Frustrated with potty training...?

Question

I know this question is asked over and over, but I'm about to lose it! My son is 32 months old. He refused to wear diapers 5 months ago. My first thought was whoohooo, he's ready! We got out the potty chair and let him investigate for a few weeks without pushing the issue. We let him sit on it and once he did finally pee, we made a huge fuss and gave him smarties. That is as far as we have progressed up to this point. I set a timer for every 1/2 an hour and he has to sit on the potty when the timer goes off. Half the time he'll pee, half the time, he'll wait until he gets up and pee in his pants. I've stopped giving candy because he would ask to sit on the potty, not pee, get candy, then pee his pants while he ate his candy. I'm so frustrated right now that I'm losing my patience with him. I have taken breaks for a few days, more for my own sanity. We have tried offering rewards that require him to be trained, staying at grandpa's, preschool, etc. nothing is working! Help?

I should add that this is my second son. My first spoiled me by asking for real underwear and potty training in a matter of days on his own and was younger than his brother. I don't try to compare my boys, but wow, this was really unexpected.

Answer 1

they are so manipulative.... watch out! we had success with a potty bank! if he did pee he got one coin, if he pooped other coin, if he told me he had to go potty he got another coin, and we gave him a coin for washing his hands after he was done! our guy turned three in April, in June we did the underwear thing during the day.... two weeks later he told me no more diapers for night time! so far we have only had one accident... every kid is different..... best of luck..... don't forget they all regress!

Answer 2

I think boys are just harder to potty train than girls. I'm having similar problems. However we seem to be progressing better now. I only give a reward when he actually pees in the potty, so he knows what the reward is for we do a little victory-potty dance everytime he actually goes. Also, I know this sounds crazy, but it seems to help if he has something to aim at, so I keep a jar of cheerios in the bathroom. So, when its time for him to go I throw a few cheerios in the potty. He thinks its hilarious to pee on cereal and it makes it a game. Also, we set our timer for an hour. (I'd go insane if I had to take him more than that. I'm a single mom, I don't have time to spend all day in the bathroom.) He wears pull ups most of the time, but if he does really good during the day about going to the potty I let him wear his "big boy" underwear for a while after supper and before his bath. That's another good incentive. I tell him underwear are for big boys and he can only wear them if he goes to the potty. That might help your little guy. Most of all, don't get to pushy, that's what my doc said even though my guy will be three next month. If you push they balk even more...sort of like a mule. Anyway, Good luck, and I hope that helps.

Answer 3

Some may disagree but rewards do work but ONLY if he pees in the potty. We also let my daughter know that once she got it down and was doing it all the time that she would have a big suprise at the end of going to Disneyland (even though it was an already planned trip). I don't know if I would do the timer thing because then he's not paying attention to if he has to go or not, he will just wait until the timer tells him to go. I know it can be tough and frusterating but sadly only time will get you there....I know it's easier to say when your not the one going throuhg it. They also make potty books and movies for the kids to watch that my daughter found pretty interesting. Hope this helps!!

Answer 4

Have you attempted simply taking the pullups off? He could also be flawlessly completely satisfied to wee in his pullups (finally, that is what they're for, correct?) however suppose alternatively extra approximately simply weeing at the flooring. The more thing you might take a look at doing is replacing your process a little bit. Instead of giving him a decal if he wees within the potty, why no longer placed a bead in a jar if he wees within the potty. But at any time when he wees in his pullups you're taking one out once more. He handiest will get a decal while there are a designated quantity of beads within the jar. (Note: I'm handiest suggesting this given that it feels like he is aware of flawlessly good what is going on. I would not do it with a child who's definitely having injuries and does not truthfully recognize while he demands to move - it could be imply. This is "mum is aware of great" time)

Answer 5

Try using pull-ups, they are not diapers, and they pull up just like big boy underwear. He has to know you are in control, don't let him take off everything and then mess himself. I would still reward him, but only when he successfully pees into the potty, not when he just sits on it.

I have 2 kids and am still potty training my son, he loves his "big-boy-underwear" (the pullups), we also bought some underwear together and he knows that he gets to wear it if he has no accidents in the pullups for 3 days straight. It keeps him motivated :)

At night I still put him in diapers until he is able to wake himself up when he needs to pee.

Answer 6

First off mom... calm down and count to 5... then read the artcile I provided links for below... they are techniques to try including Dr. Phils' ... you need to be patient with him and getting frustrated will not help him learn it any faster...

What worked for me... (I am a mom of 2 ages 5 and 7) I used to go when they went... everytime they went mommy went in the big potty and we would celebrate together, laugh clap cheer etc. I never bribed them with candy but we would dance etc when we "made pee or poo in the potty"... they would get excited... when he does pee himself then make sure not to quit on him and say things like .. we will do it next time... it's okay we will pee on the potty next time won't we ? Make him look forward to going potty....

Good Luck and best wishes... he'll get it soon mom!

Answer 7

Try getting some books on potty training, and read them with him while he's sitting on the potty. I recommend "Once Upon a Potty" by Alona Frankel or "My Big Boy Potty" by Joanna Cole. Books are good, because they'll force him to sit on the potty for a WHILE -- sooner or later, he's bound to go while you're reading, even if it's by accident!
Second: if you're starting to feel frustrated, have your partner (husband, boyfriend, whatever) take over for a while -- your child can sense that frustration, and it just tends to make everything tougher.
Third: Don't Panic! My wife and I went through the same thing, just like we went through every stage of his development -- "He's never going to get neck muscles," "He's never going to learn to walk," "He's never going to sleep through the night,"....

I guarantee: when the time is right, everything's going to "click", and he WILL figure it out....

Answer 8

For my daughter, I bribed her with stickers. I know that seems silly, but I made a little picture with a potty on it on cardboard, and everytime she would go to the bathroom on her potty, I would give her a sticker. She would get really excited about it, and in a matter of 3 days, we were completely out of diapers. It was great.

Answer 9

In my opinion, I would wait a couple more weeks, and try it again. What worked for us is just getting the big boy underpants, and that was pretty much it. Yes, he did have a few accidents, but he has done amazingly well. We also did a sticker chart, where each time he went, he got to pick his sticker and put it on the chart. As long as you put diapers, and pull-ups on kids, they go in them, because they no they can. We had sponge bob, and spider man undies, and we would say you don't want to dirty sponge bob do you. We made him think if he had an accident in them, we may have to throw them out. Good luck to you!

Answer 10

Sounds to me as if this child has you trained quite well. Why would you give a kid candy for peeing? Many children often "revert" around 3 years. Just be patient and consistent and get rid of the candy.