another potty training question... please help!

[mommy212]

So a few weeks ago I tried to do a (planned) 3 day bare-bottom potty training session with my 2 YO son. I did it poorly, and we made it just 1 miserable day before going back to diapers. The good part is he did learn WHEN he needs to pee and popp, and he still tells me. The bad part is he hates his potty, either in the chair or as a toilet seat (ours does both) and for the life of me I cannot get him to sit on it. I feel that if he would just sit on it once and pee/poop, he would understand because he really is a very bright child but doesn't really get the concept of pee/poop in the potty (understandable, right?). So basically, how do I get him to sit on it again? He wastes diapers by asking for a change right before he poops and again after he poops (he outgrew the last size of cloth I bought so this is a money issue now!). I am really close to giving him a cookie or something else he likes if he sits down on it, but I know logically I don't want to go down that road.

[Erin77]

I have to say, I think a short term reward (like a cookie) sounds like just what you need to get him over the dislike of the potty! You said you think he'll get it if he just does it a few times... I'd use the reward and then phase it out. I know so many parents who have used M & Ms or chocolate chips in potty training and their children don't need sugar to activate their bladders permanently, ha ha.

[EchoSoul]

You know, he may not want to use them because to some extent it feels wrong to use them. There's extensive evidence that humans were designed to squat to eliminate, and children instinctively do this until it's taught out of them. If you have him squat on the toilet seat, he may comply doing his business without a fuss. :)

[nstewart]

Do you have any of your cloth diapers still?  You could let him squat on one to pee/poop so that he gets the idea of not going "in" his diaper.  Then, you can transition by putting the cloth diaper on the potty so he gets used to sitting on that and then eventually (probably fairly quickly) get rid of it all together.  You can also get a potty that would allow him to squat more easily (or rather, they allow your DC to sit in a squat position) as suggested by pp.  There is a baby bjorn that would be good for this.

[dakotablue]

Have you tried turning him around? I know it sounds weird but for my DS1 turning and facing the toilet rather than out made him feel more secure on the potty. Maybe something to try.