Potty Training...

[VydorScope]

OKay the kid is three now and the diaper budget has to go!

Seriously... what realy works. So fair today he has had 5 accidents and 1 sucess. Should we make him drink a lot to create more teachable accidents, or what?

[Guest ~jules~]

I have two boys 9 and 6. Potty training is one of the big humps to get over thats for sure. I remember that no matter what we did accidents are going to happen alot. I think they just have to learn on their own okay its time to put down my toys (or whatever the busy little bugger is doing) and go to the bathroom. Also I found with my boys especially this was a big issue, they were "too busy" to go potty! We had a seriously hard time with it. What we did is stayed on top of it as much as possible, constantly asking him if he has to go, proper habits of always flushing, and cleanup. With my youngest I had to cut off all before bedtime sippy cups, because he would wet, and I would suggest buying one of those plastic mattress covers if thats an issue. With my oldest it got to the point of a power play. I had to just leave him in his undies, and wait until he got tired of going in his pants, he did eventually. Good luck to you....

[celiacgirls]

What is he wearing? I think those pullups are too comfortable when they are wet. My oldest was getting close to 3 and showing no interest in potty training. What worked for me is to just have her start wearing regular underwear. She quickly saw the need to go use the potty. She only had 1 or 2 accidents.

[hannahsue01]

I was always told DO NOT use pullups for potty training. I guess they pull to much moisture away from the skin and they don't really realize that they have peed. For us we used the thick potty training uderware wich helped allot with her feeling that she had gone and helped keep some of the mess down a bit. She could not have anything to drink after dinner or she would wet the bed as well. We reminded her quite often and after eating and before bed to go to the bathroom. It didn't take her long to figure out that she didn't like being wet. Extream positive reinforcment was important as well......she loved hearing how proud we were of her when she went.

[VydorScope]

Well he is in big boy underwear now... but we planed on a diaper for overnight/nap, and when he goes to pre-school is that bad?

[celiacgirls]

Mine needed the pullup overnight for a lot longer. She was just didn't wake up, pullup or not. I would talk to the preschool and see what they think. For us, I did it over a vacation and when she went back, there wasn't much risk of an accident.

[Guest ~jules~]

I would just let the preschool know you guys are potty training, they should help you with your goal to get him going on his own. I agree with no pull-ups. With my oldest, as long as it wasn't uncomfortable to go in his pants he would just keep going. I put him in regular undies, and as I said he got tired of the messes eventually. Messy, but it worked. I also found that alot of praise for going on his 0wn motivated him to keep doing so.

[VydorScope]

I would just let the preschool know you guys are potty training, they should help you with your goal to get him going on his own. I agree with no pull-ups. With my oldest, as long as it wasn't uncomfortable to go in his pants he would just keep going. I put him in regular undies, and as I said he got tired of the messes eventually. Messy, but it worked. I also found that alot of praise for going on his 0wn motivated him to keep doing so.

What about overnight? Naps?

(and I am pretending that its impossible for him to get gluttened durring this, that would destroy any chances!)

[hannahsue01]

Well he is in big boy underwear now... but we planed on a diaper for overnight/nap, and when he goes to pre-school is that bad?

It depends on the preschools policies on that one. Our daughter wore a diaper for awhile overnight even after being trained during the day.....the biggest thing was not to let her have more than litterly a sip of anything after dinner time. Not all kids are the same and some take longer than others.....from what I have been told boys take a little longer to train than girls but I donno because I am sure there are exceptions.

[VydorScope]

It depends on the preschools policies on that one. Our daughter wore a diaper for awhile overnight even after being trained during the day.....the biggest thing was not to let her have more than litterly a sip of anything after dinner time. Not all kids are the same and some take longer than others.....from what I have been told boys take a little longer to train than girls but I donno because I am sure there are exceptions.

From my informal study of parents that been there... boys take alot longer in most cases

[Michi8]

What about overnight? Naps?

(and I am pretending that its impossible for him to get gluttened durring this, that would destroy any chances!)

You can get cloth training pants with a waterproof outer (Motherease makes a wonderful terrycloth training pant with a built-in waterproof cover.) They work well for daytime, but don't hold as much liquid as diapers, so don't work as well for naps. If your son is ready, then you could try elimiating diapers and pullups completely, and letting him go bare-bottomed until he learns to use the toilet consistently.

IME, I've gone through potty training with two boys, and they were completely different in how training went. First son was dry at night first and then daytime followed once we stopped using diapers/pullups at night. He trained at about 3 yo. Second son was capable, but refused until he was good and ready. we continued with pullups, and he decided to stop wearing them at 3.5 yo, just as he was starting preschool (he knew he had to be using the toilet to go to school.) He never had an accident day or night. There was no way either boy was going to train on my schedule...it was completely up to them!

My daughter trained at 2.5 yo because she hated diapers. I told her that she needed to use the toilet then...and so she ran around sans underpants, and we kept a potty in the room where she was hanging out. Didn't take her long to get the hang of it, and she quickly learned to stay completely dry at night too. Again, the process was totally up to her...there was no way I could push it until she was ready.

Michelle

[AndreaB]

I had always been told that training between 3 and 4 reduced accidents. My daughter trained quickly with me making a game of it (at 3 1/2). I drew a track (she likes Thomas) and put stars up for when she or I went. Only took a couple weeks and she was done.

My oldest son just turned 4. My mom put him in undewear when she was here watching the kids during hubby's surgery a few weeks ago. He only had two accidents the next day and he's been fine. We just let him go to bed at night without a diaper on. He told me he hated diapers and that's why he continued going in them......to run out of them. I would have pulled the diapers sooner had I known that was what her was thinking.

My church's pastor's wife told me that she gave her kids a potty training gift as incentive too. I got something Thomas for my daughter and still need to shop around for something for my son. He decided he wanted something different than what he originally told me.

[CarlaB]

OKay the kid is three now and the diaper budget has to go!

Seriously... what realy works. So fair today he has had 5 accidents and 1 sucess. Should we make him drink a lot to create more teachable accidents, or what?

Yes, there's a book called Potty Training in One Day, or something like that. Give him books, etc. for entertainment, have him spend the day in the bathroom wearing underwear and drinking all of his favorite drinks, make him clean up the mess including washing out the underwear in the sink himself (you can redo it later when the day is over) ... basically, give him the responsibility of his own messes. If he goes on the pot, then give him congatulations, make a huge deal out of it, and give him candy you don't normally let him eat.

From my informal study of parents that been there... boys take alot longer in most cases

My biological son was trained at 2, through the night as well, but I have been told the same thing.

[jerseyangel]

I guess I'm old fashioned (or maybe just old ), but I think it's best to wait until the child is showing some interest. I only have experience with boys. My first was about 3. As soon as it was his idea, it went pretty smoothly--day and nitetime. My second was more like 3 1/2. He was fine pretty quickly during the day, but took much longer at night. We never made a big deal out of it. (I put a plastic sheet under his sheets)

With both of them, I really tried to take a relaxed attitude. My personal feeling is that you should wait until the child is really ready--be that 2 1/2 or 4.

[AndreaB]

I guess I'm old fashioned (or maybe just old ), but I think it's best to wait until the child is showing some interest. I only have experience with boys. My first was about 3. As soon as it was his idea, it went pretty smoothly--day and nitetime. My second was more like 3 1/2. He was fine pretty quickly during the day, but took much longer at night. We never made a big deal out of it. (I put a plastic sheet under his sheets)

With both of them, I really tried to take a relaxed attitude. My personal feeling is that you should wait until the child is really ready--be that 2 1/2 or 4.

Patti,

I agree with waiting until they are ready. I wanted my son trained around 3 1/2, he wasn't ready. Whenever I praised him for going (he did around 3 1/2), he quit. Now he thinks underwear is more comfortable and has the incentive himself to go. My kids doctor when we moved here said not to expect them to train before they can walk up steps normally since they don't have the muscle control before that. That normally doesn't happen before 2 1/2.

[VydorScope]

Patti,

I agree with waiting until they are ready. I wanted my son trained around 3 1/2, he wasn't ready. Whenever I praised him for going (he did around 3 1/2), he quit. Now he thinks underwear is more comfortable and has the incentive himself to go. My kids doctor when we moved here said not to expect them to train before they can walk up steps normally since they don't have the muscle control before that. That normally doesn't happen before 2 1/2.

Odd.. our son been working the stiars gosh, I thin much closer to his 1 yr brithday.. he likes to jump down them now though!

I think our son IS ready, just being lazy.

[Ursa Major]

Okay, Vincent, here's my two cents on this topic. I have one son and two grandsons (four and two). My son refused to even try potty training until two weeks before he turned three, and then was just trained. My older grandson needed lots of encouragement (especially in the form of candy ).

This is what I did with all my kids: When they started showing interest in using the potty (their timing, not mine), I told them what a great idea it was, and made a deal with them. If they went pee in the potty (or toilet with special seat, some kids prefer that, it makes them feel 'big'), they'd get one Smartie, if they'd go poo, they'd get two Smarties (substitute for whatever favourite gluten-free treat you can use). Those kids wanted those candies badly, because I literally NEVER had candies or cookies in the house (don't believe in poisoning kids with sugar).

After a while I'd 'forget' about the candy, unless they reminded me. When going in the potty or toilet became so routine that they didn't remember the treat, neither would I, and soon the candy wasn't needed.

My oldest daughter wasn't trained for the night until she was four, and didn't bother even starting until she was nearly three. The second one, who is only 15 months younger, wanted to be like her big sister, and trained herself (no effort needed on my part at all) at the same time. She wanted to be 'big', too, and wanted flowered, 'big girl' undies badly. Plus, she HATED the feeling of poopy diapers.

In those days there were no pull-ups, I used the terry-cloth training pants with attached waterproof outer (which I ordered from England), so they felt nice and wet.

My son didn't care about poop all over his butt, the whole house would stink, and if I asked him if he wanted to be changed, he'd say 'no'! Yuck!!!!!!!!

For the next one, the candies were needed, she was (and is), too contrary about wanting to please me. The youngest was a cinch.

My daughter used the Smarties as well. Her oldest was easy, with the twins, the boy was trained quickly, and the girl took a long time. They're now four, and she is finally completely trained, but still wears pull-ups to bed. She won't wake up when she has to go, and gets very upset if she pees her bed.

Her two-year-old is starting to be trained now. He wants to be like his big brother. See, little kids who have big siblings want to be like them, and it helps. You don't have that advantage.

I would put pull-ups on Timmy for pre-school and for naps and over night. Once he wakes up from naps consistently with dry pull-ups, eliminate them for naps. Nights are an awful lot longer than naps. But the same rule applies there (except diapers at first). Since he can't consciously control whether he pees in his pants during sleep, rewards would only be counterproductive, as they'd cause anxiety.

And having accidents at pre-school is too embarassing, I wouldn't put my kid in that situation. It's embarassing enough if it happens at home, but bearable, since it's loving parents who will take care of it.

And I agree with the plastic sheet, once Tim decides he doesn't want diapers at night any more. It will sure safe his mattress from being smelly!

Oh, and another thing: If he loves Batman, Superman, or Bob the Builder etc., buy him the undies with his favourite hero as an incentive. It sure worked with my grandson, he was absolutely thrilled when 'Oma' (that's me), bought him those 'amazing' underpants.

[Michi8]

I think our son IS ready, just being lazy.

Is it laziness, or is it just something that he has control over? Parents don't often "win" a potty training battle because it really is up to the child whether they use the toilet or not.

Before my second son decided to use the toilet 100% of the time, he would choose not to poop in his pull up when he was away from home, but there was no way he was going to use the toilet (yet)...he would always wait until he was at home to poop (in his pull up.) He was fully able to control when & where he went, and I couldn't force him to do otherwise.

Michelle

[VydorScope]

He has had a plastic sheet under his cotton sheet since birth. So thats not an issue. This is a Celiac Kid so nigths gott realy messy there for a while till we knew better!

Well, he always knows when he is going, cause he will tell us "Mo-mee wet!" or dirty (and know knows how to do it in sign lang too!) , and he has successfully used the potty a few times. Just not today! LOL Well once today he started to go in his underwear, then stopped and finished inthe potty. But that was 3 or 4 accidents ago....

He loves rollo's we could use them.. he almost never gets them.

[AndreaB]

Odd.. our son been working the stiars gosh, I thin much closer to his 1 yr brithday.. he likes to jump down them now though!

I think our son IS ready, just being lazy.

Usually they can walk up the steps at 1 but they move up on step with one leg, bring the other leg to the same step and move the first leg up to the next step.

Once they can walk up like an older child/adult then they should have the muscle control.

I thought my son was being lazy too.

[VydorScope]

Usually they can walk up the steps at 1 but they move up on step with one leg, bring the other leg to the same step and move the first leg up to the next step.

Once they can walk up like an older child/adult then they should have the muscle control.

I thought my son was being lazy too.

he was doing every other leg on they way up long be fore we new that that was somthing to watch for, so I can not say when he started that... but its been a while.

[chrissy]

i always tell people that i don't believe in potty training----i'd rather change a diaper than clean up an accident. all of my kids have been over 3 before than were potty trained except one, and that is because she basically trained herself. sometimes, if they potty train when they are a little older, they will be dry at night at about the same time.

i did occasionally make some weak attempts at potty training my kids. my oldest reached a point where it almost seemed like he wasn't sure what to do when he had to poop. we gave him a suppository and sat him on the toilet until he went. he only had one accident after that and then he was done.

[Daxin]

My mom said Cheerios (or in this case Perky-o's) may work for boys so they can use them for "target practice". Make a game of it.

Also, she swore by a book called "Potty Training in Less Than a Day". I do not remember the author, but I have seen it at almost every book store in the baby/toddler sections.

We are going through the same thing with our daughter.