Potty Training -It's So Frustrating!!!

Updated on April 12, 2008
B.Z. asks from Quakertown, PA
6 answers

I am here for more advice. I asked for advice a few weeks ago & decided that this week was the week to try since I had a few days in a row blocked out that I didn't need to go anywhere. I have my 3 yr old son in regular underwear for most of the day except nap or if I must do an errand. If I am not telling him it is time to go on the potty, most of the time he will wait until he has already gone in his pants to tell me he must go on the potty. I only have 4 pr of underwear! Obviously I need to get more. Also he makes poops in his pants instead of going on the toilet. It is SO frustrating because he will go off in a corner to poop, so WHY won't he poop on the toilet??? I get no help from husband concerning this or much else. I am going it alone on this. I am only on day 4 of the training so maybe I am expecting too much too soon. Help me if you can.

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C.W.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I don't have a boy and i did hear it is harder but i have heard throwing cheerios in the toilet (they aslo have things in the store just for potty training boys) and have him aim for the cheerios I heard they have fun doing it. for undies get the thicker ones, they are underwear but have a little thickness to them and when he does pee the undies soak it up. I think you can get them anywhere and they come 3 in pack for like 4-5 dollars. the pooping thing is hard i don't know why. Doing diapers for naps and nighttime until he is going in the potty consistantly and the diapers are dry after naps and nighttime. JUST DON"T QUIT you started now you have to follow through cause putting him back in diapers full time will confuse him. Also some preschools won't take kids unless they are potty trained.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hang in there. It takes a while. Is he peeing in the potty? My son liked (and still does at 5!) to sit backwards on the potty--maybe they feel more secure? I would keep him in undies all of the time. Except maybe for a pull up at night. Buy more undies! And get a stockpile of pants/shorts/sweatpants together...along with a bunch of plastic bags for the "wet" clothes. You will be changing a LOT of clothes. Keep asking him to pee in the potty every hour or so.
Hang in there. Keep it light and casual. Not too much pressure. You could try a sticker chart for a reward after X amt. of pees / poops in the potty.
Have you considered keeping him naked from the waist down while you're at home? It will make it easy for multiple tries without messing with the pants/underwear. He will get--he will NOT be 16 and in diapers! :)

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A.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

you say he is in regular underwear for most of the day, for errands and nap if you are putting him in a diaper or pull-up you are confusing him. Unfortunately, once you decide to go underwear...you should not go back. It will be about 8 or so days of cleaning undies, carpets, floors, car seats, etc. and then one day it will just click for him. Naked also works well, it seems boys need something to "catch" the poo and pee. Reward him big time when he does use the potty and ignore the accidents. Your absolutely right...it is frustrating but hang in there, it will happen.

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S.P.

answers from Philadelphia on

Hi B.

I have been working on potty training with my 3 year old son since the saturday before Easter. For about the first week, I did have to take him to the potty about every half hour and have him sit and try. So, keep a schedule for the next few days of regularly taking him and sitting him on there to go pee. Once he starts having successes he'll figure it out. Just be patient. After that first week mine has been completely pee trained. About pooping on the potty, I am stumped because my son won't do it either. I was hoping to find some answers myself but haven't had any luck.
Good Luck to your son!

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C.H.

answers from Allentown on

read a book, video.

Is he interested in the toilet? Has he ever used it?

He might not be ready yet. Boys are much slower and maybe putting too much pressure on him.

I never pressured any of my kids and my girls all trained by 3 and sons by 3 3/4. My youngest son little longer had speech delay so made it little harder.

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S.R.

answers from Harrisburg on

I can relate to your frustration!!! There are so many ways to potty train that differ from child to child. I heard that if you put a timer for them so every hour they sit on the potty whether they have to or not works for some. It has worked for some people I know, but it didn't work for me. I found for my oldest son the more I asked him if he had to go, the more he fought me on not going. One day he told me he was going to wear his underwear and not wet them and then from then on, he didn't. That happened when I stopped pressuring him to go. I have another son to potty train in a year and am not looking forward to it! Hope this helped.

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