Help Potty Training a 3 Year Old Boy

Hi C., Boy did I feel your pain if you read anything I have questioned mamasource about it is definity this. I know it is super frustrating but you need to back off for a little bit it sounds like he is not ready (the last thing you wanted to hear), but I promise you he will be. My son is 2 1/2 and just potty trained he used to scream and cry about the potty and never want to sit on it especially not the little potty, but like your son he loved to flush it, that's a start. I backed off asking him to sit on the potty instead I asked him to tell me when he went and praised him for telling me then he got to the point were he would say I have to go to the potty and we would run to the potty and he would say NO not the potty, I backed off alittle more then one day he just went then I started a sticker chart after 10 stickers we went to Toys R Us to pick out a toy of his choice it is more him being proud of himself. Then we had poo issues now that is resolved and he is 100% potty trained. He was the one to tell me he was ready. The more you push the more resistant he will be. Maybe he can watch daddy go that is what really got my son interested he likes to stand not sit to pee. I wish you the best of luck I know this is an extreamly frustrating time. Good Luck!!

hi C. i would say put the potty chair out may be start by having him sit down on it with his pant on then after a while have him sit down on it with his pant off just have him sit there then after a few day of that that have him sit there and run some water maybe the sound will help but takae it slow little by little don't push it it will come in time maybe keep a few book by the potty for him to look at it seam to help with my 21 mo old daughter she like book and is doing well with going on the potty good luck

My son was about two when we started potty training. He showed all the signs of being ready, but when the time came I could not find a potty seat that was big enough for him to be comfortable in and the adult potty was way to big. I think they are afraid they will fall in ;) It was a bit a struggle, so we backed up, and kinda took the laid back approach. My husband took him into the bathroom everytime he went and got him a stool for him to keep his feet on as he sat on the big potty. From there it just sorta happened. But, it was right around his 3rd birthday. You may just need to back up and give him a few more months to mature. A child can mature quite a bit in 6 months. I don't know how beneficial bribery is, I didn't need it and others I have seen use it, have had negative outcomes (Ex. Friends daughter was enjoying the "game" potty for m&m and about one month later decided she was bored with that game. Now she doesn't want to use the potty.) Every child is different and it would not be abnormal for your son to be four and just getting the hang of it. It sounds like to me though he needs maturity and example (dad) to help with his fear and he will be well on his way. Good Luck!

You should keep the little potty out. Even with the seat adaptor, my son refused to use the real toilet. He said it was too big. We let him go and pick out a new potty with us and everything. When he hit 4, we had enough. It was time for some tough love. We bought underpants, and that was that. No Pull-ups, either. I took him into the bathroom, when I knew he had to go. I sat him down on the potty, and ignored the cries of protest. I offered him a sucker to keep him occupied while he sat there. I told him if he stood up from the potty, the sucker was going in the trash. Then we played some games like pat-a-cake to keep him entertained until he went. I made it clear he was not getting up until he peed. Honet, we were in there for an hour. But, he peed. And he knew he could, and that I was not going to back down. He still had the occasional accident, but we were well on the way.

The thing I try to remember is, how many guys go off to college in diapers? It will happen, sometime between now and college.lol

Hi C.,
I also have a three year old that was just potty trained. My son was just to lazy to use the potty. The rewards worked for him. Every time he used the potty he got a m&m. He liked that. I would get a kid potty and leave it out if you aren't already. When he first started training I left his potty in the living room (that's where we spent most of the time). Also I found that whenever I would push him or get frusterated with him he took a step backward. So as hard as it is sometimes try not let him see you get mad. It didn't work with my son but some friends of mine put their kids in underware and let them have accidents. It didn't work for my son because he didn't care if he was wet or not. You could try it though. Good luck. Remember positive reinforcements work much better than negative reinforcements.
Chris

Keep the potty out. I even put ours in the family room (on a rug) and let him sit on it and watch cartoons on the weekends to encourage him. We read books on the potty too. Just keep encouraging him-- boys are slower to train and he might not be ready yet.