Potty training nightmare. Any suggestions?

Beckboo0912

I have a 3 year old son and he has been potty trained for about 6 months. We would set a timer for 20 mins and get to run around in next to nothing the rest of the time. It took a few days to sink in but its been golden since. Everyday he was dry for a full day he would get fruit with whipped cream and after 2 weeks of being dry he got a trash truck...hes been dry day and night since but I didnt force him to do it he had interest in going I just helped it along or thats what I tell myself haha

Bounce4

I haven't read the entire thread. Based just on my experience once a child reaches the age of 3yo (give or take) you just have to wait for them. At that age the 'game' becomes one of independence and control - not about pleasing mom. My first two were 3.5yo or so when they trained. Nothing I did, bribed with, or encouraged them with worked. They were much more interested in having control of that issue - and of course they have complete control, lol.

Turns out I'm not as laid back or as patient as I thought - not with 3yo's in diapers anyway. So when my second two came along I switched gears.

Used the 3 day potty training method for both kids (girl aged 2 and boy aged 2.5). Inbox me with your e-mail and I can send you the pdf.

I used this method with the twins. They were between 2yo and 2.5yo and did not show a single 'sign of readiness' but I felt they could do it and they were still young enough that pleasing mama was a joy. I took a week off work and did it. It took most of that week (not three days) but it worked and the amount of stress for both them and me was far less than it was with the other two.

Bounce4

Being pregnant with my second made potty training my first very easy. I had to pee a million times a day, so she went with me. She sat on hers, I sat on mine. Even if nothing came out she was forming the habit.

There were quite a few times when she would insist she did not have to go, but I knew she did because of how much she'd had to drink. I would grab a book, let her sit on the big pot while I sat on the floor, and let her know that I was going to read. I told her that while it was okay if she sat for a few minutes and nothing came out, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not fart because that is just to stinky for me to smell when I am reading. She would instantly get this sneaky little look on her face, and when I would begin to read she would try to fart--which of course relaxed all the right muscles and she would pee. I would look completely surprised and say, "I thought you said you didn't have to pee!? You tricked me!!" And she would laugh and giggle at how she had "tricked me".

My daughter was 19 months old when her sibling was born, and she was in underwear fulltime by the time she was 2.

Brilliant!!! lol

caroldavison332

Let them decide and do this. Reward pee with an m n m and poo with 2 m n ms.

19TaraLynn84

All of you are beyond awesome!! So much helpful advice here.

kbmnurse

Back off. She will when she is ready. Look at it this way. She won't go to school in diapers.

A_Fit_Mom

The thing that worked for my boys....get rid of diapers completely. Go straight to underwear, pull ups feel like a diaper and a diaper is too easy for them to not go. But you put them in underwear and they don't like that feeling.

Also, depends on age..no need to rush. They may not be ready. I knew my boys weren't ready till they were a few months shy of 3 for both of them. They potty trained in a few days, because they were ready.


Good luck. It will happen.

Lisa1971

Ok I have 4 children now 16, 12, 10 and 4

1st boy trained at 3.5 years
2nd girl trained at 24 mths
3rd boy trained at 26 mths
4th girl 3.5 years


My advice is wait!! Let them do it, do not make them do it! My thought my youngest daughter would never train ever, she hated everything about it! One day she just decided to do it and we have never looked back! Night trained as well! Let her guide you! It will save you both time and frustration!!

THIS!!!!!!!! I acted like I didn't care if my kids were in diapers til they were 47 and the less I cared, the more they WANTED to use the potty! Reverse psychology!:laugh:

tiggerhammon

I didnt read through the responses. From the looks of it, you have gotten a few and probably got lots of ideas. I just thought I would chime in and tell you what worked on my little girl.

I hyped up the new 'panties' to make them seem like the coolest things in the world. I put a pair on her and heavily warned her not to 'ruin' them, because that would be so sad. When she soiled her panties, I acted completely devastated and told her that they were completely ruined and we had to throw them away. Then, I put them in the garbage can.
She was shocked. 'Oh noes, they really all ruined?'
I wish I could say that was the only accident, but there really weren't very many. She tried harder and harder each time she saw them thrown away.
In less than 2 weeks, she was completely potty trained - nights and all. At first, I would wake her at night a couple times, then once a night, then not at all.
What my daughter never knew is that when she wasn't looking, the panties would come back out of the garbage and into the wash.

SugarLou57

My daughter was 3+ and after trying all the tricks, bribes, rants I could think of to get her to use the toilet instead of a diaper or her training pants, I finally told her she would have to clean her messy training pants herself because I was tired of it.

She washed her poopy pants out once, and was on the toilet all the time after that. :happy:

ThinkInOregon

Maybe she is just not emotionally ready.

I was a SAHM with my first one. She was potty trained at 15 months, because I didn't know any better and pushed her for MY convenience.

My younger children were older, more emotionally ready, and MUCH easier.

Best wishes in your process.

ThinkInOregon

The thing that worked for my boys....get rid of diapers completely. Go straight to underwear, pull ups feel like a diaper and a diaper is too easy for them to not go. But you put them in underwear and they don't like that feeling.

+1 to this!!! Except I used actual training pants (not pull-ups) and they HATED the wet feeling. Was done in days with my younger kids!

tiggerhammon

I just wanted to add - everyone else is saying what age their child was at potty training - I started the day after her second birthday. She was completely potty trained 2 weeks after turning 2.