Potty training 3 1/2 yr old boy?

Question

Is anybody else going through this or have you before? I guess I'm looking for moral support more than advice. He KNOWS how to use the toilet if he wants. I honestly don't even care if he continues using a diaper. The problem is he WON'T keep on a diaper or pants. The instant I put any clothing or diaper on, he removes it. My spouse & I put him on the toilet or ask him about every 30 minutes, yet TWICE this afternoon I've had to clean feces up from floor. No, it wasn't diarrhea. He knew he was pooping on the floor.
I've heard boys are harder than girls but 3 1/2 seems pretty old to me. Has it taken anybody longer? Anybody out there w/ 4 year olds who refuse to use the toilet? Any advice? It's so frustrating! Some days he stays dry all night & only has one wet accident all day. Other days he refuses to use the potty at all. We've done rewards charts, stickers, praise, ignoring, let him wear wet pants.
We just don't know what to do. UHHGGG!
Please tell me he'll one day be trained!

Answer 1

When my daughter was 2 1/2 I bought a doll that has it's own little potty chair, and after giving it water in it's baby doll bottle, you can sit it on its' potty, and after it goes, it starts clapping. It worked great for her! I've heard about an Elmo that also does this. Good luck!!! But don't worry... when he's ready he'll go potty all the time, just don't pressure him...and yes, boys are definitely harder to train than girls! Good luck ~

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I never actually had this problem, I had a girl, and she was, well, easier than this anyway. But I will offer some advice, if you want it. Keep him indoors for a couple weeks. Let him run around with or without clothes on, whatever he prefers. If he has a BM on the floor, enlist his help in cleaning it up. Don't put it him on a guilt trip on anything, just make it clear that every time he poops on the floor, he will help clean it up. Give lavish praise for any time that he uses the potty. If necessary, call up your husband at work and have him praise your son too. Don't worry about potty training overnight. Hopefully in a couple weeks the situation will improve. It sounds like he just wants to be in control of the situation. So you want to make it more appealing for him to do what you want him to do, without putting any extra pressure on him. Good luck! And yes, one day he will be trained, he won't still be pooping on the floor in college or anything.

Answer 4

This is so hilarious.I have a 3 and a half yaer old son and i am going through the same exact problem. They are male so we already know they are a little slow!! Lets just say you are not alone.My son loves to pee all around the neighborhood.He pooped in my laundry shoot yesterday,he sat right on te opening and took care of his business.Last weekend i caught him in the neighbors backyard watering her flowers.He refuses to wear anything and just loves to pee outside.I now let him do that cause if i don't he will pee wherever he feels like.I do live in a gated community so hes not literally running around the neighborhood,we are a tight nit community,i don't want you to think i'm crazy. I am just a regular suburban housewife with 6 children .Only one boy though,and hes been the only one causing trouble. Don't feel like your not doing what you should.My pediatrician says when hes ready he will use the potty,so i guess i have to let him pee wherever he feels until he's ready! I do put him in a pull up at night,and when we have company,other then that hes out the door writing his name in pee along the sidewalk!! One day you will be laughing about this.

Answer 5

You just have to wait until he is ready and try to encourage him to go...My son is 3 1/2 also and has only been potty trained since Jan of this yr.

Answer 6

I have had my son potty trained since he was 2 1/2 and what I did was I used this thing we thought of and we called it the treasure box. We went to wal-mart got a little Rubbermaid box and filled it up with little cars and toys and every time he went to the bathroom he got to get something out of the box. You can put anything he likes in it like candy or little toys and whatever but it worked pretty good for us. We also had our bad days where he was spiteful and went to the bathroom on the floor and laughed about it so he sat on the potty all day and he never did it again. But see if the treasure box works for him it just might because he will see that every time he goes on the potty he will get rewarded and it doesn't have to be anything expensive in the box. my cousin used jellybeans!! Good Luck and hang in there!! It will be done sooner then you know it!!

Answer 7

I have an ebook that is really great. I found it online. It cost me money, but I would be willling to just forward you my copy. It tells you the signs of readiness (sounds like your child is) and then gives you a 3-days or less method on potty training. It might be just the thing you need, and is really simple. You can email me at [e-mail] to request it. It worked wonders with my 19 month old daughter and my friends 3 year old boy

Answer 8

My little boy is 4 years old...and he is JUST becoming fully potty trained. My advice: try rewards. I have a bag of little trinkets/toys and everytime he would poop on the potty...he would get a surprise. We also tried the sticker chart, sinking the cheerios, sometimes I would give him a book to read while he is sitting on the potty. It came to the point where I thought he would never go and then all of a sudden...he just started going by himself. Now, he just goes to the bathroom by himself and goes, without help. He also likes his privacy in the bathroom, he keeps the door slightly shut. Good luck to you!

Answer 9

iam sorry you found this out the hard way but yea little boys are harder than girl and but it all depends on the child i see one and a half yearold potty trained and i also helped my aunt with my cousin he was 4 before he could use the potty

Answer 10

My son did alot of the same things with the feces. He's 4 1/2 now and all is well. I don't know how to get you through it but I know eventually they do. In the next 6 Months he will be completely trained I bet so hang in there. it does get better.