Potty Training - Whiteland,IN

I LOVE the Superman challenge! Pick his favorite superhero! (And stop asking him what he wants to wear! Diapers and pullups are the easy way out for both of you.)

Maybe he is not emotionally ready yet. Some boys do not start using the potty until they are about 4 yrs old. Relax, and try not to pressure him too much. Try and find a way that will give him some measure of control over the situation.

For the longest time, my son had been showing the signs and seemed ready to potty train. He would often go through the motions, but never actually go in the potty. There were times he showed interest and some where he didn't. So, we waited, trying again every few weeks or so. As he is a big kid, he had outgrown diapers and was wearing pull-ups. Around his 3rd birthday, I started having him change his pull-up if he was just wet. A month or so later, there was an entire week when he would get up in the morning and take his wet pull-up off. He would then go around with a bare bum all morning. Then, when he needed to go, he would go put a pull-up on. After a several days of that, I was like "okay, he's ready". When putting him to bed (on Friday night), we asked him if the next day was going to be a no "diaper" day. He said yes. We took him at his word, and with only a minor struggle, he stared using the potty. Within one week he was trained. He has had a few accidents, as he will wait as long as he can before he will go, but has been doing well.

Best of luck!

Does he have a friend he looks up too? Reason I ask my oldest son was harder than heck to train and still had #2 accidents til he was 6. My sister in laws son made fun of him once. Really laughed and called him a baby for peeing in a diaper. 37 years ago no pull ups then. Well I was embarassed and felt like a failure til next morning. He woke up and said can I go pee like Charlie? He had no idea how boys go. He was pee trained from then on but had bm issues for a few more years. He was 4. And I was worried because school was the following year. Better late than never I guess.

Thank you for this question. My son will be four tomorrow, and although he's got the peeing part down, we're still working on the pooping. He's been wearing Pull-ups, and I think that's been the problem. We've tried everything--reward system with a sticker chart and small rewards, which didn't last very long; taking toys and TV away; reminding him he's a big boy; even trying big boy underwear for a while. Unfortunately, it doesn't help that this past year has been super busy with me being pregnant with our second child and lots of traveling over the past few weeks. He's going to be visiting his grandparents this week while my husband and I go to a convention, and then, after that, I don't plan on traveling anymore. If my Mom and Dad are unsuccessful in the training as well, I'm going to take all the Pull-ups away, next week, and make him go naked under his pants at home. I'm also going to call his doctor about his bowel movements, because they are always super soft and messy. It's as though he still can't seem to control when they come, which could be the case. However, he will pee on demand, and we usually have to force him to the potty to make him go. Sorry, I'm probably no help, but just letting you know that you're not alone!

I would throw out the diapers and tell him no more. Let him be naked from the waist down and tell him that he has to go in the potty. When he has an accident just say "no, that goes in the potty" and set him on the potty while you clean it up. Hopefully, it won't take too long since he's older - you could be pleasantly surprised. Don't back down on the diapers though or he'll learn he can get what he wants by a tantrum. Stay strong and good luck!

IS there in a man in the house to encourage him? Sometimes it is cooler learning from dad or another important man in his life. I know one family just took the diapers away and let the kid run around naked until he learned. My kids I just kept trying. My youngest took the longest. He was a little over 4. Girls are easier. Just because he has fits doesn't mean you don't stop trying. Good luck to you.

I agree with below. First throw away all diapers....he will have accidents so plan on not leaving the house for a few days. Lots and lots of rewards too. I did the 3daypottytraining.com and that is the basic method. It is going to be tough because a 4 year old has a mind of their own and will throw a much bigger fit than a 2 year old that is easily distracted by stickers or m&m's. Good luck!

I have heard that a rewarding system works very well...here is a link and hope it helps! good luck!

http://www.theskinnyscoop.com/search/potty+training?utm_c...

Although it is frustrating, I would not be totally concerned, especially since he is not 3 1/2 yet. He may just be a bit of a "late bloomer" with regards to his interest in potty training. Try a sticker chart and work on him pooping in the potty first. I did that with both of my girls and I felt much better about them just peeing in the pull-up (get rid of diapers). Is he staying dry at night?

Also, my nephew use the potty until I started putting him on it backwards. My sister said potty training took a completely different turn from there.

My son will be 4 in January and before this past weekend we were no where regarding the potty. We had a small potty, a couple potty rings for the big potty, etc. but he had absolutely no interest in the potty. I am a big fan of Babywise and recently read the Pottywise book as someone else indicated. I could definitely buy into their philosophy. I determined a weekend that we had no plans and also planned to take 2 days off work so that I would have 4 days to really work with my son.

Since deciding to dedicate a weekend to this effort, I did some more research and found "3 Day Potty Training" online. My thought was if I was going to take time off work, I really wanted whatever I did to work. I am a very structure person and felt I would do better with a set plan. I purchased the ebook and online support for $25. Their philosophy is no diapers from the point you begin (ever again). They do day time and night time at the same time. They put the control in the child. You constantly remind them to tell you when they have to go to the bathroom ( you don't ask them if they have to go and you don't take them on a schedule). They only go to the potty when they tell you they have to go or you catch them in the middle of an accident. You and the child are basically connected at the hip for 3 days straight. My son and I are currently on day 4 and I think my son is going great. It takes committment, time and a lot of patience but it worked well for us. My son did really well with it and there were still moments of frustration but you can never let your emotions show. We have not been in diapers since Sat morning, we have not had any day time accidents since Sat evening. We are currently still working on accidents during night but he even stays dry during naps.

Sorry this is so long. Seeing that I am currently in the process I thought I might be able to offer some assistance. Please contact me if you would like more information.

I gave the following answer to Jenna B on the 29th of July. Her son was a little younger and WAS interested in the potty though.
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I've been reading my "Potty Training 1-2-3" book, written by the people that wrote Babywise books (Ezzo). They say to reward the child for staying dry and clean. Reward them ALSO when they use the potty, but the object is to ask the child often "Are you dry and clean?" and when they say yes, reward them. When they use the potty, give a double reward (for example, 1 M&M for checking if you are dry and clean, 3 M&Ms for using the potty).

Here's an excerpt from the book:
"When 'dry and clean' is the object of reward, the parent is in control. Every time you ask the question "are you dry?" you put yourself in a place to rewad and encourage without depending on your child's performance. You can ask that question as many times as you think necessary between potty breaks. Meanwhile, rewards are continually reinforcing in the mind of your toddler the importance of staying dry. She chalks up a victory each time her answer to the question is a yes. Time and tme again this one motivating factor has made all the difference between rapid or slow success during the training process."

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And B., have you tried NOT buying anymore diapers? Don't ASK him if he wants to wear the pull-up. TELL him that he IS going to wear the Pull up. He has no choice. My MIL tells me that my husband was 3.5 years when he potty trained. And they tried lots of rewards. The final thing that worked that made the light-bulb go off in his head was when parents said "You know.... Superman goes potty in the toilet." After that comment, he went potty just about every time after that.

I agree! Just take away the diapers and don't give in to the fit that he will throw. My son is potty trained through the day, but still wears a pull up at night. We went to the store and bought the big boy underwear, and we talked about how the next day we would use the big potty. He woke up the next day and put on the underwear, and had 1 accident that morning. He has been dry ever since that day. Good Luck to you!
Oh and Buy stock in M&M's! LOL