Potty Training Advice - Austin,TX

Put some Cheerios/Fruit Loops in the pot and have him aim for them. Good luck. I have always heard boys are more difficult to potty train than girls.

I am in the same boat as you. My 2 1/2 year old boy has the most success with bare bottom training. If he has underpants, he feels the security of a diaper and forgets. I am just going to stick with the bare bottom business until he gets the hang of the "signal" that he has to go. My understanding, from what I've read, is that mom is doing all the work until the child has that "signal".

I am just trying to be patient and understanding and trying not to get frustrated. Once in a while I give him the opportunity to succeed. For example, I let him pee on the potty, then put underpants, and pants and we head out for a short errand. When we return, dry, I praise him and give him a sticker or something.

The "aim game" seems to interest my guy. He aims at 3 fruity cheerios and pees standing up. It's kinda like a game and he likes that.

I would love to hear what works for you when you're over the hump. Good luck.

Oh, and we have one friend who is a month younger than my guy who is totally potty trained after only a few days. I was thinking and thinking about what the differences in their personality could make such a Potty Training difference. 1) he's in full time childcare with lots of other kids to model and a structured routine 2) He HATES to be dirty. Dirty hands make him crazy. My guy could care less if he is dirty or sticky in any way. Just a thought.

My two sons, who are now 20 and 13, took a while to become totally potty trained. Everything I read at the time said boys tend to take longer. They both were just at 3 years before they were what I call potty trained. Even then my youngest would occasionally have accidents at night. I know it is frustrating
getting them there but it will happen.

All in the buff ws the way I trianed my oldest and after a few week of bare bottoms, she suceeded and did not really have any accidents and she was only 18 months! I know some people don't agree with it, but it is works and the reason it obvious who wants pee running down their legs! Even with panties they think underware are like diapers and they will not make the connection, but all natural they result is learned the first time pee runs down their leg.

that transition is really tough. But it does happen. Just keep at it, don't give up.
My son finally got to the "all dressed" and still going on his own last month... RIGHT at 3 years old.
You are doing the right thing.

I had the same problem with my son. We started at 19mos and by 21 mos he had it but when I put anything on him he had accidents. We didn't really do much except keep him in diapers and when he was 3 he got it. But then at 3 we also just took him out in big boy pants for the day. And he did pee on himself but only once and no more.

Good Luck, potty training is frustrating.
J.

I finally got my 3 yr old boy potty trained. In my opinion Pull Ups are a waste of money, because they are basically diapers. My son wasn't bothered by wet diapers or pull ups. Oddly enough "big boy" underpants were giving him a false sense of security. What seemed to finally make the difference was finding vinyl training pants at Target. I got some and within a couple of days he was done! My theory is the combination of feeling the wetness against his skin and the urine running down his legs is what finally accomplished what nothing else could. These vinyl training pants are lined with cloth so he could really feel it whereas diapers and pull ups are made to absorb and lessen discomfort and mess.

Wow, we have exactly the same thing! Mine's 2 1/2 as well and it's EXACTLY the same. My only suggestion is to keep at it. It's getting better. He's figuring it out more and more. The other thing we're doing is going "commando". As long as his pants are loose and he's not wearing undies, we do pretty well. The only other problem we have is when he's really tired. In the morning and early afternoon he does great. I think with this one, it's just going to take time (and a TON of our patience!!!!).

I have girls, but have heard/read from others with boys...

Try turning potty training into a "game". My understanding is that there are "targets" that you can float (and flush) in the toilet. Tell him he gets to try to hit the target whenever he is in "big boy" underpants and /or pull-ups.

If that doesn't work, you can always do what I did with my girls: get a roll of nickels and BRIBE them! :-) Money is universal!

Anyway, it's just a thought.

He probably thinks his undies are the same as a diaper! We put a diaper over my daughter's panties so that when she had an accident it wouldn't make a mess, but the panties would hold the moisture against her skin and be uncomfortable. We also made her clean up her accidents at home and at school.

I wish I had an answer for you but I don't. I am currently potty training my 2 1/2 year old son as well. We never tried the bare bottom trick but we haven't been 100% successful either. He wears regular underwear and pees in the potty 90% of the time. We just can't get him to poop in the potty! So we only have 1 to 2 accidents a day. One of the things my husband taught my son was to stand on top of the toilet and bend forward holding the back of the seat with assistance of course). He got the idea from the Day Care my son goes to. I don't know if that will work for your boy, but it may help some! It is so crazy because we have a daughter who is 4 years but was 18 months when she potty trained and got it in a week. I would love to hear any good feed advice you get. Please

Hi L. D! :) My oldest was 4 yo before he was fully trained. We tried training at about 2yo but he just didn't care to be dirty. He knew we would be there to clean it. When he started daycare, the surroundings changed and it was a breeze! He noticed all the other kids going in the potty and whiping up after themselves as well. The teachers were kind enough to help encourage him. Sometimes the influence of the peers can help him to transition.

As for night time dryness, we stopped giving him milk or juice at least 30 minutes before bedtime. That way he would have nothing to pee out during the night.

I found this book to be real helpful as well:
"Potty Training Made Easy, Fast & Simple" by Johanne Cesar.

Hope this helps. Good luck!!

We are going through the same with our 2 1/2 year old little boy. I guess just keep trying. I keep thinking I will not buy diapers/pull-ups and yet I do - just don't want the mess. Good Luck!