Help with Potty Training - York, PA

Im right there with you, my daughter is a little over 2 and she doesnt want any parts of the potty. At one point she would go and she even went poo on the potty, but now she doesnt want anything to do with it. So i dont push her, i ask her here and there but she tells me no, so i will just wait until she is ready and lets me know. Good luck to you as well!!

J.,
you've got GREAT advice already...i am doing it too....backing off some; just knowing she understands is enough till she is ready. :)
K.

J.,

As long as she has the opportunity to SEE both Mommy and Daddy (always sitting down, now that there's a toddler in the house) using the potty, I'd say let her be. When she's ready she'll let you know in ways you'd never expect.

Good luck!!

Rolinda
Wife, Mother, Friend

I'd say drop it and wait for her to show an interest. My daughter showed some initial interest shortly after turning 2 but then stopped and really didn't want any parts of it. We left the little potties out in the bathrooms so they were available if she wanted, but never talked about them or asked her about going. She also had her big girl underpants in an accessible spot for her to see and get whenever she wanted - but didn't force the issue. We didn't do pull-ups. About 6 months later she woke up from her nap one day and told me she wanted to wear big girl underpants. I said ok - she was dry ever since basically. I think we had 2 accidents - outside playing and just didn't have enough time to get to potty and 1 at preschool during a nature walk followed by playground (she is VERY shy and hardly talks to her teachers so asking was complicated.) We gave her a single M&M when she peed and a Hershey Kiss when she pooped. I did put her in pull-ups anytime we were going someplace that I thought we might not have access to a bathroom knowing my daughter is a perfectionist and sensitive so I didn't want her getting upset over an unavoidable accident and decide to quit the potty again. Some say they might get confused, but I always told her she could ask and we would try to find a potty, but that it would help in case we couldn't find a potty. She got it and would always ask and really didn't like the few occasions she had to resort to using the pull-up --- she would try to hold it for a long time first. We also put her in the pull-ups at nap and bedtime until she was consistently dry during sleeping times. She stopped wearing them at nap first and then bedtime a little while later.

It truly was a completely stress-free process for all of us. I think that since we waited, we were rewarded by minimal accidents. The other advantage is that she was super at asking to go when she needed to - I never had to set timers or remind her every hour or anything like that. I would try to remember to suggest she try before leaving the house or going outside to play (we forgot to do so that one day she had an accident). I also have a younger child so that was a fabulous help.

My son thinks he can do everything his sister does - at 17 months apart, they are more like twins in so many ways! He decided to start potty training at about 21 months. He would go any time his sister went. If she went often enough, he'd stay dry. He never asked to go when he needed though. I was about 4 months pregnant when he started and skeptical about it lasting so I didn't put too much energy into it. He's continued for the past 3 months. Until recently he really only wanted the big potty so it was just difficult to lifting him repeatedly while pregnant - my back was really getting sore. So I wasn't too motovated to keep super focused on it. Now that he likes the little potty, we have it in the living room so it's in his sight to remind him and he doesn't need lifted and it's much easier. But he still needs the reminders that my daughter never did.

I completely think it's because she was just older and more aware. So, while I'm not complaining that my son has taken charge of this himself, try not to be too discouraged that your daughter isn't following your lead. Give her time and watch for her to show an interest and I think you'll find it can be much less stressful on everyone.

I think just seeing that they are "aware" of pottying and how to...is an incredible feat at the age of 2!!!

It sounds like she just isn't ready yet. Don't push her. The more you cajole and bribe her, the more she will try to control the situation. My advice would be to completely stop the "training" and just let her go back into diapers for a while. It's normal for kids to regress like this after a new baby. And she will let you know when she is ready, follow her lead.

Honestly, it sounds like she understands the concept, but she just isn't qutie ready yet. Back off for a bit. Be very casual - occaisonally ask if she wants to use the potty, if not then ok. Leave a child's potty available to her. Try again in a month or 2 but don't make it a big issue. When she is ready it will happen. You are doing fine...it's just not quite time yet.

I dont want to discourage you, but I know exactly what you are going through. I am still going through it with my 4 and 1/2 year old daughter. She will pee in the potty but still refuses to poo. She would hold her poo in and ended up getting constipated and empacted. The doctor said she has endocprocis.(SP?) I guess it can be fairly common. We are to have her ask for a diaper to poo in but also encourage her to use the potty. So when we ask her to sit on the potty she now comes abck with "the doctor said asked for a diaper" So I am taking my son for his appointment tomorrow and I am going to ask the doctor to mention to her to try to use the potty. My daughter has no problem cleaning herself up or changing her own diaper. I have tried every gimic(sp?) you can think of also. I just wanted to let you know you are not alone in this and I have talked to alot of other parents who are going through the same thing. For right now if she will only poo in the diaper I would let her. Also when you change her to u have her stand up or lay down? MY kids hated laying down after the age of two. So whenever I changed them I would have them stand up and bend over so I could change them. MY son did start protesting that so I would give him a wipie and let him "help" wipe himself. These are just some idea. Hope this helps. If u need to talk more just email me.