OT - Potty training advice

[las3888]

Hi all,

I am just looking for ideas in potty training my son. He just went potty for the first time on the potty today. He did #1 and #2. He is almost 3. I have been working with him on and off since he was probably 2 1/4. We went through phases where I had him sit on the potty once a day, as part of our AM routine. It didn't get us anywhere and he was not a happy camper, so I took a break. We went back to it, but not wholeheartedly. We stopped over the holidays and I decided to go back to it. I hopped in the shower and told him while I was taking my shower he needed to stay on the potty and go potty. Much to my surprise, he did!

So, at this point, I'm not sure where to go from here. I think I'm a little shell-shocked that it happened. We had promised to take him to Chuck E Cheese which we will do tomorrow. I also had a bag of small toys and I let him pick one. He seems a little unfazed about the whole thing. He immediately tried to go potty again to get a different prize out of the bag. I had a little mini-talk with him about not wearing diapers and going potty all the time on the potty, but he just made a statement to the effect of wanting to be 'changed.'

Anyways, I just don't know what to do next. Keep having him go in the morning for a week or so until he gets used to the feeling of going (if he will comply)? I don't think he can connect the feeling of 'needing to go' at all to telling me he has to go. He also does not seem to care if he is poopy or wet at all and never has.

Just looking for ideas and advice. Maybe something will click. I am not in a huge rush...he needs to be trained by the fall to start preschool is my only deadline.

Thanks for listening!

 

[crisi]

It sounds like it may be clicking. I'd back off on too much praise and rewards - at that age they can get manipulative and start deciding that maybe they can escalate what they "get" for going potty. Maybe a chart where you say this week "ten times by Friday and we go to McDonalds" or whatever it is and next week its "fifteen" and the week after that its "twenty five" and then he is potty trained. (i.e. at that age a reward for every tinkle often ends up with a kid who either pees 26 times a day, or one that thinks he can get you to buy him a car if he holds off a bit longer).

 

[tinkerjess]

hey i know what you are going through!!! my son was potty trained at 24mths. he is now 8!!! he was so easy to potty train! i didnt use pull-ups i think they need to feel what wet is!! i let him pick out big boy underwear -scooby doo is what he wanted. i also threw fruit loops in the water for him to aim at a target! it sounds strange but it worked!! i also got him a bunch of hotwheels to get as his prize!!! it took a week w/ wearing underwear for him to be potty trained!! now i have a daughter and she will be 3 in june and could careless to use the potty!!! it was sooooooo much easier to potty train my son! good luck!

 

[lauracjc]

I agree with PP about it is "clicking". My DD#2 was the same way. One day she just got it and has done well ever since. Not to say that we didn't have our share of accidents but that needs to be expected. I would try him with underpants and see what happens. Of course remember to expect accidents. And as far as him not minding wet or poopy pants...it will feel MUCH different in regular underpants. The diapers are made so well that I don't think they can really feel wet. I used the pull up type of diapers for a while and even after being fully potty trained I continued them at night time. I know this is not much in the way of advise but each child is different. Good luck with it.

 

[katerkat]

Just subscribing - my boy is a month away from his third birthday and determined to never use the potty. He sat on it a couple time and we tried underwear a couple times, but he's not yet successfully peed on the potty. I even asked him if he wants to shoot at Cheerios in the toilet and...nope. We tried stickers, M&Ms and a pack of cars.

Our current plan has been to repeat, over and over, that three-year-olds use the potty, not diapers. We point out all his three-year old friends that wear unders, and the babies who don't. And then, on his birthday, we'll try underwear again. He definitely understands because he talks about using the potty when he's three. (Can I have his third birthday party tomorrow?? )

 

[TDISFAMILY]

My son turned 3 in November, We have been trying on and off since he was 2 and he was doing pretty good, but then he got a stomach bug and wanted nothing to do with it after that. So I waited, we actually just started last Monday, I did it cold turkey, stayed home for one whole week without going any were and let him pick out his big boy underware, I would ask him if he had to go about every 1/2 hour and this worked pretty good, then at the end of week he got a prize. I also told him if he wanted to go back to "Mickey Mouse's house" in December he had to wear big boy underwear, this seemed to work really good too. this coming Monday will be two weeks and so far he is been doing good with only a few accidents. Keeping my fingers crossed. Good Luck

 

[fairyprncesleah]

My ds turned 3 in December. He has had NO interest although I have TRIED to get him to go for a while now. 2 weeks ago- we tried again, just putting "big boy underwear" on (no pullups) and letting him feel what it is like to be wet. We would ask him about every 15-20 mins to go potty, sometimes demanding he sit there even if he says he doesnt need to go. And to our surprise- he started going. He did great for a week, no accidents- then last week he had a relapse of sorts. (2 or 3 accidents at daycare) but this week, he is doing great again. Could be that I told him only "big boys who peepee in the potty get to go see Mickey" we are going in 3 weeks... hopefully that will give him a good time frame for it to STICK this time!
Good luck!

 

[everylastbreath]

Subscribing.... 2.5 yr old GS lives w/us, and we are just starting to try. He seems to like to flush the toilet, but as of yet has only had 1 or 2 accidential peeings, he is still not really talking well, so it's still difficult to communicate w/him (wonder if that might be an issue) but he can't be bribed w/toys as of yet. We are taking him back to Disney just before his 3rd B-day in August and really hope to do it without DIAPERS! (fingers crossed) - Watching for any suggestions!!

 

[kopmom]

My ds is almost 4 and has been trained for a year. I agree with some of the other, no pullups except for bed. I would try a sticker chart and maybe just bringing him to the potty every 1/2 hour (do not ask because he will say no and then it becomes a power struggle). Inforce how proud you are when he goes and just stick with it and eventually it will click.
I did want to mention that even is he is going potty in the day that he may or may not night train at the same time.
My dd day trained at 2.5 but wore pullups to bed till she was 5 (she is a heavy sleeper).
My ds day trained the month he turned 3 and refused to wear pull ups to bed. He would hold it or get up and go at night and he never would have a accident in his bed. They are all different. Good Luck !!

 

[kopmom]

I also wanted to mention it seems for the most part (not all) girls will train about age 2.5 and boys about age 3...some eariler, some later

With my dd we trained much longer and had many more accidents because I wanted her trained and thought she was ready. With my son I waited till I was 100% sure he was ready and he wanted to go in the potty and guess what...I really did not train him at all (day or nighttime), he put on underwear and went in the potty...no accidents, no asking, no fighting

 

[caitty13]

My DS was 2.9 when he started wearing big boy underpants with accidents this was last September. He is now finally peeing and pooping in the potty on his own. We tried the rewards for going potty and he always wanted a reward or he would get all upset. we stopped the rewards and everything has been great. He loves his big poy pants, especailly on his head. Now it's night time potty taining...

Give it time. If you push him he with rebal back. Especially if he is anything like mine.

 

[kileybeth]

and what do you all do when you are not the only one watching your kiddo (I am a SAHM) but do need to go out every now and again leaving my DDalmost 3 with my teens (daughter great about follow thru, son not so much) or my DH (worse case scenario-he refuses to have anything to do with potty-ing). I just seem to make a few inroads and then have to be out for an evening or an afternoon and it all falls apart. I just give up and put her back in a pullup and start over the next day. She definity knows what she is and is not doing. Just can't hit on that magic incentive or goal producing object so far. She was nearly trained when we went to Disney last September and then got the runs from to much vacation/juice/pool water. By time we got home she quit trying (after having to get her bottom treated every time she had a BM in Disney but still staying "dry" through it all! aarrgg. Now tinkles on potty are frequent but BM's almost never. I'm so ready to have this one "done". She is number six and none of others have been this stubborn about it. Help! oh yeah and Disney again at end of March. what would you do??

 

[las3888]

Hello all,

Thanks for the great advice and tips. I just tell you I was really surprised he did it at all, since we have sat many times with no result. This AM after he went, I put his diaper on and we went out and did our running around. I didn't think I could just put underwear on him and go out and about and fool myself into thinking he was trained because he only went one time.

I hear what others are saying, good and bad about prizes and such. I really made a lot of promises, because I tried everything to get him go just this once. He does know that as soon as he did go potty he would go to Chuck E Cheese and I do think it is a fair reward (we have never been). I think I will keep the rewards in place until I feel like he can really actually go and understand what it is all about. I still think it may have been a fluke that he went at all! When I asked him if he went while he was still sitting on the potty, he said he did not, but in fact he did. I'm not sure he is connecting all the dots on this yet.

Anyways, I think I will take a week and make sure he will go again, and it wasn't just a one-time fluke. If I can get him to go several more times, then I think we'll take the diapers off, at least just during the day. I did try to have him go potty again before his nap but he didn't go and he said he didn't want to really anymore either.

I feel like that success was very short-lived! Well, if he goes a few more times in the next few days, I will put him in underwear. It just gets tricky because we go out most mornings. I don't know that I see him using a real potty in a public restroom at all for now...??? What have others done?

Also, a really gross question, I know, but how does/did everybody else clean out the little potty chair? It was my first time, so I had no plan. I did a very elaborate cleaning and felt that this was not worth it, versus changing a diaper...there's got to be an easier way. What do you do?

Thanks!

 

[CampbellScot]

Just remember to put him on the potty on a schedule. Do not ask him if he wants to go, just say "Time to go potty" and sit him down. Allowing it to become a power struggle will be your downfall. It's not up to him if he "wants" to go. He has to b/c mommy said so. Period.

As others have said, have a sticker chart by the potty. He needs to earn big prizes, b/c if you make too many elaborate promises he's going to figure out that he has the power here. He'll potty IF he gets this or that. Little guys are so smart that way!

It sounds like he's getting it...just keep him on a regular schedule. Praise him when he goes, give him a sticker and then go about your business.

He'll get it!!!

 

[fairyprncesleah]

Hello all,

Also, a really gross question, I know, but how does/did everybody else clean out the little potty chair? It was my first time, so I had no plan. I did a very elaborate cleaning and felt that this was not worth it, versus changing a diaper...there's got to be an easier way. What do you do?

Thanks!

I bought a little seat that fits ontop of your current toilet seat- from wal-mart. and a stool... he climbs up all by himself- and sits there- if you have a boy- it also has a shield on it!. But I like that MUCH better than a potty chair-No MESS!!
You can also purchase a folding seat- to stick in a diaper bag to take in public with you, that is the same concept.
If we go in public he wears a pull-up still, just because I am paranoid of a mess- but he really gets a kick out of going to public bathrooms!

 

[kopmom]

but how does/did everybody else clean out the little potty chair? It was my first time, so I had no plan. I did a very elaborate cleaning and felt that this was not worth it, versus changing a diaper...there's got to be an easier way. What do you do?

I never used a small potty for my kids, just the regular potty with an insert like this and a small stool.

I figured why have to "reteach" how to use the regular potty. Plus it makes it easier when you are out. I bought a foldable potty seat from BRU for when he has to go in public

Keilybeth, maybe keep her in underwear and when you have to go out put on a pullup or I have used the cotton training underwear with much success.
I would hope your dh and older kids would support you and follow through since they are watching her and since it is not that often.

 

[merryweather's twin]

I have potty trained 5 so far with one to go. With the oldest I read the books and struggled for 8-9 months with treats and prizes and wet undies until he finally got it but he had problems at night until much older. With the next one I was busy with the baby and was running behind...She was 3yrs 6 mo! One day I ran out of her size diapers and had some pretty undies for her I had bought so I put them on and showed her the potty and made a big deal about how she as a big girl now and if she went on the potty she could go to pre school next year like her big brother. She only had 2 accidents! I put diapers on at bed time for 4 days and then I forgot agian (4mo b-fed baby) and she has been dry every night. She is 11 yo now. I did the same thing for the 3 kiddos(2girls 1 boy) following and It seems to work great! Even our now 4 yo boy did ok after 3 days and has been dry. I think sometimes with kids if we just let there bodies develop and watch others doing normal things and wait until they are very ready they have a much easier time and it works much better in the long run. I did use the potty chair but it is messy so after #3 I got the smaller seat insert and it has worked just as well.