, CA
33 answers

Just curious..........i have a 23 month old and a 11-1/2 moth old. My son is going to be 2 in june he hasn't had a poopy diaper in almost 1 yr. He always hated poopy pants and asked to poop on "daddy's potty seat" when he was about 13 months old, so we bought him his own and he's done really well. But the peepee thing i can't for the life of me get him to stop peeing in his diaper. If i don't take him to the potty every 45 min or so he'll just pee in the diaper. He won't tell us he has to go pee like he tells us about pooping. Any tips would be appreciated.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thanks for everyones 2 cents my husband and i appreciate it. I think we're gonna do the training underwear. I actually tried that once about a month ago, but it really freaked him out when he peed, momma it's burning me it's hot!!! And because he got so freaked out i just assumed he wasn't ready, but if i look at it in a different light like he's uncomfortable maybe it'll work. Thanks again

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.L.

answers from San Diego on

Wow that's awesome!

If you're really wanting to get him pee trained get a kitchen timer and set it for every 20 - 30 minutes. When it goes off have him go sit on the potty, if he goes great, if he doesn't it's no biggie just reset the timer. This and putting him in underwear is what helped my son get pee trained.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

be patient the pooping is the hardest for most. he may not have the trigger that tells him he has to go pee yet. With my oldest she also started going poop on the potty first. I decided to put her in panties and no more diaper. The first day was a mess, but the second she did good and by the third no more messes. I truely think potty training is very different for every kid. All you can do is try different things, consistancy I think is the most important. he'll do it eventually
Good Luck
T. H

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.

answers from Las Vegas on

T.,

My son had the hardest time learning to identify when he needed to pee. I tried all sorts of stuff but what finally worked was letting him run around naked from the waist down whenever we were home. He did pee on himself a few times but for whatever reason, if he was in a diaper or even underwear, he didn't catch that he needed to pee until it was too late. Once he "saw" himself pee a few times, he got it. For whatever reason that helped him make the connection between all the sensations and needing to go to the toilet.

:-)T.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Boys tend to be more complex about this matter and require more patience and encouragement. A 2-yr-old boy who wets his diaper isn't cause for concern, even though he uses the toliet otherwise. He's still at an appropriate age for toliet training and consider yourself fortunate that he has half of the battle won. He'll be fine.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.V.

answers from Los Angeles on

That is pretty young to expect him to be potty trained. That is great that the poop part is taken care of but I believe they are not able to really control the pee part till they are close to 3. I would not stress about it and just let him go at the pace he is comfortable with. Just be happy that you dont have to deal with the poop diapers.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.N.

answers from San Diego on

Wow, pooping in the potty since 13 months - that's incredible! My oldest turned 3 recently and he just potty trained a couple of months before his 3rd birthday. I had tried when he was 2 1/2, but he just didn't seem to get it. I waited a few months and I felt confident he was ready so I put him in underwear and that was the end of diapers. He really trained himself, it took little to no effort on my part. My sister said it was the same with her daughter. She tried a couple of times after her second birthday and it just didn't seem to be working. So she waited and tried again when she was almost 3 and that was it. She put her in underwear and she had no trouble at all. I have heard from many people that the trick is to put them in underwear (not even training pants). So I would suggest that with your son. Put him in underwear and see what happens. He may have an accident and be so uncomfortable that he will get the point to go in the toilet, or he may not be ready. I guess it depends on how many accidents you are willing to deal with or whether you feel he is ready. If he doesn't seem to get the picture, put him back in the diaper and wait a few more months. That's what I would suggest - in my limited experience - but I have also heard from many moms that when they're ready, it takes very little effort.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

V.A.

answers from Santa Barbara on

Hi T.,

Just relax and don't be in such a hurry to have him trained. A boy usually takes longer anyway and he's pretty young. He may not have the physical development to be trained yet (muscles, etc.) so trying to get him to not pee in his diaper would be impossible and just get the two of you upset. Even at 3 1/2 many boys aren't ready to be trained. Be patient.

V.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Two years old is awfully young to expect him to be totally potty trained - his body is probably not able to "hold it" for more than 45 min. My son was fully able and willing to use the potty starting at 14 months, but his bladder wasn't ready to hold in the pee. We let him go naked at home and he never had an accident and while out we used diapers and said nothing about using the potty. A few months before he turned three he was all of a sudden holding it for two hours or so at a time, that's when we switched to underwear. He has never had an accident! Your son seems emotionally ready and willing to use the potty, but if his body can't hold it, then he's not physically ready. There's no way to force his body to grow and have abilities before it's ready, and he can't force it to either, so just relax, sit back, and wait - he'll do it when all the pieces (Emotionally AND physically) fall together :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.S.

answers from Reno on

Hi T.,
Your son is further along than mine is. My son is almost 3 and is just now telling me when he's wet. The advice I keep getting is not to push it, that he'll get it in his own sweet time.
I'd talk to your pediatrician to see if he's on target. I am also getting a friend's boys to show my son how to peepee outside of a diaper. They come over for dinner a lot and were open to the idea. But everyone keeps telling me he'll get it when he's ready to get it. Don't stress too much over it!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

Be happy that he poops! Some children need more time to have bladder control. Boys often take longer than girls. I would relax about it and let him mature a bit -- 23 months is still young.

(Try having a a 5.5 yr old who refuses to poop --at all!)

Best of luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

V.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi. I don't have boys but my sister has a 5 yr old boy and she was able to get him trained by buying toilet rings (I think that what they're called). It encourages them to try to hit the ring as they pee. It's great because it also helps them hit the target and not the rim of the bowl. Hope you find them and it helps.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi T.,
My oldest son did the same thing. We finally let him wear underwear one weekend and when he peed in it we let him stand there for a couple of minutes letting him feel uncomfortable. Of course make sure their over a wood or tile floor when you're doing this. But it worked really well and after a couple more times of that, he started to go pee in the toilet. The diapers and pullups don't make them uncomfortable when they pee, so using underwear does the trick. I hope that helps. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.A.

answers from San Diego on

He is waaaaaaaaay too young for complete potty training. Especially with boys, their bladders are simply not mature enough until at least the age of 3 1/2. He is still a baby himself. Don't make the mistake of rushing him to grow up just because you have another so close behind him.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Wow, the fact that he poops in a potty chair at barely 2 is phenomenal. Keep in mind he's still so very young, and he's not ready to be potty trained, which is why he won't pee in the chair. Count your blessings that he's using it for poop and keep him in the diaper until he shows more signs of readiness. He'll grow up in time....don't rush him!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hey T.,

I know it is a lot of work but, about every 15 minutes take him peepee. You do that for about a week. The second week he should start telling you when he needs to go....make it fun & exciting. Rewarding for success (of course) but not with material items. Big No No. Praise & hugs/kisses! It has worked very well in the past! I have also heard good things about bare bottom training. Where you keep them bare because the idea is they won't want to wet/dirty themselves or a special chair etc.. He is at the perfect age for a boy to potty train - so he is WAY ahead of the game with #2. Good luck & God Bless!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I remember how stubborn my son was with potty training. He is now 13 y/o. When he was potty training I found dissolvable fish. Sounds funny I know. You can get them at Babies R' Us, and I think at Walmart now. What happens is that you put these fish in the toilet, let your son go fishing and when his pee hits the fish they dissolve. My son absolutely loved going fishing and in no time he was going "pee pee" in the toilet. He still to this day tells me that he misses the fish game ... I keep telling him that he's got money he could go buy some fish and take aim. He laughs and says nah, that's okay. You might also try "Sinking the Cheerios or goldfish"...we tried them all. Good luck..I hope this helps!

K....mom of 13 y/o boy and 3 y/o girl

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

Wow T. it sounds like you were really lucky with your son and the poopy diapers. It also sounds like your son wants to be like his daddy. You might want to think about buying your son a urinal. I have seen them in magazines before and just recently. They are about $30 - $45 and they are made of a heavy duty plastic. You put them in your bathroom against the wall and he gets to stand up like daddy and pee in it. Of course the bad part for you is the dumping of the pee in the container when he is done, but you have to do that with any kids toilet. He might just go for it because he will be just like dad. I hope this helps.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.W.

answers from San Diego on

He didn't like being poopy but the diapers mask the "wet" feeling. Put him in regular underwear (the super absorbent trainers) and he will be on the potty in no time :-) You are so lucky to have such a smart kid!!! Work with him and make sure he feels "wet" and I think he'll be a big boy.

Good luck,

A.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

He is very young to become completely potty trained; he may not be able to tell when he is ready to pee yet. But some advice on how to conquer the pee pee part of training when you're ready; dedicate a weekend as potty training weekend. Center all activities around the house. Saturday morning, tell him we are going to pee pee in the potty from now on. Take away the diapers and make a big fuss about giving him some really cool big boy underpants (spiderman or whatever he likes) Take him potty every half hour. He may pee in his underwear; if he does, just change him, wash the floor or carpet, and tell him we pee in the potty now, remember? Most kids will be done with it by Sunday night. No more diapers from then on-even if you must be out of the house. It’s a hassle for a few weeks to be running to the potty all them time, but it will level off and he'll have joined the "big boy club"!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

First of all... wow, 2 toddlers! Anyway, he's still really young for a boy to be potty trained, so just back off for a few months. And count your lucky stars he's already going #2 in the toilet, because in my experience that is often the most difficult part. So when he is a little older and is ready to potty that's all you will have to worry about. I would say start at about 36 months- he sounds pretty sharp, so he may go easily then. But some kids, particularly boys, don't get it until 3 1/2. Kids have to be physically and emotionally ready to do it- perhaps he just can't connect the feeling of having to go yet. I've noticed that with my own daughter.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

I would love to give you the same advice that I did to the last mom with the potty training problem, but I can't.

I think it's awesome that your son hasn't pooped in his diaper for close to a year. But I think he may be too young to push the potty training issue. One of the guidelines for when they're ready is staying dry for several hours. Look into it, I tried to copy a link but my computer is acting up. Just google potty training guidelines or potty training readiness.

Trust me, I started my son at 20mos. (he had to be potty trained to start school at 2yrs) and it was way too early!

Good Luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi T.:
Congrats on potty training your son at such an early stage in his life.I'm sure,it didn't take long to discover, that you didn't have to disapline him to get him this far.In disagreement with another mothers comments here.It has always been frowned upon,to punish a child that is potty training or having any type of relapse.Both my sons were potty trained by 2 years two months,and I didn't have to push them at all.I believe, that the other mother here was correct, in that wearing that diaper, is preventing him from achieving his goal. The more aware he is, of what hes feeling, and the discomfort of being wet,the faster he will succeed.You mentioned, yourself, that he disliked the feeling of poop in his diaper. Peeing is more difficult to recognize, for him,because its not quite as uncomfortable, and there is really (Not the Mess) Sometimes, its helpful if they see another male, like dad or an older sibling peeing into the toilet. They tend to mock what they see their dads or older bros do.It won't be easy, but you need to be patient and understanding.with him.I'm sure you know, that punishment,scolding, or humiliating A child,because of lapses or accidents,will only prolong his progress. The very best to you T.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.C.

answers from Reno on

I wouldn't push it. It's awesome that he is pooping in his potty at this age! My son didn't fully train until he was about 3 1/2 and it was overnight for him...I put him in underwear to see where we were at and he just started using the toilet like it was second nature. Having diapers to change at the age of 2 isn't unusual and he is ahead of the game with poop being in the potty. A lot of times you have a kid that will pee in the potty but they poop their pants. All kids are different. You might try a weekend of underwear to see if he is ready and if not just wait a month and try again until he does it on his own. Just see how he reacts if he pees in his underwear and if he learns that he doesn't like changing and starts using the potty after a couple accidents. He might just pick it up and be trained or he might need a couple weekends. From my son's 3 1/2 mark he was fully trained and has only wet the bed twice in the past year. Like I said all kids are different and "WOW" for him pooping in the potty since he turned 1!!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Get him out of diapers all together. The diapers are so absorbant that they don't really feel the urine in their diapers and so it won't bother him. If he pees in underwear, that may be more uncomfortable for him and it may encourage him to pee in the potty.

It will be a mess for a while, but just be encouraging and he'll get it down. Sometimes turning it into a game helps too (put something flushable in the toilet for him to aim at and he may think it's fun).

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

That's great! Now it might just take some time for the pee part. I agree with the other mom's to put him in cloth diapers so he can feel it and then he'll decide when he's ready to pee in the potty. The one thing I would absolutely not do and every single expert in the field agrees is "start him on a discipline" system. What on earth would you be disciplining him for? that he didn't pee in the pot at age 2? Geez, most kids aren't going in the potty till 3. Nor should there be any "consequences for defiance" as there is no defiance here, he's just not ready to fully use the potty and like other moms' said he probably doesn't even no there's pee as the diapers these days are too well made. Again, I think it's great you don't have to change a poopy diaper and the rest will come with time.

S.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

Stop using diapers. Cold Turkey is the way to go -- and you have the easy part done already! Get some Gerber cotton training pants and a lot of pull-up shorts (no snaps/buttons) and be prepared to change him every time. He'll feel how uncomfortable this is and stop peeing in his pants. It shouldn't take longer than a week.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.L.

answers from San Diego on

Hi T., first of all my advice to you is to take him out of diapers/pulups and put him in regualr training pants, and make him sit on the potty until he pees, trust me it wont, hurt him, if he can control the poop, he can control the pee.
I would start him on a discipline and reward systym, kids will do what ever they can get away with. There must be some consequiences for defiance, at two my kids were already using the big toilet. Mother of 3 for 24 years. J.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.R.

answers from San Diego on

Well for starters let me tell you how lucky you are that he poops in the potty on his own. That is typically harder to train than peeing.
For Peeing at first especially at this age you are more being trained than he is. You are the one having to remember to take him to the potty every 45 min. Try using a reward system for when he goes and then change it to when he tells you he needs to go. This worked with my son. You will have to make sure the reward is something that they are really into at the time. For example I at first started with mini MnM's and then we went to pennies that he put in his piggy bank after he was done. He will get it soon especially since he is going poopy in the toilet already.
Good Luck
T.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

I'm sure everyone is going to tell you that he is just still very young and thank your lucky stars that he is already "poopy" trained. I wouldn't stress over it. The time will come where he will want to pee in the big potty too. I think you should embrace the fact that he is trained to go poop in the potty in the first place at such a young age. Don't make a big deal out of it. It will happen eventually.
Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi T.,

You could try a reward system - a calendar for two weeks and everytime he pees in the potty he gets a happy face. I've heard of people giving their kids other types of treats too.- But I'm a novice myself at this~ my girl is 2 & learning now.

G.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.G.

answers from San Diego on

count yourself lucky that he started going poop in the potty so early and has stuck with it. I think it's highly unusual for any boy under 2 to be trained either with poop or pee, so you're way ahead of most moms! As for the pee - I have 2 suggestions. The first is - wait until he shows signs of readiness - it's so much harder to train if they're not interested or ready (one signal of readiness is the ability to jump up and down w/ both feed, i've heard) Second, when you do decide to really work on it, put him in cloth underpants (best to pick a weekend or vacation when he's not going to be in day-care / pre-school, and make him participate in the clean-up. He will quickly tire of it and want to go in the potty - at least that's what did it with my now 4 year old daughter (she was 2-1/2 at the time and we were on vacation. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

What a miracle that your son does not like to poop in his diaper. My son, who is now a teenager, did not potty train until just after he turned 2 years old and he was still young to be potty trained. Your son is waaaaaay ahead as far as the poop department so as far his peeing, it is the norm that he is still peeing in his diaper and probably will continue to do so until after 2 years old.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.T.

answers from San Diego on

WOW! At least you got the hard part under control! As far as wetting his diaper....try taking him out of it and put him in undies, or even the thicker training underpants. More than likely, since he doesn't like poopie pants, he also won't enjoy feeling urine drip down his legs and train faster. You could try having a potty nearby, flood him with all kinds of yummy drinks, and really have a go at training him for a whole day..or two. When he is successful, lots of positive praise and reinforcements (like little stickers or little toys). When he does wet, just be calm, matter-of-fact and have him help you change him and clean up. I did this w/ my son, and he was potty trained in just a few days...but really set aside a whole day dedicated to just this. Good luck!

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions