potty training 3 yr old?

Question

sorry i know i asked a similar question earlier today. but this is a little different. my son will be 3 in a few weeks. for the past year i have been trying to potty train him on and off. if i take him to the potty he will go. and this afternoon i was more motivated than ever and had him in shorts, no diaper. i washed 7 pair of shorts. but i took him to the potty every 20 minutes and he almost always peed in the potty. he has no problem peeing in the potty. my goal it to get him to tell me when he needs to go. all day i kept telling him "tell me if you need to go pee pee in the potty" he told me a couple of times. but mostly it was all me taking him. he even knows that he gets a piece of candy if he tells me he needs to go and pees in the potty. and he likes candy but even that hasn't motivated him much. ok so here is my question: how can i get him to start telling me when he needs to go?

we do have a sticker chart and he gets a small prize after 10 stickers. we use it for all kinds of behavior issues etc. it motivates him a little but it isn't working for potty training.

forgot to say, my son is a really good talker. earlier today he said "i can't go pee pee in the potty because i'm too little" (by the way, it's not about that, and he has a stool to stand on.) my point is, he talks really well.

thank you drshorty, i'll be sure to mention this to his dr at his 3 yr physical.

Answer 1

i know that it wasn't a problem that he said he's to small for the potty. it got me to thinking dose he really want to say he don't like the big Potty that it might scare him and not make it fun for him to want to go in there. just a thought.

but any way i potty trained my son nude. i know that sounds weired right. well I'm a stay at home mom and that's how i was able to do it. i found that by putting clothes or underwear on him he would pee in them so i just let him run abound nude.he did not have the feeling of clothes and when he went to the bathroom he did not have to waist any time pulling on stuff to get on the potty.

i was also thinking that maybe taking him every 20 min. might get im board of the bathroom. i would look at at least every hour or hour and a half. that way its not a chore it's a fun learning process. your gonna have a lot of accidents. but he knows to potty in the bathroom he just needs a little fun. like sing or u dance and make funny faces or read to him just entertain him. to pass the time.

Answer 2

What worked for my son 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 son could pee standing up into the toilet and it helped for him to see what was happening and connect the sensations. My son and daughter potty trained quickly because they were so excited about this stool. They loved using the big toilet because they know that is what everyone uses. I like that it is sturdy and safe and got them out of diapers fast. The best part is kids use it for years. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

honey. your expecting alot out of your child. until hes staying dry with you taking him once an hour hes not gonna know the signal . it takes time. put him in underwear at home and take him potty once and hour. once hes understands feeling wet it should all click. it takes time some times as much as 18 months boys take longer,

get consistent thats the most important thing is consistency. why should he tell you he has to go your not being consistent with taking him. potty training takes time and dedication you cant go at it half a ssed you gotta go 100% percent or your child wont do it. if your not giving 100% percent of your time to it why should your child

start first thing tomorrow in underwear as soon as he wakes up rush him straight to the potty. then into underwear. then every hour one the hour take him to the bathroom and put him on the potty. since hes afraid of the big potty go today and buy a potty chair,and a notebook. keep a potty journal every time he goes write it down whether its on the potty or in his pants and write down where it went. this will help you with learning his bodys routine and schedule.

dont worry about teaching him to stand thats much later sit him on the potty for now. my son is almost 5 and still doesnt stand theres no shame in sitting. standing is just faster when they are older and taller,

be CONSISTENT do the same potty routine every day, take him in with you and dad when you go potty and let him see you go, kids learn by watching

Answer 4

same situation as mine my son turns three this saturday we took his diapers away completly 1 week ago first few days lots of accidents ,,, he now hasnt had any accidents at all and he is going off to the toilet all by hiumself he just goes and does his thing then comes to tell me what he did i cant believe it he is basically now completly toilet trainned after nearly a year of trying the taking away the nappies worked and this is a child that was not ever close to being toliet trained hadnt even made any attempts the trick is stick to it no matter what and every time he even looks like going take him to the toilet and make the hugest deal if he does something anything we also did the candy thing it didnt work its uncanny what you have described is exactly the same as our situation good luck it can be done

Answer 5

There is always a possibility that your son has a medical/neurological problem that makes him unable to tell when he needs to go. Maybe a visit to the pediatrician might resolve your frustration.

Or you can ask him, "Do you need to go to the potty right now?" That might help him to evaluate and see if he needs to go. Then you can reward him if he gives an accurate answer. Not if he needs to go, but if he tells you he needs to go and then he does, you can reward him. Likewise, if he tells you he doesn't need to go and then he doesn't, you can reward him. Hopefully this could help him.

(I'm not a parent so I haven't tried this myself.)

EDIT: Sorry, what I meant was, maybe your son cannot determine whether he needs to go because of a medical problem. It's a possibility. I used to know a six-year-old who always pooed his pants because he literally could not recognize the urge that told him he needed to use the bathroom.

Answer 6

My son is 4 and he knows where everything goes--but he still will not tell me.....I think it is a problem with-"this is something I still can control issue"--they know it is wrong--but they want to test the water per say...Your son should get it soon--start taking him every hour and see if he can hold it that long.