[dance]

My strong willed 28 month old has been wearing underwear for the past 4 months. In the beginning she would have 2-3 accidents a day ( mostly poop) and I didn't think it was a big deal since it was the beginning.

Not only did she never improve on this, she actually started having more and more accidents. She doesn't allow me to take her to the bathroom and it has turned into a huge power struggle.

Physically I know she is capable. I know this because there was a moment a couple of weeks ago when she started telling when she needed to go for the first time! From one day to the next. It didn't last for more than about 3 days however and now we are back to square one.

I have heard both: Once the diaper goes you have to stick with it and that she is not 'ready' and I should go back to diapers.

She doesn't actually want to wear diapers. I have aat down and explained that if she doesn't want to wear them that is fine but then she needs to use the toilet. Nothing doing.

I am have reached the end of my rope here, changing here wet clothes up to 5 times a day and my house is turning into a smelly mess.

I am leaving for Europe tomorrow for 6 weeks. What to do?

Thank you

 

[mckittre]

Well, I'm not all the way there yet either, but I have a kid the same age who has some of the same issues. Pottying was going really well for awhile, then downhill, and now we're getting back up there. He also really really hates me trying to get him onto the potty, and doesn't tell me himself until after he's gone, usually. But he's great while naked, so at home (or outside) I've just instituted a system of "pants off time". Every so often, or when I can tell he needs to go, I tell him it's pants off time and take them off. Usually, he'll take himself to the potty within a few minutes, and this lets him think that it was his own idea - way less fighting. Then I put the pants back on. I've been doing it a week or so, and have had fewer accidents, and he's telling me more often when he needs to go.

 

[anjsmama]

Let me know if you figure it out

Haha - But seriously, DS is 34 months and 6 months ago we weren't even nearly to THAT level of success yet. I did make a switch to underwear at one point and after way too many accidents, I switched to pull ups. I didn't want it to be a power struggle, and explained that it wasn't because he was doing something wrong - but merely that I could not have accidents as we were moving and trying to sell our house and find a new one. We've been in the new place now for 3 weeks and it's like BAM - we got here, and he decided he's going to be an independent potty boy now. Every time I take him, his pull up his dry, and he goes. He's only had one 'accident' in a pull-up since we've been here (poop) and he's now telling me relatively often when he needs to go. I'm considering putting the underwear back on and hoping for the best...

Anyway, my

is that you can present "exciting new place = exciting full-time potty" as an option and see if she'll go with it. Good luck! I know the struggle is tough.