I Need Help Getting My 2 1/2 Yr. Old Son to Go to the Potty!!!

Updated on November 17, 2006
S.M. asks from Indianapolis, IN
13 answers

My 2 1/2 year old son started using the potty around christmas last year when I bought him a potty and he would only pee in it, then a few months later he decided he just didn't want to do it anymore. How can I get him to go to the potty to pee and poo? He throws such a fit if I try to get him to sit on the potty and use it. I have just ran out of ideas, the doctor just keeps telling me that he will go when he's ready, but I am afraid he may not ever want to go on his own.

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R.Y.

answers from Davenport on

I also trained my boys with Cheerios. It worked wonderfully. I bought the cheap bag brand that lasted longer and was cheaper. It didn't take long and bye bye pull-ups.

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V.U.

answers from South Bend on

I hate to say it but it is kind of like fishing. You have to find something he's willing to work for within reason, like a sticker chart, candies, special trip to BK or McD's if he goes so many times. Bribes are real good as long as you keep your end of the deal and then once you find the trigger, it will probably be a month if not a little more till he goes on his own. I'm a firm believer and it take alot of laundry but if your using pull ups get rid of them and go to training pants and plastic outer pants. Pull-ups are still too much like diapers and in the long run make you both dependent.

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J.W.

answers from Iowa City on

If you can find out what motivates him then give him a reward for going on the potty. With my son it was as simple as getting a piggy bank and he got quarters for going potty, dollars for BM. He liked to carry it around and it really motivated him to go. He did have a few set backs, but it worked out. The not wearing underwear wasn't really successful, but if he likes a certain character you can buy special underwear. We always told him that if he pees on Thomas, or Scooby that they would be very upset. Hope some of this may help you.

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L.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

I had similar issues with my daughter. At first she loved sitting on her potty chair while I was sitting on the toilet peeing too, but after her little brother was born (soon after she turned 2), she threw a big fit about sitting down on the potty. I started bribing her. I got a big jar of M&Ms, put the potty chair in the living room, and told her that everytime she peed in it, she'd get 1 M&M and everytime she pooped in it, she'd get 2 M&Ms. It didn't work for the whole potty training process, but it got us through that first part when she was resistant to starting. After awhile, the M&Ms got forgotten and I put them away. There were other issues to deal with (like she started withholding BMs) that we had to get through, but it gave us our start. She's 3 1/2 now, and has no problems using the toilet all the time.

Good Luck!
L.

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T.L.

answers from Lincoln on

My son was 3 years old before he was done potty training, but what I did was just stopped putting pull ups on him. I had a few messes to clean up, but it did not take long for him to start using the bathroom.

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T.S.

answers from Louisville on

Believe it or not, my daughter got her son to go potty by putting Cheerios in the toilet water. She told him they were there for him so he could go pea pea. Then it got to the point that he was putting a few Cheerios in the toilet so he would go pea pea. Helps with the aim too. The poo thing kind of just followed suite.

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J.H.

answers from Evansville on

I had the same problem with my son and the way I finally got him to go was letting him go into the bathroom with his dad and watching him stand up going potty --- he was all about doing that. Within a week, he was standing up going pee in the potty.

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S.T.

answers from Huntington on

Oh, Honey, he will want to go on his own, believe me. I felt the same way about my son. He would pee in his potty at about 18 months, then just lost all interest. He didn't finally want to train completely until he was a little over 3. It was a long road & I know how frustrating it can be, but if you push him, he could go now & later take a step backwards & have to use diapers again. He'll take an interest when he's ready. With my son, when he started showing interest again we'd give him 1 pair of big boy underwear a day & if he had an accident in them he had to go back to diapers 4 the rest of the day. Needless to say after a short time he got tired of those cumbersome things & wanted his underwear all the time. It also helped for him to go with his dad when he went potty. They used to race to see who could finish first lol. Anyway, as frustrating as it is, just keep trying to build up interest, but not push. He'll go when he's ready I assure you as someone who's been there & done that. Good luck.

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D.S.

answers from Omaha on

S., you will be amazed how quickly things change with kids. One day my daughter refused to use the potty & literally the next day she potty trained herself. I'm not joking. You will get people giving you all this advice...let them do it when they are ready. Reward them with something they like. I promise it changes with in moments. Good luck & don't worry so much. D.

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N.B.

answers from Evansville on

Don't worry. When he is ready he will go. My son was trained overnight when he learned how to get himself to go or knew the feeling of when he had to. Forcing him at first was bad because he would get so frustrated that he couldn't. And let's face it, no one likes to do things that they can't do. So just give it a little time and let him watch others go potty helps. You can also keep a small bowl of cheereos (sp?) next to the toilet so he can throw one in and try to hit it. Good luck and just be patient.

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S.C.

answers from Evansville on

I know as frustrating it is to potty train boy's. They are the hardest of the 2 sex's believe me having raised 4 boy's of my Ianthe will and do go back and forth from being interested and excited about the whole " big boy" thing to just not caring at all. But have faith and a lot of patience he will come around before he hits kindergarten they all do !!!!!!
Your doctor is right when he is ready he will let you know It's like night and day .So there's no sense stressing yourself out over it enjoy the moment's you have with him . And just let the rest of his development take it's course in do time my dear. All the time remembering this little tid bit funny but true as us women do all to well know when potty training a boy that " EVEN AT A YOUNG AGE THE DANG THING HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN " !!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW smile and enjoy these precious memories you are making with your son.
Serenity

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T.K.

answers from Lexington on

Rule of thumb given to me by my pediatrician.....when he wakes up dry..then start the process....if he wakes up wet..dont waste your time lol.

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S.B.

answers from Wheeling on

I felt the same way about my son. Tavin turned 3 in July and I thought he would graduate high school before he was using the potty!! But one day he decided he wanted to use it and he has been doing great for about 2 months now. I know it is hard to wait, but he will go when he is ready.

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