Was Potty trained...now Is NOT!

The same thing happened with my daughter. She is still terrified of automatic flushing toilets. The way I got her to get back on the big potty especially in public was a little bizarre but it worked. I would just "sit" behind her. I stood at the back with a foot on either side of toilet and would keep my hands at her waist and told her it was safe. I didn't have to do this for very long. Then I just started covering the sensor of the automatic flushers with my hand and stood next to her. She is 4 now and is fine with going potty as long as it's either not an automatic flusher or if I cover up the sensor. Hope that helps.

We recently moved and my 3 1/2 yo little girl is having trouble with #1 and 2. Usually it's a small accident in the panties and then running to the potty, but not always. I'm trying so hard to keep my cool.

From what I've read, it's totally normal for kids to regress. As far as preschool, I bet they'll take him to the potty several times, so that should be okay.

Here's my auto-flush solution: keep post-it notes in your bag. Put one over the "eye" of the potty, and it won't flush until you, or he, removes it. Gives him the control! Good luck.

H., looks like you've received a lot of good advice. I agree that explaining how those automatic toilets work might be helpful and especially emphasize how the one at home is different.(You can also hold your hand over the sensor to make it not go off.) The regression is normal after anything that may be traumatic to a little one. For ours it was the birth of our second child that made us have to potty train the first one all over again. The only thing I would like to add is even though you can't make him poop on the potty, you can make him sit on it(This is ultimately a power issue). Give him some books and make sitting on the potty a relaxed part of your routine again. I feel for you girl b/c what you're going through is one of the most frustrating times as a parent. Try to disconnect emotionally and stay focused on the fact that this too shall pass. You did it once, you can do it again. Hang in there.

Well the poor little guy, sometimes those self flushing toilets scarce me, they are so loud. Can you imagine sitting on a pot that is way bigger than you and then having it flush with that loud fast noise. I would be very patient with him and let him use the little potty for a while. And talk to him about the scarcy one.

Later when hes a little calmer about it could you find one and then hold him in your arms and set the thing off and turn it into a game?

Is it only me or does it seems that those toilets spray the contents of the bowl all over the stall?

Good luck with this.

Hi, H.. I think it is a good decision to pull the little potty out of the routine, since it will give you a month to get the situation back to normal before preschool. Do you know when he is going or does he tell you? If he tells you, I would proceed to the bathroom, and just say matter-of-factly that the baby potty isn't here anymore, we will have to use the big potty. I will sit with you while you go. Maybe use a book to distract him. See if he will flush it by himself. Give him as much control as possible over the situation. If he gets upset, I would just hold him there until he goes. He has to see that it will be okay, and the toilet will not hurt him, it can just be loud when you flush. I would say to try to give him an instrument or something to play when you flush, but they are not going to do that in preschool, so it is probably better not to start something you can not continue. Hang in there- he will get back to normal. Try to stay as calm as possible, and don't over talk the problem to him. I get better results if I just act matter-of-fact about things. Good Luck!

Hi H., this sounds very frustrating. Have you tried explaining the whole automatic flushing thing to him? I realize he is only three, but this could also turn into a handwashing lesson at the same time. Explain to him that LOTS of people stop at the rest area and to cut down on the spread of germs, they make it so the toilet flushes by itself. You could also show him that the reason it flushed while he was sitting on it is because he is small and the light got past him. You can also show him that if you hold something in front of the sensor, that will not happen. Explain to him that no way, no how, will your toilet at home ever do that. Take him somewhere else that they have auto flush, and calmly show him that the toilet is supposed to do that. It probably scared the you know what out of the poor little guy! Good Luck, be patient!

The automatic flusher has scared a lot kids back to diapers. It happened to my best friend. I recently read in a magazine that if you carry post it notes with you and cover up the sensor it won't fluch until you take it off. You could go back to the source and try this to show him that won't happen anymore. Good Luck! J.

Good Morning H.. I do believe it's a pretty normal occurrence. Our Gr son same age as your little guy, doesn't like the big potty not either for poopoo, the water Splashes his hinny. ;) Now he likes the auto flushes once he figured out he could just stand there and play with the silly thing. Moving his hand back and forth across the beam.

Corbin will poopoo in his pull up at nap time, he starts pre-school also soon. And for a while he did very well on the big potty for poopoo, but Now Nada chance. He will go pp though alone. He will be gone from 8:30 - 11:30 so I know his routine enough to know he will not go poopoo while in pre-school. Of Course he will probably prove me w-r-o-n-g :)

About those auto flushes, you could have dad take him when out and about and cover the beam with his hand, then let the little guy tell him when to move his hand. Make it a game in a way. Usually little boys want to be big boys with daddy, so if daddy lets him know before hand he is going to help him it might work.

Let him keep His potty chair for a little while longer, just let him know when he goes to Big boy school they have big pottys there and he will need to use those like the other children.

Be Patient he will get back to the program soon.
God Bless
K. Nana of 5

I can feel your pain! An automatic flush toilet scared my almost four year old granddaughter, and now she won't use public toilets! That can be very limiting, not to mention the "accidents" when she couldn't hold it any longer! I, too, am eager to hear any suggestions as to what to do to help this! Sorry I don't have any, but I thought it might help just a tad to know that you're not alone in this!

Have you tried using one of those potty seat tops (that sits on top of the big potty)? We got one in Dora for our daughter and she loves it. Target sells a Diego one too.

My daughter has such a small rear that she can't sit on the big potty without some kind of help. We always go to the handicapped stall when we're in a public restroom so she can hold on to the bar. It makes her feel more safe and it keeps her hands off of the public toilet.

Good luck!

I had the same situation with my daughter last month. The only thing I did that worked was to give her a 'special treat' if she went poop on the big girl. The catch was that if she went in her pants, her brothers got the special treat. It was that second part that got her going again because I had tried everything else. Good luck! I hope it works.

N.

H.,
when it comes to children learning, even about going potty you'll learn the hard way that the child will learn and will always have that control until he does. He will go on the big potty when he is ready. Let him go on the baby potty. I'm a mother of a 21, 18 and 13 year old. Best of luck

I can't tell you I have the answer, but I can tell you I understand your frustration. We just went through the same thing with our 3 1/2 year old son. What was most frustrating was knowing that he was capable of doing it, but for some mysterious reason choosing not to--and we couldn't trace it back to any frightening experience such as an automatic flusher.

After 2 months or so of regression, I am tentatively pleased to say that he just completed 6 days with no accidents. However--this did not happen without constant reminders and encouragement from us to go on the potty. We were actually on vacation when the progress began and the one thing that seemed to work was giving him more independence and choices (like picking the toilet stall he wanted to go in, and letting him go in by himself-while I watched closely outside the stall door)

For going #2, bribes didn't work well, but we consistently only allowed certain privileges after he had gone #2. (like we can't go to the playground until... or as soon as you go #2 we'll watch a video...)and sometimes this inspired him to go, which in turn helped us to be more positive and less stressed out and made it all a more positive experience for him. It also helped him to be by himself when he went (with us outside the bathroom stall) because he is a hider when he goes #2.

hi H....unfortunately i don't really have any good advice for you. i did read all your responses and got some advice from your posting. you are definitely not alone in this situation. my son, who is also 3 1/2, just started asking me for diapers 2 days ago. we've always had a little bit of trouble with #2, but he will go on the potty after realizing we are out of diapers/pull ups. it has been about 4 months now that he has been 100% trained...and then all of a sudden this relapse. he will still potty on big toilet, but in now way, shape or form will he #2 on potty. we sat in their for 20 minutes yesterday and read all sorts of books and talked on phone...still no #2. he then wanted a diaper and BAM...went just like that. i don't understand, but all my friends have told me that a lot of kids will do this and we just have to let them grow out of it. like your son...mine will be starting pre-school in a few short weeks. if he has to go #2...the teacher can't read him a book. i would always let him go alone before (with me near by) just to learn. i'm hoping things will get back to normal soon...it's been nice saving $20 month on diapers/pull ups! i wish you the best and they will grow out of it!

First stand next to the toilet and show him every part of it. Dont make him but show him it is alright to touch it. Take the tank lid off let him look inside it. Let him touch the gears inside it. let him explore it with you. You must be the leader any older children should help and dad. really let him face his fear. put a bulls eye in the toilet and tell him to hit it. Cheerios floating is a good one. Just a couple. Good luck