Almost 3 year old has zero interest in the potty...help!

[mrs.t]

My DS will be 3 in april. He is extremely bright, verbal, and knows how to get his needs met and has for some time. We have a potty, training pants, pull ups, underwear, which he seemed very excited about when we purchased them (all separately, I didn't overwhelm him!) but then quickly lost interest. He has the "once upon a potty" DVD. He has watched it numerous times on request and enjoys the songs and the story. He will take off his pants, diaper, and sit on the potty, then get up a few seconds later. He has never done anything while on it. He STILL doesn't tell me when he has a wet or soiled diaper and never has. He feels it, he just doesn't ever want to stop what he is doing long enough to be changed. We go through the same routine when he has to get dressed.

I'm kind of at a loss over how to get him interested in the potty. I don't want to force him, and I will suggest that he sit on it, but most of the time he says no, so I let it go. I guess maybe he isn't ready, but it doesn't seem to go along with his personality and how he HAS TO do everything by himself. This is my first and only child, and I honestly have no idea how to proceed. I really thought it would be something he would really like to do, and that he would catch on quickly.

[owlhowl]

Sounds like my oldest boy I was really surpirsed at his lack of interest in the potty because he was so independant with everything else. I would suggest leaving the potty where he can see it, be really casual about it. After a year of trying lots of methods with my son, I gave up and decided just to let him do his thing. He was 3 3/4 when he decided he was now ready and we didn't have to do much, he just started using the toilet on his own!

With DS2, we introduced the potty around 14 months, at 18 months he started peeing on his own, we never pushed him or even praised him, just treated it like a normal thing and by 3 he was using the bathroom on his own. Even pooping!! (LOL, DS1 haaaated pooping for a long time!)

[MiddleRiverMama]

We are in exactly the same boat (DS turns 3 in July). I have just been letting it go, assuming he'll show signs when he is ready. Just recently I started noticing his diaper is not wet in the morning and then he has a huge pee in his diaper shortly after waking up, so I think that means his control and muscles are developing. But no interest in potty yet. I figure there is no hurry but in eager to hear what others say!

[olaz-b]

My DS is 3yrs 2 months and we have tried everything, and I really mean everything.  He just didn't want to use the potty on a regular basis.  We'd try something new and he'd use the potty for a day or two, then he'd completely refuse.  I'm glad we have supportive friends and family because they kept telling us not to push and that eventually it would click for him.  Finally, last week, it happened!  He was looking through some drawers and found one filled with forgotten Christmas gifts for him (his grandparents spoiled him, so I didn't give him those gifts).  He wanted them and I said only if he starts to use the potty regularly and no diapers.  So.... he is now using the potty and is getting those presents every couple of days.  We've had one big accident where he got a lot of poop on his hand (TMI), but it made him gag, which made him really want to use the potty more.  A week into this and he doesn't want a night time diaper either.  We are officially diaper free.  I'm sure there'll be accidents, but this really was his decision, yay! I will admit, though, I was ready to accept that he'd be a high schooler not potty trained.

[mrs.t]

Thanks everyone. I feel a little better knowing I'm not alone! Did any of you try anything like a sticker chart or any other gimmicky type stuff?

[sageowl]

Right there with ya.  I keep reminding myself that statistically speaking, the problem won't continue into high school...

[~Adorkable~]

Oh Crap Potty Training, great woman, great attitude, great book.

she is good at explain not just how but the why and why not of a lot of common wisdom and mistakes with potty training. her book is a 15 dollar download and a cant recommend it enough, i know a lot of ladies around here that it helped tons.