Lost Interest in Potty Training

There is a great tip on potty training on
GOMOMMYGO.com:
http://www.gomommygo.com/pottytraining.html
;)
Go GIRLS!

If she has completely lost interest, go back to diapers (pull-ups are a waste of money, because they're just diapers without the tabs.)
If she's still going sometimes, I'd switch to underpants full time (except for naptime and night time, etc.) If she wets her pants, it will be uncomfortable for her and she'll want to go on the potty. If you are consistent, she'll eventually get it. Good luck! :)

Dear S.,

I don't know what to tell you except to share my own experience. With my son, he really wanted to wear "chonies" (big boy underwear) - I told him that in our house, the rule is that if you are going to wear chonies, you go potty in the toilet. That was incentive enough for him. He trained pretty much within a week - but he was 34 or so months . . . With my "baby" she was pretty much potty-trained (in chonies full-time) by 26 months, but when she started having accidents, her father started putting diapers on her - made me crazy! She ended back in diapers with no interest in going potty on the toilet. She didn't care whether she was in a diaper or chonies! I pretty much gave up until she was about 34 months, then started working on it again - she ended up peeing in the toilet, but would poop in her pants - UGH! the last time we were at Pizza Hut and she got that look on her face! I grabbed her, telling the other two to not move a muscle and made to run to the bathroom . . . did I mention that my babies had little tiny bird legs? And she was wearing a dress? When I picked her up to run, the poop fell out through the leg hole in her training pants and fell on the floor! OMGarsh! I was SO EMBARRASSED! I stammered to the girl at the counter that we had had a "problem" and motioned to it and took my daughter to the car, where I had left my diaper bag, to clean her up and change her. When we got back, the poop was still on the floor waiting for me to clean it up! No wonder Pizza Hut had to close it's dining rooms and go take-out or delivery!

Your daughter may not be ready - you might wait a few months and try again . . .

btw - the incident at Pizza Hut was my daughter's last accident - apparently it clicked for her then

Good luck and
Have fun! (=
B.

No diaper!! No pull up - It's summer let her go around naked and remember she is going in her pull up because she has one on - you could even put her in cute undies and remind her
when you have to go potty let me know - We did the potty dance to the bathroom which made it fun and an event for my boys that made them want to tell me they had to go.
It's hard after having a trip - you don't want accidents so you have to revert, she just reverted
remind her of the bathroom party and how fun it can be - good luck let me now how it goes!

Hi S.,

My 25 month old daughter has just done the same. I have had many conversations with friends regarding this and here is what I am doing. I have pullups in the bathroom drawer and when she sits or goes on the big potty she wears a Big Girl diaper like (older friend Jaida) does. She is very proud of her big girl diaper.

The rest of the time I change her and use diapers. When she gets mad I tell her if she does not like her diaper changed she needs to use the big potty and leave it alone. Then the next day out of the blue she says.. Mommy big potty please.

I always ask her if she needs to use the big potty and always put her on it while the bath tub is filling.

Good luck,
H.

At this age I would just get back on track with the schedule that you had before you went on your trip. But I wouldn't stress her out about it. If she goes and sits on it, great. If she sits on it and doesn't go, just don't give her any rewards for it. My son also went through a stall like this around 2.5 years old. Then he started preschool a few weeks later and seeing the kids around him go in the big potty got him motivated again.

If you notice that she is getting stressed out about it, be flexible about when you take her to the potty. When he stalled, I just took him when I knew he would have to go, instead of every hour or so. I would take him about 20 minutes after he ate or drank something. I wanted to continue with the idea that he needed to go on the potty, without the stress (for both of us) of having to force him to go every hour. Plus, like you, I have a younger child so I don't have all day to spend dealing with my son being on the potty. Eventually he got it. He is now 3.5 and we still have accidents everyday (usually he is too busy to get to the potty on time for pee pee), but 90% of the time he goes by himself for #1 and #2.

Good Luck!

We had a similar situation. We kept her in her pull ups and started back at square one asking her after every drink if she had to go potty. i felt putting her back in diapers would set her all the way back. she was back to normal after a few days of being home. Good luck

I know that this is probably something that you don't want to hear but you really need to get rid of the pull. They make kids lazy.

If you haven't done so already, take her shopping and let her pick out her new big girl underwear and make a big deal about telling her how big she is now and how she doesn't want to get the Princesses or Dora (or whatever character she chooses) dirty.

You're a teacher so you know what rewards are a big motivator for kids. Some kids do well with having a potty chart but for my kids, having a few special toys or activities that they don't normally have access to (computer time, reading a special book, playing a special game with mom, dance time) available for them to pick from and play with for about 5 minutes everytime they were able to stay clean and dry between bathroom trips. As they became more successful, the requirements for the special toys/activities changed to elimininating in the toilet, initiating going to the bathroom on their own, etc., until the rewards were eventually phased out.

Good luck.

I am a firm believer in wearing panties when you decide to "go for it". Pull ups are expensive and they don't really teach anything, do they?? If there are no consequences for peeing in your pants, then why not do it whenever you feel like it? Your daughter knows the drill. If you want to push it (and I can see the temptation, since you are home for the summer) then just go cold turkey (except when sleeping) and lose the pull ups. The other alternative (in my philosophy) is to tell her where her panties are, and that she can use them whenever she is ready, but if she is not going to use the potty, then, she will wear a diaper. It is up to her. Then stand back and change her diaper whenever she needs changing. It goes so much faster when the child decides to do it!!

Unless you want to the mother of all control issues I'd drop it completely. She very young to be potty trained. She'll let you know when she's ready. Trust me, she won't go to high school in diapers.

Hi S.,

Since she often goes in the potty, it sounds like she's ready to do it. I say take her out and let her choose her own big girl panties. They have them everywhere like Target, etc. Being two, she'll get a kick out of it and she'll most likely feel like it's a great accomplshment. As for diapers, I'd say to take her off them completely, and use pull-ups only for naps and bedtime since that type of badder control will come after she's mastered the daytimes. Otherwise, if she's wearing them when it's not sleep time, she knows it's convenient to just let it go there, especially if she's a little lazy later in the day. When you come back from the store, you can even have "her" put the diapers in the trash so she feels she has a part in this transition. I'm sure she'll do well. (Of course, diapers are not cheap, so feel free to sneak them out to save for your son when she's not looking.) And yes, keep taking her to the potty every 45 min-a hour. Peraps even every 30 minutes dring her lazy time of day as well as the fact she may be drinking more due to the heat rght now. Summer is he best time to potty train, especially since you'll be with her. And be sure to praise her progress, and not make a big deal when she has accidents, which are normal. She'll have the hang of it in a couple of days. Stick with it. You're doing a great job!

N.

Hello! I would not encourage going back to diapers, that might totally revert her, I would ask her every hour if she needs to go, and encourage her...sounds like you are on the right track...

Does this mean that she was potty trained and wearing undies before your day trip? If that is a yes then do not go back to pull ups or diapers. Most children have some sort of a laps. Even if you were to wait until they are older. It is true they have control of the situation when it comes to going potty. I do not recommend making her go every 45 min to an hour for several reasons. One, you are training yourself not her. Second, it will frustrate you not her if she does not go and then wets in her undies or pull up. Third, she will not get the feeling of what it feels like to have a full bladder and really need to go. My suggestion is to ask her if you would like but if she says no respect her answer and let her continue with what she is doing. Others are right and she will have a few accidents but once she knows how it feels to be wet, even her clothes, she most likely will get the picture and start again going on the potty. Just remember, it is either all the way or not at all when it comes to undies. It will confuse her if you go back and forth on the issue. Hope this helps you and good luck

Hi S.:

Don't take a step back, in fact, take a step foward and take her out of her pull ups. As you may have already heard a pull up is more like a "graduated" diaper. It still feels safe to them and they don't feel the "yuckiness" that comes with having an accident in cotton underwear.

Once she has an accident - have her clean herself up (then you clean her) remind her that it is an accident but she needs to go in the "potty" tell her it's okay but she will have to be responsible for cleaning herself up. You would think that they are to litte to understand - but believe me they do. Once she cleans herself up once or twice she will not like cleaning herself and decide its easier for her to go in the potty.

You are doing great! Don't give up - she is a smart little one that will get it!

I am also a mother of two, Son will be 3 in August and daugther just turned 1 in April?

My daughter is 25 months, we just started potty training
3 days ago(no diapers aloud). I stayed home for the 1st 3 days, and we let her go with no diapers, or pull ups. We just put her in her big girl panties. She had a few accidents(nothing major), then we had a day trip to Disneyland( I was terrified, but still no diapers aloud)
we put her in a pull up, and she did it.. no accident all
day, just lots of trips to the bathroom with our Dora
potty seat, let her go with no panties(she wont like the
wetness on her legs, and most likely will start showing
interest again. Good luck!

Hi S.:
You have the summer off with your daughter, so this is a good time,to get her (out) of the pull ups and see how she does in undies.It sounds like she is close to being potty trained,but I have to tell ya,those are part of whats slowing her up.They feel like a diaper to her.Thats basically what they are. A diaper with holes for their legs.If she had on thick toddler panties,she would be able to feel the sensation of beginning to urinate. She will have a few accidents,but she will find it much more uncomfortable,beginning an accident in undies.She will request to use the toilet more.Your understanding and patience will determine her success. If she continues to have lapses,then I'd back off a little.I wish you fond memories of the summer with your children.J.

S. -

My son, who is also two, was the same way - we started and he lost interest. I waited about a week and went back to diapers. Then I canceled everything I had for an entire week and put him in underwear...it took three days and he has not had an accident since then! He has been potty trained for about a month and a half now - even at night!

Good luck!

Chris

Hi S., I get so much negative feed back when I give advice on this subject, I have been a mom for 24 years, so i am old school, and still believe in discipline, the feed back I am getting is the kids seem to have the control instead of the parent, for example you don't want to stress her, that gives her control. I would not put diapers or pull ups, on her I would go to wal mart and get her training pants, In my daycare I potty train and I request traing pants, once you take them out of diapers and then put them back in them it confusses the child, as parents it's our job to raise our kids to listen and mind us, she needs to know you are mom she is child, and it mom says use the potty, then you use the potty, if you do you get a reward, if you don't then you will, what ever discipline you us. At 2 all 3 of my kids were using the regular toilet, no stress. J.

I would keep her in pull ups but not really push the issue. I started my daughter at 2 and she did the same thing. At 26-28 months, it really clicked for her and it was a matter of days!!