Potty training

[SilverMoon010]

My son is turning 3 in April.  I started easing him into the idea of potty training previously.  At first, he liked wearing what I call his "big boy pants," which are just boys' underwear, and had no problem putting them on, but now he doesn't like taking his diaper off at all, and whenever I ask him if he wants to wear his big-boy pants, he says no and starts asking for his diaper and crying.  I don't get it.  I've been very easy with him with the training as I did read the book Potty Training for Boys.  He did go on the potty once but that was because one day, he just loved sitting on it and did not want to get up.  He was reading his Chuck N Friends book on it and wound up peeing right in it. I was soooo proud of him for it and praised him.  He really doesn't tell me when he has to pee, though.  I thought if I kept at it, he would understand.

Anyway, why he is now crying for his diaper, when at first, he was really excited to wear his underwear?  Not sure what to do at this point and I can't force him at all in this process and don't want to stress him out, but at the same time, I feel like if I continue being easy and putting his diaper back on when he cries for it, we'll never make any progress.  I really don't want to stop because he was sitting on it at one point and did actually go in the potty once, but then again, I'm not sure if this is a sign he is not ready. Not sure what to do.

[francesruben]

I'd put the diaper back on and wait until the phase has passed. Try again in a month, if he doesn't go for I'd it drop it again. I persisted with DD at the same age and it was a big waste of my time and I think it did stress her out. I kept thinking I was being gentle with her but in hindsight I think she felt hassled. I'm back there again with DS (2.5) wondering when he'll be interested- he also likes undies but no interest in the potty yet. 

[wiseworks]

Originally Posted by SilverMoon010 

My son is turning 3 in April.  I started easing him into the idea of potty training previously.  At first, he liked wearing what I call his "big boy pants," which are just boys' underwear, and had no problem putting them on, but now he doesn't like taking his diaper off at all, and whenever I ask him if he wants to wear his big-boy pants, he says no and starts asking for his diaper and crying.  I don't get it.  I've been very easy with him with the training as I did read the book Potty Training for Boys.  He did go on the potty once but that was because one day, he just loved sitting on it and did not want to get up.  He was reading his Chuck N Friends book on it and wound up peeing right in it. I was soooo proud of him for it and praised him.  He really doesn't tell me when he has to pee, though.  I thought if I kept at it, he would understand.

Anyway, why he is now crying for his diaper, when at first, he was really excited to wear his underwear?  Not sure what to do at this point and I can't force him at all in this process and don't want to stress him out, but at the same time, I feel like if I continue being easy and putting his diaper back on when he cries for it, we'll never make any progress.  I really don't want to stop because he was sitting on it at one point and did actually go in the potty once, but then again, I'm not sure if this is a sign he is not ready. Not sure what to do.

I love the quote in your signature!  Very cool!  Okay, I'm new here and would like to hear an update on your potty training adventure.

My daughter is about to turn three and we've been struggling with her.  She can pee with no problem on the potty.  She'll even tell us when she needs to go or we see her doing "the dance" and recommend she go.

She did the ole #2 on the potty only once or twice in the last six months and now she won't do it at all.  She continues to go in her pullup or undies.

We've tried being calm and let her read books but it's not working.  I think she's a little scared or something.

Thoughts?

[SilverMoon010]

Originally Posted by wiseworks 

I love the quote in your signature!  Very cool!  Okay, I'm new here and would like to hear an update on your potty training adventure.

My daughter is about to turn three and we've been struggling with her.  She can pee with no problem on the potty.  She'll even tell us when she needs to go or we see her doing "the dance" and recommend she go.

She did the ole #2 on the potty only once or twice in the last six months and now she won't do it at all.  She continues to go in her pullup or undies.

We've tried being calm and let her read books but it's not working.  I think she's a little scared or something.

Thoughts?

Hi there! I think it is all a matter of when they are ready.  My son is doing great on the potty now! It all happened so fast so I think looking back and even reading my initial post on this thread makes me realize he must have not been ready when I posted the above.  It took a while for the #2 pottying to set in.  Sometimes he wouldn't tell me and would go in his pull-ups (or even his underwear - yucky mess!)  He is doing much better with #2 now.  We haven't tried the overnight training yet.  I'm waiting until he is absolutely 100% ready for that. The only thing is that I notice when we take him out to places, we put Pull-Ups on him and he doesn't seem to tell us when he has to pee with the Pull-Ups.  I know it's hard to go without the Pull-Ups but we are going to have to try to take him out now with just underwear so he gets used to telling us he has to pee when we're out rather than relying on the Pull-Ups.  Honestly, I read that Pull-Ups can be a set back because it's so similar to a diaper that they don't mind peeing or pooping in them (especially boys!)

I would say just relax and let her take the time she needs with it.  She's got peeing down so that's great.  #2 definitely takes some time and we are still working with our little guy on that as well.  At first he was terrified to do #2 on the potty and even cried as it was coming out his first time on the toilet  I believe toddlers have this thing with their #2's and feel it's a part of them or something and don't want to let it go.  It's all very strange but I read that somewhere and seeing my son's reaction when he did it for the first time on the potty makes me realize how true that really is.  It's all kinda new and scary for them.

It will all come together for your daughter soon enough
 

[wiseworks]

@SilverMoon010 - Thank you for the encouragement!  I really appreciate it.  We're just trying to give her positive encouragement but not pushing her to poop in the potty. 

What you described with your son sounds exactly like my daughter.  It's scary and painful and they don't know what's going on. 

I like how you said it happened so fast!  I look forward to when I can say that...but guess what?  We have another daughter who is 1 1/2 so it's just a matter of time before we start going through it with her.  We will be better prepared though.

[mamakah]

OP- I could have written your post word for word a few months ago.  My DS (just over 3) was the exact same way, he would cry and ask for a diaper.  So, I put diapers back on him because I wanted him to look at potty training as fun and he obviously wasn't ready to leave his comfort zone in diapers.  Then, we started saying, "Ok, we are only going to put on diapers at night but during the day you'll wear underpants!" He was somewhat ok with it and would pee in the toilet but would ask for diaper to do #2. I'd put the diaper on him, he would do his business, then back in underpants.

I don't know how to explain how I got to the point, but one day I just said, "When these diapers are all used up we aren't going to buy diapers anymore. You'll wear underwear everyday and no more diapers."(We used disposables ) He listened but I wasn't sure how it would play out. Turns out, it was fine. Once the diapers were gone he just adapted, started doing number 2 in the toilet AND wears underpants to bed with no accidents. 

Everyone says it, but he really will just reach a point where it clicks. 

[aschmied]

Ok, so I just logged on with this same issue.  Only DS is 3.75.  He's 100% on peeing in the potty - if he is bare bottom.  He has had trouble with pooping ever since I weaned him at  a little over 3.  It appears that he was withholding, and things got backed up.  He's on miralax now, and it takes about 6 months to fully heal the intestines from that.  We're about 3 months into that.

I am however, terrifically frustrated that we are making so little progress.  He's a big lad, he's in 5t clothes.  Frankly, I'm having a devil of a time getting diapers that fit him.  The thing that makes me craziest is not that he has accidents.  I could deal with accidents, and, I think not get too grumpy about it, but that he never tells me.  He just doesn't seem to care.  I've always changed him immediately.  He was EC'd casually from birth, in fact.  DD was all done at 17 months, and I am having a lot of trouble not comparing there, at least in my own head.  Anyone out there with experience on the sloooow to potty learn youngster?

[mkksmom]

My LO is about 90% trained with pee when she is naked. Was afraid to poop at all, let alone in the potty. Now she is OK pooping in a pull-up after bringing her in with me 4 or 5 times and explaining that I'll have to work hard t push it out, but I'll feel all better when I'm done. But we are stuck at that point. Not sure whether to try training pants and just deal with enough accidents that it clicks or continue the naked time and try for more later.