OT:Potty training

[eburg]

How to discipline a child that knows they are supposed to tell you to go potty but won't? He is 2 1/2 and is well aware that he has to go potty, if he is naked ihe will run to the potty , but he won't tell us otherwise. Help...

 

[sl_underwood]

I personally wouldnt discipline, then it becomes a power struggle and truthfully its not something you can control. I would praise him, make a big deal when he does potty and ignore when he doesnt. Praise and encouragement tend to supply most kids with good feelings and make them want to continue that behavior, punishment can often lead to negative feelings and associate those negative feelings with the behavior and cause power struggles. JMHO

 

[zoemurr]

to be worrying about this very much. I would say "most" kids aren't fully trained until after 3... although I'm sure you'll now hear lots of stories the other way.

Anyhow, I agree with the above poster.. do a sticker chart or something and earn a reward. The only "negative" thing I would do is make sure he dresses himself after an accident. (If he is capable.) Kids will start to figure out that it took a lot longer to change the clothes than it would have to just use the bathroom.

Is he in a pull up when he has clothes on? Most kids don't see any difference in them than a diaper.

Good luck!

 

[TaraZ]

When I started potty training my DD I let her run around the house with no bottoms on so she could get to the potty in time. Now she tells us when she has to go or goes by herself.

But... I have hardwood floors... so little accidents were easily dealt with!

GOOD LUCK! We are about 90% trained... hopefully you will be too soon!

 

[TaraZ]

Also-- I offered a treat to DD when she went-- she gets one M&M when she goes potty like a big girl.

 

[katiesmom2]

Oh, I feel your pain. DS who turned 3 in December is giving us a hard time with potty training too.

He makes it to the toilet 70% of the time to go poop but is happy to pee in his pullup. He has a sticker chart and he also gets M and M's when he goes on the toilet. DD5 and I do the whole "happy dance" thing when he goes too. I'm at a loss for what to do next - except that I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to graduate to underwear only and deal with the messes on our thoughout-the-house light beige carpet.

To make matters worse, he is supposed to be starting school (JK here in Ontario) in September and so we feel the push to get this DONE!!

DD wasn't this hard....I guess it's true what they say about training boys vs girls.

HELP!

 

[kim_o]

I don't think you should punish a child that young over PT issues. My 2.5 year old hasn't even started. (Well daycare has started pushing it, so now whenever I even mention the potty he runs away screaming "no potty"). A lot of children (boys especially) just aren't completely ready yet.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Well you don't punish a child for not using the potty. The child is young. When they are ready they will do it. Encourage the child and make a big deal if they use it but don't punish them if they don't.

 

[flipflop]

Oh, I feel your pain. DS who turned 3 in December is giving us a hard time with potty training too.

He makes it to the toilet 70% of the time to go poop but is happy to pee in his pullup. He has a sticker chart and he also gets M and M's when he goes on the toilet. DD5 and I do the whole "happy dance" thing when he goes too. I'm at a loss for what to do next - except that I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to graduate to underwear only and deal with the messes on our thoughout-the-house light beige carpet.

To make matters worse, he is supposed to be starting school (JK here in Ontario) in September and so we feel the push to get this DONE!!

DD wasn't this hard....I guess it's true what they say about training boys vs girls.

HELP!

We just trained two boys and a girl. Abby was done at 26 months and the boys were done at 30 months. I would get him in underwear and out of a pull-up. I think you'll see a big difference. Invest in a plastic tablecloth for your couch =) and if you have hard wood floors pull up any area rugs.


IMO, 2.5 isn't really young to potty train if the child is biologically able to make themselves go potty.
I think it is far harder to train at 3 when kids have begun to realize how much control they have over what they will and will not do. Also, potty training isn't just about the child being ready it is also about the parent being ready. It is a commitment on the parents' part. I know others will disagree. JMO.

 

[HonnyDipp]

Don't punish the child. Just let child the do it at there own pace. Our DD was 2 1/2when she was trained. I used blue toliet bowl cleaner and I told her if she went tinkle, she would magically turn the water a different color. It worked like a charm. Not to mention she got a treat (sticker or candy) for doing it. With our DS he wasnt buying it. I had to get more creative with him. I tossed fruit loops into the bowl and told him to shoot at them. He loved it! Plus he learned how to go standing up without a problem. The only downsize to that plan was he would'nt go unless there were fruitloops in the bowl and now that he is 10, the child wont even look at a fruit loop. Our youngest DS was the problem. He just didnt care, he was gonna do it when he was good and ready. He was actually 3 1/2 before he was completely trained. The key is to just be patient the child will get the hagn of it, you'll see. You never know, your baby may be changing your diapers too someday!

 

[katiesmom2]

now that he is 10, the child wont even look at a fruit loop.

Hahahahahahhaha!

That is too funny! I can see how that could happen

 

[katiesmom2]

We just trained two boys and a girl. Abby was done at 26 months and the boys were done at 30 months. I would get him in underwear and out of a pull-up. I think you'll see a big difference. Invest in a plastic tablecloth for your couch =) and if you have hard wood floors pull up any area rugs.


Thanks for the tip with the tablecloth. I knew that I was gonna have to go the "no pullup" route.....good thing I have a new bottle of carpet cleaner on hand!

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[blana]

I haven't yet figured out how to get DS to go potty when he decides not to. In our case, if he has on JUST underwear, he goes without a problem, but any sort of pants & he'll wet, every time. The only time I punish with regards to the potty is when he's running around naked, walks up BESIDE the potty & purposefully pees in the floor. Not he mis-aimed, which also happens, but makes sure I see him pee in the floor. Then it is a power issue & I make sure he realizes that game doesn't work.

 

[eburg]

we already do the reward thing with MM's and stickers. He does get excited. The issue is he is going to start swim lessons ( not a mommy and me ) and it is required they are potty trained . The class is in April. It is a must to be able to swim ( he can go by himself with a small float at the Y) We have a pool in our backyard so both my kids were young swimmers. Maybe punishment was the wrong word, maybe a better word is a disincentive to stop going in his pants - i.e consequences

 

[Mouse House Mama]

we already do the reward thing with MM's and stickers. He does get excited. The issue is he is going to start swim lessons ( not a mommy and me ) and it is required they are potty trained . The class is in April. It is a must to be able to swim ( he can go by himself with a small float at the Y) We have a pool in our backyard so both my kids were young swimmers. Maybe punishment was the wrong word, maybe a better word is a disincentive to stop going in his pants - i.e consequences

Same thing. Honestly if he is not ready you pushing it will only make it miserable for both of you and it will take twice as long. Put off the swim lessons. JMHO.

 

[lauracjc]

My DD did the same thing. She would deliberatley go on the floor when she knew she had to go. I was so frustrated with trying to figure out how to break that. I made her clean up the mess everytime she did it. Of course I had to do the real cleaning but it got the message to her that there was a bit of a concequence. We also did a sticker board and special rewards. She finally broke the habit when we moved to a new house. I guess she thought she better not go on the floor in someone elses house. I don't suppose you want to go to that extreme to get him to stop though lol. Just remember that eventually he will outgrow it. It is just a power struggle and it gives him something he is in control of. Good luck.

 

[erinmomof2]

I went through the same thing with my DD. She's 3 and I was driving myself crazy trying to potty train her and finally one day I had enough and just gave up. I had tried rewards, I had tried letting putting her in underwear, everything and nothing worked. 2 weeks ago she came up to me with a pair of underwear and told me she didn't want to wear diapers anymore. She can be a stubborn kid and I think she just needed to go when she was ready. Since she started wearing underwear she has only hasn't had accidents or anything, she just decided she wanted to do it and that was it. Maybe he's just not ready yet and needs a few more months.

 

[MinnieGi]

we already do the reward thing with MM's and stickers. He does get excited. The issue is he is going to start swim lessons ( not a mommy and me ) and it is required they are potty trained . The class is in April. It is a must to be able to swim ( he can go by himself with a small float at the Y) We have a pool in our backyard so both my kids were young swimmers. Maybe punishment was the wrong word, maybe a better word is a disincentive to stop going in his pants - i.e consequences

Time and confidence in going to the potty will enable him to speak up about having to go. It sounds like you are saying he is able to go, but just won't tell you. I think the fact that he is going at 2.5 is great!!!! The part about speaking up and telling you takes time and even more time with some kids!!!!!! My DS is almost 3.5 and finally is doing a better job of speaking up!!! Before I would take him to the potty every 2 to 3 hours but it frustrated me he hardly ever told us and if we were out - forget it he'd never speak up. And my DS is NOT a shy child or has a lack of language skills, he's quite the opposite. I just think he needed lots of time to gain confidence about going potty especially when not at home. In fact just today he actually told me while playing at our health club he had to go!!!! I was so proud he told me!! I made a big deal and then let him pick out a treat in the cafe.

Praise, reward and encourage and patience will get you a potty trained child.

As far as the swim class just take him to the potty before class and he should be okay for that hour. If you have doubts, just put a swimmy on him. No one will know! Believe me at our health club for swim, gymnastics, karate and dance classes where the kids are supposed to be potty trained, the younger ones wear pull-ups or swimmys and no one is bothered by it. At least they won't have an accident on their floor.

For 2.5 again he is doing great!!

 

[pbharris4]

Also-- I offered a treat to DD when she went-- she gets one M&M when she goes potty like a big girl.

I did the same thing and just switched to her favorite panties. She had 2 accidents and that was it. Both my girls were potty trained in less than a week. My older DD had just turned 3 when she was PTed and younger DD was 2.5yrs. She loved getting 2 "MeeMee's" as a reward (M & Ms). I wouldn't struggle right now about it. They think it's fun getting a rise out of you.

 

[**eeyore**]

IMO, 2.5 isn't really young to potty train if the child is biologically able to make themselves go potty.
I think it is far harder to train at 3 when kids have begun to realize how much control they have over what they will and will not do. Also, potty training isn't just about the child being ready it is also about the parent being ready. It is a commitment on the parents' part. I know others will disagree. JMO.

OMG - I totally agree with this! Of course I have unfortunately waited until age 3 to train my twin DD's. I just started last Thursday with one (I will wait to train the other after the first is "on track"). It totally was about getting myself phsyched for it - they were probably ready a year ago for all I know!