Potty training 101?

Question

So, my nephew is 3 1/2 years old. His parent started potty training him like 2 months before he turned 3. One reason why he isn't potty trained is because of the trial and error over their house. They put him on the potty once a day and only do it a few days out of the week. My nephew is VERY stubborn, and will not even attempt to potty train. I try to encourage him and tell him he'll get Thomas stickers for going on the potty because he absolutely loves Thomas. Then 5 minutes later he will purposely poop in his diaper and tell me he did it and laugh. I tell him he's not supposed to poop his pants and he just laughs and says he pooped his pants. I put him on the potty all the time and he just sits there, then he'll go in his diaper right after he gets off. I am very involved with my nephew and want to get this process moving around. What can I do? I know you're not supposed to rush children into potty training but at 3 1/2, this is just ridiculous.

Also, he has a 2 year old sister who is almost potty trained. He sees her go on the potty and get rewarded for it and he still laughs about it!

I've tried the underwear and the pull ups. (Both were Mcqueen from CARS) and I told him McQueen didn't like him pooping and peeing in him, he still did it and laughed. I know it's a control issue, because his parents are strict, so he feels like for once, he has a say in what he does. It's very frustrating though.

Answer 1

What worked for my kids is The Potty Stool http://www.thepottystool.com This stool makes every toilet kid-sized. The handles on this stool make all the difference. My daughter potty trained quickly because she was so excited about this stool. She loved using the big toilet because she knew that is what everyone uses. I like that it is sturdy and safe and got her out of diapers fast. The best part is kids use it for years. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Off the wall suggestion but this worked for my son.

I started potty training at about 28 months...went straight to underwear with pull ups only for when we had to leave the house (fortunately I was a teacher on summer break and was with him all day, mostly at home). Wasn't having a lot of luck...similar stories to what you told for about two months.

One day, we were having a garage sale and a friend of mine came to stay for the day. She somehow turned it in to a game...all day, she would ask him if he needed to go potty (every 5 to 10 minutes)...she took him to the potty several times and when he finally used it, she did a cheer for him (she was the cheerleading coach at a high school). She continued praising him and high fiving and making a big deal about it and a few hours later, he used the potty again...and even used it for a bowel movement before she left.

...and that was it...since that day, my son has had only four potty-related "accidents" (he's six now)...it was amazing...

(BTW, this same friend now has a son of her own...and she has him potty trained at 20 months!)

For my son, something about the combination of a pretty face, someone he didn't feel the need to rebel against, and her talent as a coach and cheerleader did the trick! See if you can find an experienced babysitter or daycare provider that you nephew really likes and, if necessary, pay her to spend a couple of days working on this issue with him...3 1/2 is plenty old enough but if you're right and he is trying to exercise control, a neutral party that can motivate him to learn may be just what he needs!

Answer 3

It sounds like he is old enough to understand the whole potty training process and it is more of a power control thing with him. Maybe back off for a while so you are not just doing a power struggle with him. It also sounds like rewards are not interesting to him so you might have to try a different approach such as saying that he can only do certain things when he is potty trained.. If his little sister is potty trained before he is tell him she gets to go to the park with you since she is potty trained, or something similar to that. He may be more willing to get potty trained if he knows hes missing out on something. I do think positive responses are usually the best option but they do not work for every kid maybe this different approach will work for him.

Answer 4

I had trouble with my son. He was about 3 1/2 when he was potty trained. The doctor told me not to fight him and make it a battle (which it sounds like it is with your nephew). She said this is a battle kids CAN win...meaning, you can't force them to use the potty! They still have control over whether they go in their pants or in the potty. When I quit fighting my son, it happened very easily. It still took some time, but was very easy. The doctor kept telling me that it would seem to happen overnight and it did! I gave him the choice...each morning, I asked him if he wanted to use the potty or wear diapers/ pull ups that day. He always picked pull ups. One day, the pull-ups were almost gone (only a couple left) and he was not behaving well that day. I told him that he had a choice...either start acting nicer and we would go get more Pull ups, or if he kept misbehaving, we wouldn't go to the store, we would run out of them and he would have to go in the potty. Well, he continued to be crabby so we didn't go. He hasn't worn a pull up since!!!!! When the stubborn kids (especially boys) feel like they have a choice, it seems to go much better. Any way that you can give him options to choose from should help!

Answer 5

well thats alright, my son will be 3 in november and still isnt potty trained, he knnows what to do and will do it onbly if he is fully naked, but thats alright. Boys are slower at that usually. THAT IS FINE. Just remember he wont be 10 year years old hanging out with his friends still in diapers. Its not a big deal. He Will do it, mayeb not when everyone else wants him to but he will, he has to be completely comfortable with the whole ordeal. Its a big step to take for a child. I started over a year ago, but my son just isnt too into a whole lot. Hwich is fine, he still gets rewarded for teh times that he does do it. Although I had a baby 3 months ago, that was another reason, I knew when the baby came he would just stop doign it now. But i am really going to push it the next 6 months, but dont worry he will do it. Good Luck

Answer 6

Potty training a boy is the hardest thing ive ever had to do my son was a smrt aleck about it and though he knew what he was supposed to be doing it didnt work hes doc said not to rush him but by gosh i wasnt going to let him be 4 and still wearing diapers the only thing that worked for me is i looked at him told i wasnt buying no more daipers out underwear on him made him keep them on and if he went in his undies he got punished sent to his room for a 10 minute break and then id change him back into undies and try again eventualy he got tired of being in trouble and running around in dirty undies and started going hadnt had a accident in 6 months and only took 2 days of being consistent about it b4 he got the hang of it

Answer 7

Don't put on his diaper, he will get wet couple of times and realize he doesn't like it. He it old enough to be potty trained!!! So many people don't realize that it is way easier to start training 18 months old kid then 3 years old, because the older kid gets, the more stubborn and lazy he gets.

Answer 8

He knows what he is doing, so just ingore him- don't make a big deal about the potty. Focus on something else that he is doing well and he'll probably come around. There really isn't too much you can do becasue you are not his parent, so consistancy is the biggest thing and since he isn't getting that- then the road will be long.

Answer 9

Your partner's mother is loopy, sorry. Do you quite consider your husband used to be potty knowledgeable through nine months? No means. Ask her someday while she's no longer harping on you approximately potty coaching how historic your husband used to be while he discovered to stroll. She may not be considering the truth that you need to be equipped to stroll to get to the potty, and she or he'll inform you he did not stroll till approximately year or whatever. She's simply being a stereotypical partner's mother (realize I stated stereotype, which means she's the form that supply moms-in-legislation a foul identify while many are excellent). She's seeking to make you consider unworthy and responsible. She wishes you to feel you'll be able to not ever be as well of a mom as her, that is what they do. Seriously, a nine month historic could not "manage" his potty to hit the within of the stool (until she simply taught him to sit down down). My mom in legislation advised me that her mother had her potty knowledgeable ("broke" she stated") at 6 months. My reaction to her? Simply, "No, she did not. How would she potty coach you whilst you could not stroll then or perhaps even sit down on your own? That's no longer precise". I recognize that is imply, however I'm amazed my partner's mother is potty knowledgeable now at forty seven. Don't consider unhealthy. Most boys do not get potty knowledgeable till they're at LEAST two and one million/two. To sum it up: her feedback to you're extra approximately the truth that she does not desire an additional lady in her little one boy's existence than whether or not or no longer your son is potty knowledgeable. She's being aggressive, seeking to turn out she's the "first-class" mother.

Answer 10

I trained mine in 24 hours and there is a book with that title too.

I suggest putting him on a pot everytime he drinks or having food.. and praise him for using it.

The book is called Potty train your child in 24 hours