Any toilet training advice for a 2 1/2 year old?

Question

I have a 2 1/2 year old son that we're trying desparately to get toilet trained. He has troubles with rashes and the pull ups are just becoming a crutch for him so we decided yesterday to go "cold turkey" and start putting him in big boy briefs. He likes wearing them, and although we are successful getting him to use the potty when we put him on it about 95% of the time, he stilll won't tell us he needs to use the potty and "makes a mess" (in his words). Any advice?

Answer 1

We tried desperately to potty train our son from the age of about 2. We did the same thing big boy underwear, the pull ups where they can feel when they are wet, potty charts you name it. In all actuality they will not potty train until they are good and ready. It will happen just be patient ( I know it is hard).

Answer 2

My son just turned 3 on Feb. 14th- and boy did we have a hard time with the potty training- and honest to God- I have read some of the other answers and I have tried many of the "Games" that were mentioned etc.- however- I must admit the best advice I got was "He will go when he is ready" and I have experienced it to now be able to tell you the same thing!! It was like a light bulb turned on in his head shortly before his third b-day- and he has been going ever since. We still have problems at night, but others have told me that will pass also- GOOD LUCK, and calm down- the time will come!!!

Answer 3

Normally I hate Dr Phil but this was great advice that I'm pretty sure came from him.

Make a big deal out of it when he uses the potty. One example is to have a relative call pretending to be one of his favourite tv characters and telling him how great it is that he's gone potty. Or give him a special treat for going.

The more positive the encouragement the more he'll feel motivated to go for it again. He'll pick it up in no time.

Also don't make a big deal of slipups, don't baby him about it either. Just clean it up and say something like "next time let's do the big boy thing and you'll get a treat okay?"

Good luck.

Answer 4

Pee-Pee Party! Sounds crazy, but it worked. My son was 19 mon when we potty trained over Christmas Break. His daycare was closed and he was home with my Mom. They went out and bought a baby doll that actually pees when you give it a bottle, party hats, those whistle things, kazoos, and cookies.

They went home and put the doll on the potty and when she peed my mom put the hats on every on that was home, blew the whistles, clapped and cheered. Then they cut up one of the cookies and everyone got a piece as a treat for the pee-pee party. She told my son that if he used the potty they could have another party...

After about 3 days of Pee-pee parties, he was good to go! Everyone loved it and we only used pull ups at night and that was only for a month! I love my mom so much, and I'll never know where she get these crazy ideas, but they work!!

P.S. you really want to cut the cookies up or use a healthier treat like fruit or yogurt. She was cutting a normal size cookie into 6 pieces, so it wasn't as bad as it sounds!

Answer 5

Remember he is only 2 1/2! I'm finally winning the battle with my 3 1/2 yr old boy!

Patience really, and don't make a BIG issue if he does have an accident.

You have to remember that BM is the only thing he really has any control over in his life. If you make a big deal of it, he'll use it as ammunition against you to insure that you are paying attention to him, even if it is negative behavior.
Try "Once upon a potty" and "Everybody Poops"

Answer 6

i dont have kids of my own, but i did raise my 2 nephews and 1 niece. when potty training the 3, i started when they were a little bit younger than 2. i would sit them on the potty even if they didn't have to go. just to get them used to the idea. if they would go potty, i would praise them. then once they got to be about 2, i didn't let them wear diapers while at home. after having a few accidents in their underpants, they realised that they need to start going to the potty. kids dont like the feeling of wet gotchie on their skin, so this plan worked with all 3 of my 'kids' however, i did keep diapers on them until they were fully ready to use the potty if we ever left the house.

Answer 7

I don't really think that "whooping" him is a great idea!!
I have 2 boys, and really I don't think most boys in general are ready for potty training until they are closer to 3 years old. My youngest also had troubling diaper rashes, have you ever tried "Ihles paste" it is the best diaper rash cream I have ever used. Ask your pharmacist or pediatrician about it, it works very well!

Answer 8

I used fruit loops, as targets each color was a different amount of points, with my 3 year old he was potty trained in about 3 weeks, I started potty training my kiddos about a week after their 2nd birthday. My mother-in-law used Cheerios for my husband and his brother's. My sister's husband just showed my nephew what to do and about a week later he was potty trained.

Answer 9

toilet training is one of the hardest battles to overcome you must be presistant and not get too discouraged if he has an accident try setting the timer on your stove to alarm you so you get reminded to take him he will eventually learn when he needs to go and he will start telling you. now that he is in the big boy pants and you have managed to get him to go when you have taken him you are half way there! do not put him back in nappies during the day as this will set him back! just keep going with it and you will be suprised at how quickly your little man has grown up!

Answer 10

Do no whip him, that is just giving him negative vibes. Try to award him. tell him that if he goes to the potty like a big boy that you will give him something that he likes and every time that he has an oops just talk to him and explain that he has to tell you when he has to go, that way you can get him there!