I posted about a month ago about how to get my 3 year old to go on the potty. By using many of your suggestions it was like a flip of a switch one day she just started going. We're having a hard time trying to get her to go #2 on the potty though. She's gone 2-3 times but thats about it. We still put her in a pull-up for bed time, we make her try before we put her in it and into bed. Within 5-10 minutes she comes out of her room saying she has gone #2 in her pull-up. We know when shes going to go and thats why we make her sit on the potty before hand but she just wont go. I know its going to take time but Im open to suggestions on how you got your children to go #2.
You could try getting some books to read with her while she is trying. My son really got the idea after we started reading "Where's the Poop" & "Everybody Poops".
She may be bored sitting alone in the bathroom. So just put her on her pot with the family is watching TV. Sit near her, sing and let her know that you are happy when she does in the pot (aplause, kiss, etc.) or sit in the bathroom with her. It generally works
I am experiencing the same thing with my soon to be 3 year old daughter. She wears underwear all day and will go #1 in the potty, but not #2. She has gone a few times, but will regulary go in her underwear. We've made a "potty box" and she gets to pick a present when she poopies, but that excitement has worn off. I've read different advice from letting her run around without pants to putting her on the potty every hour. All this is good and I'm sure has worked for some, but as a working mom, these techniques are difficult for our family. Thanks for posting advice everyone, most importantly we'll practice patience! It will happen someday- right?!!
With my daughter #3 I also had a hard time getting her to go #2 on the potty. I noticed she would often go #2 when playing with her MyFirstLeapPad or something like that. So one day I sat her on the potty (when I knew it was about time) and gave her the LeapPad to play with while she sat there and I went into the next room. It worked! I continued this for a couple weeks until she started handling it on her own. I'm just starting to train my son. I've tried this twice with him so far with no luck, put he is younger and I'm still hoping it works with him.
My son isn't going on the potty yet but we have recently been able to get him interested in it. For the past couple of days when he goes #2 in his pants we put the mess into the toilet and let him say bye to it and flush the toilet. It may sound wierd but since he has sat on the potty and gone more. It's worth a shot. Good luck to you.
I had a similar issue with my daughter when she was 3!! You're not alone! AFter mastering #2 on the toilet, my daughter had a couple of accidents. I got so stressed and honestly freaked out on my daughter for not going #2 on the toilet. I believe as a result she began to regularly "withhold" for DAYS. She wouldn't go on the toilet AT ALL. I would sit in there with her to encourage her, read and sing to her. Nothing worked. It was alot of pressure on her. And it became a huge control/power struggle!
I finally called the pediatrician. We were lucky it didn't cause more serious damage to her body. The doctor told us to back off and use a tsp of mineral oil in applesauce daily so that when she did go it wouldn't hurt as much (another thing for her to be afraid of). He suggested going back to the diaper just for #2 if needed. So, we told her if she had to go, she could go in a pull-up when she needed it. Then she had control back to do it on her own time.
Eventually she decided that she would try the toilet but was scared. So we printed out a picture of her favorite toy she wanted and cut it into a 10-pc puzzle. Each time she went on the toilet she got to glue a piece on the puzzle. When the puzzle was done. She got the toy. The next puzzle was a 20 pc puzzle. Then she was comfortable going on the toilet. It just took a little incentive and practice.
My biggest advice is DON"T PANIC, DON'T FREAK OUT just be patient. In her WHOLE life, it's only a little part of it. Give her space on this one. There are somethings we can't make our children do, eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom!!! It will ALL work out and you being calm will help emmensely. It's just part of their learning process (and ours!). My son will have the benefit of a calm potty training Mom...I still feel guilt over my daughter. While she now (at 5) goes regularly, she won't go at school. I know it will come with time and confidence. So take a deep breath and know it will all work out!
I can totally relate!! My 3 1/2 year old son JUST started pooping on the potty about a month ago. He always knew when he had to go and would come to us with a pull up in hand, go do his thing, then come back and ask to be changed. I had a baby in January, so we weren't really pressing the issue. One day, I told him that we had run out of pull ups and he should try to sit on the potty to go. With much encouragement and persistance from my husband and I...he finally went 2 days later. He probably sat and the potty and "tried" to go 50 times those few days. After he went the 1st time...it got easier each time thereafter. We were careful not to push him too much- we didn't want to have a power struggle and totally turn him off to the idea. My advice: PATIENCE, encouragement and persistance. Hope this helps a little!!
Hi L.,
There are some resources for potty training.
http://www.parentingtoddlers.com/pottytraining.html
http://www.thediaperfreebaby.com/
http://potty-training.suite101.com/article.cfm/elimination
Hope this helps. Good luck. D.
It is a control issue for her. Are you putting her in pull-ups for your convenience or hers? If she is potty trained fully during the day then stop using pull-ups at night. Put a waterproof pad under her sheets and a water proof pad (crib size)over her sheet and put her in her regular underwear. After a few accidents she will be wanting to use the potty for #2. It is inconvenient, but if she knows she has a pull-up coming for bed she'll hold it until then. Good luck.
Hi- Not to proud to admit we lied! The idea that they just don't make pull-ups for 4 yo's gave my son a goal/deadline,so to speak. That little white lie somehow just sort of evolved out of reiforcing the big boys go on the potty mantra. Putting aside a good week to go without a pullup helps too- we just hunkered down at home, made sure there were no pullups in the house- wipes and laundry ready. Either way, don't get to freaked out about it, cause she will just get freaked out as well. It will happen. All kids take different times, don't let yourself get caught up in the 'comparisons' to other kids her age- it's deadly to the psyche- yours and hers.
