Potty Traning Tips

What finally got us past the stage of my kids telling me right AFTER they went, was to have them go bare bottom! Skip the underwear, pull-ups and whatever else, and just have him run naked. This will do two things. 1) He will realize exactly what it feels like right before he goes, because he will actually be seeing himself pee (I know that sounds weird, but really, how would he know what happens? He's been in a diaper his whole life), and 2) it will force you to watch him very carefully.

When you think he is about to go, RUN him to the potty. When he makes it and goes in the potty, celebrate! When he doesn't make it, tell him very seriously, "Next time you'll make it to the potty." And then clean up the mess without any fuss. If you really stick to it, he will be potty trained in under 3 days. He may beg for his diaper back, but just very calmly tell him that since he is a big boy, he does not need them anymore since he will be using the potty now.

It helps if you don't take the process too personally. Think of it like teaching him to drink from a cup or eat with a spoon. It's a life skill that he needs to learn. Somehow in the 70's, this process became all about a child's readiness and self esteem and it was going to scar the child for life if you did it wrong, but I think that gives this process WAY too much significance. It's just another thing in the long list of things that he needs to learn. He's plenty old enough and you'll succeed!

He's almost there. He's aware of his bodily functions and will make the transition. Give him incentive like stickers or something else he lies - just not food or money. If you haven't done it already, take him to the store and tell me about underwear and let him pick up what he wants. That just might be incentive enough for him to really want to make the transition.

I have 2 year old twins...one boy, one girl and they are both completely potty trained at 26 months. They haven't had any accidents for over a month now...not one! I started by putting both kids on the potty right after their nap and as soon as they woke up. I mean right when they wake up....they always went potty then and could reap the rewards w/ stickers, etc. I also started taking them potty for 3 days straight every 30 minutes on the dot...and made sure they drank plenty of fluid. It was extremely tedious, but the kids thought it was a great game b/c they were getting so many stickers up and down their arms. The kids loved it. And seriously over night they both seemed to get it by waiting until they hit the potty to go....and slowly they started telling me when they had to go.....probably over a months time. It definitely didn't happen over night! I didn't use the bare bottom method just b/c I am kind of grossed out by pee everywhere...but I did use underwear with pull ups on top....we definitely had many days of wet undies, but no mess as it went into the pull up. Good luck and just keep trying and being patient.....he'll get it.

Hello S., I have a 2 1/2 year old grandson, and what we are doing with him is being consistant, rewarding him when he goes, and we make a big deal when he does go, constantly talking to him telling him, he is a big boy and not a baby anymore. Children are very smart and understand, just have to make it fun and rewarding. Hope this helps, good luck I know it can be frustating at times but just think, no more pampers.

I agree with the last advice ... taking him often, be happy and excited when there is success, make a production of getting a sticker (each time). There is a great potty training book my son adores, and I could look up the name and author if you would like.

All that being said ... I advise you not to push potty training if he is not ready. Forced potty training can be traumatic for a toddler, and can create longer term negative effects in their development. Many boys aren't ready until 3, which may be the case with your little one. You can lead a toddler to the potty, but you can't make him pee [like the horse and water :) ]. Really, though, be patient and let him choose his time.

My only advice is this. Set a timer and go every 30 to 40 minutes. It may be hit or miss at first, but eventually it will start to work. I also recommend going right to underpants. I know it seems like a lot of work because of the mess if and when they pee; but it also will cause a reaction where as the diaper or pull-up is just too easy for them to keep going potty in them. And also telling him good job for telling you he has to go or good job for going may help. And if he is the type of kid that goes for rewards..try stickers and a little toy for going in the potty two times or telling you two times. Remember their attention span is short!
Good luck!

You're probably gonna hear more of this, but he just may not be ready yet. Keep encouraging him to use the potty & give him lotsa praise when he does but I'd suggest leaving it at that. If you start pushing him the whole process could take much longer. Plus, the fact that you have a new baby in the house is a big change for him so you might wanna wait until things have settled down some, maybe a couple more months, & then try training him agian. A couple of other moms suggested taking him every 30 minutes. Well, I did that w/our first son & had him trained to go on the potty every 1/2 hour & he didn't realize when he 'needed' to go. So, I had to re-train him to go when he felt he needed to go. Went thru A LOT of underwear & shorts but it's the way I shoulda done it in the first place. I'm gonna sound somewhat hypocrytical here but I just bought this book online called 3 Day Potty Training & the author (a mom of 3-4 kids) says most kids are ready at 22 months. But, here's the clincher, you gotta devote 3 entire days to it which may be hard for you w/the new baby. I'm gonna start using it w/our younger son (3 next Monday) once summer starts & his older brother is gone all day at camps. I'm sure your goal is to not have 2 kids in diapers at once & I don't blame you, but I still recommend you wait a few more months until he's adjusted to the new baby & things are a bit more settled. Hope this helps & good luck!

try the book "Potty Training in One Day." It's a little outdated, but has some good suggestions.

Try taking him to the bathroom every hour or two before he goes in his diaper. Get him big boy pants and show gim that the pull ups go in the trash but big boy pants cant. Make it a game and give him a cape. He can be potty man.

Rewards work well. Stickers, M&M's, stuff like that. Or you could make a HUGE reward for him to aim for like a trip to the zoo or beach... Kids seem to work well with a goal. Hope this helps and remember there will be "accidents" sometimes so don't punish for that.
Best, Patti b.

At least he tells you after he goes. That is a very good start. Just tell him in a very pleasant tone of voice, the next time tell mamma or daddy that you have to go before you go so you don't have to have wet or dirty pants. He will surprise you one of these days.

Is he early two, or almost three?

Even though he knows when he has gone, he still may not physically be able to recognize that he has to go before the fact. It may still be too early. Maybe try waiting.

If the other signs are there, and he seems to know before he goes (even if it's just moments before), maybe keep trying. I like the naked bottom approach... have him run around pantless at home and keep the little potty in the room with him so he can just jump right on it when needed. I don't have boys, but I've heard it's best to train them to pee sitting, and I would tend to agree. Daddy may have to set an example for this.

Good luck!
L.

Boy really go when they want. That is pretty young for a boy. My soon aslo knew when he had to pee and poo but he really didnt care. He even peed in the toilet and occasionally did number two. It wasnt until he was 2 and 10 months that he decided on his own that he wanted to wear underwear. Good luck

Hi S.,

Potty training might be one of the most frustrating processes in a little person's life. Especially if he is not ready to do that. My son wasn't ready until he turn three. By then the incentives worked. We gave him a little toy car every time he went (he has a huge collection.) A week before he started preschool he was potty trained. That was a close call. I hear people say that their kids were potty trained early but mine didn't want to have anything to do with that until they turned three. My daughter did the same thing! If nothing works, stop trying and buy bigger diapers and try later. He is not ready to do that. Have lots of patience! E.

Hi S....My experience (I have a 7 yr old boy and a 4 yr old girl) is that my son potty trained MUCH easier when he was just 3yrs old...and my daughter was totally ready at 2. I've heard from many people that it's much less work to start the boys a little later.

If it were me, and my son obviously wasn't getting it - I'd wait...and then when he's just 3 yrs old...do it.

Wow, if I didn't know any better I would have thought I was reading my OWN post!!! I too, have a 2 & 1/2 year old son, and also a 6 week old son... I am also having trouble potty training, as my son will tell me either while he is doing it, or right after he has done it. We can get him to go pee pee first thing in the morning, but after that the day is totally a waste (no pun intended!!) as far as potty training.... Any great advice you receive I can't wait to see... It's so difficult potty training with a new baby...I'm wondering if it would almost be better to just wait a few months!

Wow - saw the response thread.....a lot of knowledgeable mommies out there. Very helpful!

I have 2 boys and what worked with one didn't necessarily work with the other so even with my advice and everyone else's your son may not feel like potty training yet. With my 1st son what worked was putting him on the potty as soon as he wakes up in the am and after nap. Also 20 minutes after clear liquids and 30 after milk. Then I would put food coloring in the toilet so he could see it change colors when he peed. This worked great for my nephew too. This may sound funny to you, but when he would have a hard time going I would pour some warm water on his "yoo-hoo" and it would make him go. He got used to going in the potty within a week. I tried all of the same things with my 2nd son and he just would not use the potty consistently until he was 3 1/2. So even if he shows all of the signs of being ready, if he doesn't want to do it, then he won't. I know it's frustrating. I'm going through it again with my 2 yr old daughter and what worked with the boys doesn't work with her either. Good luck!

Hi S. I have been through the same thing with my now 4year old son. My husband and I tried potty training when he turned 2. He didn't start getting it until 2 1/2 almost 3 years old. The doctor told us that when our second son was born we would have some trouble potty training our first son. He was right; he stopped going altogether and wanted to wear a diaper when our other son came home. It took almost 5 months to get back on track with it. When he first started going every time he went in the potty he got to go outside and get a "potty rock". Once he got the hang of going pee, we had to switch to race cars for pooping in the potty. And he was fully trained at 3 years and 4 months for using the potty.

A book or video like Once Upon a Potty is a good start, but you can't make him potty train. He has to want to do it. Also, most boys don't potty train until around 3 years old. My son went in the potty at 2 and we were very excited, but then showed no interest in it again until he was almost 3.

It sounds like he's not quite ready. He may know the sensation of urination, but, that is different than knowing the sensation before urine comes out. My best recommendation to you is make it very low key and fun. Most kids will potty train between 2 and 3 y/o and will do so when their bodies are ready. Some fun things to do with pottying:
1. have him watch Daddy pee
2. put cheerios in the potty and have him try to sink them
3. buying big boy undees and having a daddy son underwear party (a designated 30-40 minute of underwear time)
4. naked time with lots of praise for any attempt to sit on the potty and even bigger praise (stars or stickers) for any amount of pee in the potty.
The key is waiting for when his body is ready and making it fun!
I'm a mom of two boys and a daughter.
Good luck

I put a piece a paper on the wall that I made into a chart and each time my daughter went she got a sticker: 1 for pee and 2 for #2. I also read to her while she was on the toilet so it didn't see so isolating. She loved the look and find books, really kept her interest!

I also did not do pull ups. I tried them and they seemed to give my daughter diaper rash since they do not absorb very well, especially during nap time.

We still use night time diapers but just underwear during the day. Good luck!

diaper free before 3 is an excellent book and great resource. It's from a pediatrician who did extensive research on potty training. I am doing alright with my 13 month old and we started at almost 11 mos. good luck.