Baby Place

SpecialK · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 20

I need help. My son just turned 3, and is still being stubborn about potty training. He is smart enough to know what is going on, and shows all the signs that he is ready. Some days, we have no problems at all. Then there are the other days when he is just STUBBORN!

Anyone have any tricks that I can try? I want to get him diaper free ASAP, so that we can look at some of the "Mommy's Day Out" programs etc in our area.

Any advice is welcome!

Thanks!

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

....Some things that worked for us with our son (he was fully trained two months before he turned 3) was we bought him a cushioned potty seat that fit on top of our toilet. He was more interested in using it than the potty toilet that goes on the floor.
Also, I created a sticker chart and every time he used the potty (pee or poo), he would get a sticker. We would count the stickers together(reincforcing his counting at the same time) and for every 10 stickers he got, we would buy him a little Hot Wheels/Matchbox car. I found the sticker chart to be extremely effective in getting him excited about toilet training.
Also, I started to put him in regular underwear occasionally throughout the day and would explain to him that he was not wearing a diaper and that if he peed, it would soak right through and run down his legs. He had several accidents, but started to get the idea of it. I didn't do this all of the time because I didn't want to be constantly doing washing .
He also started to wake up dry every morning as well...this all started happening at the same time, just after he turned 2 1/2.
So don't worry, it will happen for your little guy as well...just be patient. And I highly recommend the sticker chart....you can think of your own reward, it doesn't have to be a toy, it could be going to the library and picking out a special book to read together.
Good Luck!!!

One other thing I wanted to mention about the sticker chart was that when I tried the sticker chart with no rewards but the stickers he quickly became disinterested after a few weeks. Only when I started introducing a reward for so many stickers (I picked 10), then he became excited and really started to use his potty.

You just have to try different things and see what works best for you and your son.

Suzanne · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 234

Well, every child is different, so definitly don't judge your son's progress by how other kids are doing Very Happy

My son is almost 2 1/2, and since I am expecting #2 in April, I decided to give potty training a shot. So last week, I just put him in underware, and told him there is no more diapers (we've been working up to this by talking about the potty ALOT, and occasionally sitting him on the potty)

I am really surprised at how well it is going. I think that pullups are really just (even more) expensive diapers, and that you just have to take the plunge to underware. Is he bothered when he messes in his underware?

tracey with 6 · Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:38 pm Post subject:

I find training to a potty and then to a toilet a problem so I bought a toilet step which is a step that has a toilet seat attached t it that folds for canveince,and we just worked on that I think the reward chart is a great idea,with boys and their aim(we all know what I mean) I roll up small balls of toilet paper and they have to sink' them when they pee on them.Other than that they will let you know when they are ready.Good luck!

shea4 · Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Posts: 10 Location: New Hampshire

the thing that seemed to work with my son is to train him standing on a step stool and have him aim for cherrios! He loved it, it was like a game! Also the soft potty seat that goes on the toilet for poop. I never used a potty chair with him...it was just a pain to clean also!

the reward system helps as well..I did that for both of my girls. A match box car is a great idea...you could pick up a bunch of them and put them in to a special box and let him pick just one...if he sees more than one that he likes then you can encourage him to earn more stickers.

SpecialK · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 20

Well...Thanks for all of your ideas. I have tried most of them before, and it didn't seem to work. I am trying the sticker idea again, though. This time...so far...it seems to be helping. We are getting better. Potty training is just so frustrating. I think it is harder for the parents than the kids. Haha!!!

We still have a ways to go to be totally free of pull-ups/diapers. But, he woke up this morning dry, so hopefully we are on our way!