Hi K.,
I saw your posting and just wanted to let you know that I feel your anguish! I can't really offer any solutions, because I am going through the same thing. My son is already 3 (he will be 4 in May!) and nothing is working for us as far as potty-training! He will go when we ask him to, but he doesn't understand the 'urge' to go, and it's hard for us to ask him on an hourly basis. We've tried every trick in the book - sticker charts, bribery (a quarter for every potty, to save to buy a Thomas train), tinting the water blue, putting Cheerio 'targets' in the water, a training potty with a doll, books, videos, etc!! And he's a very smart boy, so I don't know why he's not getting it! The preschool we want to take him to will only take him if he's potty-trained, and he really liked the preschool, so we tell him, you have to do potty in the toilet if you want to go to preschool! I also have another baby on the way, so I just want him to be done with diapers before the baby arrives! I just hope something will 'click' one day and he'll be ready! Everyone I talk to says, you just have to go 'cold turkey' and let him run around naked for several days in a a row, so maybe we will try that?? Anyway, good luck & I hope you get some good responses!
Take care,
S. Kavert, 32
Lakeview Terrace, CA