Stressed About Potty Training

[DutchsMommy]

OK, I know every child is different, and it's a long way off, but I am planning on booking our "dream vacation" in the next few weeks at WDW and on DCL and I am worried about DS being able to participate in the Kid's Programs on DCL. DS will be turning 2 Feb 12th of this year and we are planning on going value season early February 2005. DS will be just 3 and old enough for kid's club on DCL.....BUT....he has to be potty trained. I am assuming this means the whole 9 yards, pull down pants, do business, clean up, pull up pants? I have read in a few parenting books many kids just aren't big enough to do all this by 3 yrs old? We have just started "going" on the potty in the last month or so and currently he does not tell us he has to go, we ask him and he eaither says yes or no....it is pretty hit and miss, but because he is so young I am not concerned. However, if I shell out for our vacation I really want him to experience the kids club on DCl as I have heard wonderful things. I know it is a year in advance and alot of things can happen over a year, but does anyone have experience with boys and potty training? I could put off the vacation to November of 2005 or even Fabruary of 2006 but I don't think I can wait that long! Of course it doesn't helop that it has been FREEZING here for what seems like at least a month!! Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[megan2346]

Welcome to the club, the potty training club. My son is almost 3 1/2 and has been potty trained for the last couple of months. We had a really hard time with him. I have to tell you the best thing we did was get rid of the diapers. It was not of fun and made us spend some days in the house but it worked. He is only allowed to wear pull ups at night and we haven't has a accident in a while. Good luck. He is still young so you do have time.
Megan

 

[maciec]

A lot can defintely happen within the next year with him being potty trained. Take it from me because I am still going through it. We started really trying in September. My dd just turned 3 on November 10th. Since September she went from fighting us about going potty to telling us. She can pull her own pants down and she can get on the potty by herself (althought she insists that one of us goes with her). She has even started pooping in the potty (this is where the real fight is).

Personally, I wouldn't postpone the trip. Maybe that is because I am selfish. We haven't done DCL, but you may be suprised when you get there that they will help your little guy out if he needs it.

Also, I am not sure when value season ends, but could you push it back to the very end? Just for your ds to have a little more time.

Although we all know that each child is different it may give you some reassurance that there are many of us out here that have been where you are.

Good Luck and Have A Lot of Patience!
Melissa

 

[Magalex]

I understand! I have a 3 1/2 year old son and we still have to assist with potty needs but no accidents. But one thing to be aware of is the child comfortable setting. My son was comfortable with being at home and going potty but it took to about his third birthday to be comfortable to go in and go potty (of course with Mommy or Daddy by his side) in public rest rooms. Adult size rest rooms are scary especially at the beginning and he wasn't a pro at standing up yet. This was during the summer time so sometimes it was difficult when going to a park. We can't wait to visit Disney World but we decided to wait until October 2005.
We are saving money, working on being a potty pro and preschool helps with patience(standing in line and taking turns).
We have seen improvement. Knowing how to stand in line at Disney is a must. Good Luck and Have Fun at Disney!

 

[castlegazer]

So funny - I am going through the same delliberations myself - I REALLY REALLY want to go on a DCL cruise - My DH and I used to cruise all the time prior to the wee one coming along and we really miss it.

My DS is 21 1/2 months old and is doing exactly what you so ellequently describe - he sits on the potty and tries right now with pants down - yeah! Will he be ready for Kids Club by three? I have absolutely no idea. I had asked a couple of questions similar to this a while back and a lot of people made me really decide against it back then because they CMs at the Kids Clubs are not lenient at all. There is no room for error. You will be called to get them if there is any problem and they will not be welcomed back. But here I am thinking about it again. Did I mention that I really, really want to go. A year seems like a very long period of time when they are already so far into the potty training and yours is very far with even going while on the potty. But who knows - I am only on my first.

I guess what I am doing is going to hold off as long as my no patience self can stand it and go when I am sure he will be able to enjoy it.

 

[llane]

Just a thought...

Even if he is potty trained, there is no guarentee he will enjoy the kids club. Has he ever been in a similar situation? (A group of new people and children without his mom or dad).

I'd go anyway - if you wanted to. There's lots of fun things to do.

 

[honeymom]

At nearly 3 1/2, my son had zero interest in training. I finally took off the diapers, put on the underwear - spent a couple of weeks cleaning up and had him trained.

My daughter had been much easier. She showed interest at age 2. Letting her take her time about it, she trained 3 weeks before she turned 3.

A lot of my friends have had the same experience with their boys and agree that you often have to cold turkey the boys.

Tommy is 5 now. He still sleeps with a pullup. Plus, if he gets really involved with something, he forgets to go potty and has an accident which he could care less about. I just think that boys aren't as bothered sitting in pee. He doesn't have poop accidents anymore.

 

[tabby1964]

My kids are 13, 8, and 8 now.
I tried diapers, pull-ups and training pants. My children thought everything they wore was a diaper. They just didnt work for me. So...I had two weeks off at Christmas and I was determined my son who was almost 3 at the time was going to be potty trained. I let him run around naked and when he would pee...it really got his attention because there was nothing holding it in. He did not like this and in less that the two weeks he was potty trained. Yes, we did have a few carpet accidents. The same thing worked with my twin daughter but her brother was different. He didnt like the idea of soiling himself but he was still abit insecure about it. He is the only child I have that became attached to a stuffed animal at age 1 and stills carries the mangy thing to this day. I had to trick him into potty training. We were schedule to go to a circus in a few weeks and I told him that they wouldn't let anyone that was 3 and still in diapers go to the circus. He really wanted to go and within a week of the circus he had become fully trained. I know alot of people might like the bribe or the naked idea but the pull-ups, etc were just not working for us. I had tried to potty trained my first one when he almost two but he was not ready. MIL and other people I know thought kids should be trained early. MIL claimed one of hers was trained by one. I don't really believe that....oh well, I finally learned to do what I thought was best and not listen to others.

Good Luck,
Janice

 

[Tigge50447]

OMG I am so happy I found this thread today!!!!!!!!! We've been working with my son forever (it seems) with potty training I just don't know what to do anymore. So last night I thought we had a break through. I took off the diapers and told him we didn't have any left. That he had to wear big boy pants he was fine with that well later we had to go to Target so instead of putting pull ups on (which I don't like) I just packed extra clothes in case. Well he didn't pee till 8pm that night. And he didn't wet himself he was in bed and came running out he had to go and HE DID! so excited as I was I brought him to daycare this morning and told them and that he was in big boy pants they said "yeah, we don't do that, we'd rather have him in pull ups for a few weeks" Why? so he can have that feeling of being in a diaper? I hate pull ups they are the same as diapers and my son knows this sometimes he'll ask me for a pull up so he can pee. They just didn't want to change him if he had an accident and I know my son he'd would just wait till he couldn't hold it anymore and tell someone. I was so mad at his daycare this morning I just kissed him and left.

So my plan is to take the pull ups off when he gets home and tell them to put them on when he comes in the morning because in my house we are not using diapers or pull ups.

Funny!!! As soon as he went potty he looked at me and said " I can go to mickey's house!" I told him they don't have diapers at disney

 

[mrsltg]

Hmmmm... I think I'd postpone the vacation. You have a boy, and they are generally late trainers. Why put the stress on yourself, and by extension, him? If you're worried about him training, he's going to sense the power struggle. Where it goes from there is really up in the air.

My DD was "trained" in August of this past year. She was a little passed 2.5. The amazing thing was, we left her alone about it. She knew her potty was there. She knew we didn't want her wearing diapers anymore. She knew that big girls use the potty. One day she started using it (the hint here is PRESSURE FREE) and we've never looked back. I can see being a strong advocate of the child being trained once they're into their 3's, but you're talking about a lot of stress on a 2 year old. Save yourself the stress and delay the trip - there will be no worries then!

Good luck!

Erin

 

[maciec]

WOW! What a difference a couple of weeks makes. I originally posted my reply to this thread on January 26. Today is February 18th. Caroline has gone from not being able to get on the potty by herself to doing it by herself.....and she now poops in the potty all of the time too! The only thing that she needs help with is putting her underwear back on because she takes them off everytime she gets on the potty. It is so wonderful not to have to change a diaper. I hope my baby boy is the same way.

Has anything changed for you, DutchsMommy ?

Melissa
(Caroline is now 3 years 3 months old)

 

[ChiTownZee]

We haven't done DCL, but you may be suprised when you get there that they will help your little guy out if he needs it.

You may want to post on the DCL board. It's my understanding that the CM's will NOT help children in the bathroom AT ALL. I think it's a safety standard thing.

 

[DutchsMommy]

Well, we had a bit of a setback. DS all of a sudden started using the potty at daycare and staying dry during naps - GREAT we thought, maybe we'll just luck out and have a kiddo who "trains himself". Well, that got old real fast. I think once the novelty wore off he couldn't be bothered any more (a common theme for boys it seems) so, we decided that because he obviously knew what he was supposed to do maybe we would try "big boy pants" (regular underwear) and see if being wet would induce him to go on the toilet. So, I went off to the mall and got cute Bob the Builder underpants and revved DS up for being a "big boy". He was doing OK - probably 60% of the time making the toilet, but at least he was beginning to understand the sensation, when he got sick. Potty training went out the window and we went back to full "baby" mode, complete with bottles and soother!! Oh well, what can you do, at least he is feeling much better now. He is pretty much back to himself and we will start in with the underpants again next week I think and see how it goes. I have decided to stop being so obsessive and just go with the flow - if it happens it happens and if not I'm sure we will still have a great time at WDW. A year can make a huge difference and I'm not going to put pressure on him just for my benefit! Thanks everyone for your advice/stories!

 

[megan2346]

I posted before about this but forget to mention what else we did. I made a potty chart. My DS got a sticker everytime he went on the potty. I made the chart and we went to the store and he was able to pick out the stickers he wanted. I divided the chart into a pee pee section and a poop section. My son had been pooping on the potty for over a year so he just got to put a sticker in that section but when he pee peed he got a sticker and when he got ten stickers he got to go to the store and pick out a matchbox car. He loves putting the stickers on the chart and we made a big deal about his new car. My son is potty trained but we still have the chart up and he is very proud to see all the stickers. I know some parents will think it is bribbing the child but mine was going to have to leave preschool if he wasn't potty trained. It worked.
Megan

 

[robinb]

I tried absolutly everything. Charts, stickers, candy, pull-ups, training pants, naked tushies, undies. Everything. My DD didn't potty train until she was ready ... somewhere between 3 1/2 and 4.

I feel your pain. Just remember this: Your son or daughter will not go to kindergarten in pull-ups!

 

[dizgal]

Last year we went to Disney with our 2 1/2 year old who was in the process of being trained. During the trip she did fantastic!! She did not start wearing traininpanties full time until 3 weeks before we left. My husband and I were both nervous as we had a twenty hour drive and she was just really beginning the process. However, her teachers at school said that she was ready and to have no fear. They were right once the process begins it moves very quickly. Once she returned from our trip she was sleeping through the night without an accident. She is now 3 1/2 and she does very well. However, she wakes me up at least once a night to go potty.