HELP! I have a son who will be three years old in 3 mos. He has expressed zero interest in potty training. I have tried everything I can think of. I have tried putting him in underwear all day so he can feel the wetness, tried the little potty, the big potty, tried putting cereal in the toilet for him to "sink", tried rewards. I am out of ideas. I have to sign him up for preschool very soon, but he can't go if he isn't toilet trained. My daughter was completely trained just after she turned 2. Any suggestions? Anyone else find it more difficult with a boy than a girl?

robertsqueen

I am getting ready to potty train my son. I bought him this video about a little boy named Josh and how he gets a potty,..my son seems to really like it. Before the video he seemed to have no intrests and now he is starting to. You can buy the video at Toys R us for about 15.00. Also don't push the potty...or he will grow to resent the potty. You can also try lettting him walk around naked, and get the feel of his body...when he pees in the tub does he give you a reaction?

Squiffy

Buys are often more difficult than girls, my son was much harder than my daughter was. Have you tried loo balls? They are little plastic ping pong balls coloured with faces and things, that are designed for the kids to wee on in the toilet, my son loved them, it made wee time fun time.
I would get rid of the potty, just try him on the toilet. Be persisitent, dont put him in nappies/diapers boys can be really lazy if you let them!

Good luck!

vlee

I will definitely look for that movie. My son's name is Josh! He does react when he pees, he knows what it is. He even removes his own pull up or underpants if he wets them. he just refuses to use the toilet, even if I ask if he needs to go. I haven't been pushing hard, just trying to encourage him. i've taken criticism from all the 'expert' moms who think he should be trained by now.

robertsqueen

Don't let the other moms make you feel bad. He will use the potty when he is good and ready. Maybe the potty scares him. Is the father in the picture? Let your son watch his father use the bathroom.....that will peak his intrests. The movie has josh and they show josh and all the things that josh's body parts do. Then they show his penis and butthole and explain what that does. I think its would be good for him to...plus its a cartoon. if you need anymore help I am here just let me know. GOOD LUCK

kp2171

my son was 3 years and 1 month. preschool was 4 weeks away. we simply took away diapers and pullups (except at night) and lived with the messes. it took three weeks. i really was getting tired of cleaning messes and running through bleach. yuck. and yuck.

sounds like youve tried this... but my agreement with my wife was to not turn back. once we started we were committed to staying there. and it worked out.

somewhere around 3-4 weeks in he started going to the bathroom on his own. we still prompted him by asking is he needed to. and he had a little chant "daddy daddy potty potty" that hed sometimes do... but more often it was a desperate sprint to the bathroom.

when we sent him to pre-k i wasnt sure he really was trained. hed just had a week and change without big accidents. thankfully there have been no "big" messes. he's had a change of pant on occasion. also, hes in half day, so i think that helped him adjust. i think full day might have been too much of a change.

and our daughter was trained earlier and much easier. once she learned that she had a choice to not be wet, she was done just like that.

try not to let the other mothers get to you. i know its not easy. different kids are different, period. ability to do something doesnt mean ready.

ATYOURSERVICE

what you have tried have been all good and some of the advice here is good too, buI agree, they will be ready when they are ready. my boys were in pull ups until about 2 1/2. My daugther 1.2 years.

vlee

Thank you all for the great advice. I appreciate your help.

zelda

i had a friend who has a son who is almost 5 and still poops himself.

lacuran8626

I have read that three is a good age to start potty training a little boy. I'd give the subject a rest for a few weeks - you are too caught up in it. I think preschools that are not tolerant of 3 year olds who are not fully potty trained have unrealistic expectations - I'd look further for one that can accomodate your son - they are there to care for him, not to set demands he is not mature enough to meet.

That said, after dropping it for a few weeks, reintroduce the subject as something "three year olds" do. Let him know, "wow, this is the last pack of diapers Mommy needs to buy because three year olds where underpants". Don't let it be the be all end all of everything - keep some perspective.

Rubber pants to wear over the underpants are a godsend to save your stuff. I bought my son the cloth training pants that feel wet and uncomfortable and had him wear rubber pants over them. Pullups are just like diapers and I don't think they are helpful - they are also very expensive.

I think that there can be too much hype around potty training and the hysteria makes the kids nervous. Also, some kids don't like the idea of being a big kid - it's too much pressure. Some simple rewards like a piece of candy each time he goes in the potty, and a sticker if he keeps his pants dry all day, are fine. Nightime training will take longer - just focus on when he's awake for now and use pullups at night.