Potty Training - Fort Worth,TX

I tried to wait until my son was ready and wanted to use the potty on his own, but at his 4th birthday that time still had not come. While I didn't force, I did tell him that his pedi said it was time to use the potty. I put him in training pants and sweat pants and set a timer for every 30 minutes. I then asked him to sit on the potty when the timer went off. If he cooperated and sat for a minute or so, he got 2 M&M's. If he actually used the potty he got several more. If he had an accident, he had to help clean it up. It took just a few days and a couple of accidents, but he was trained in less than a week because he was old enough and I feel he was ready. We used pull ups at night for a few more weeks and when he consistently awakened dry, I put him in training pants at night, too. We switched to underware a short time later. Good luck!

My son just turned 3 in october and is fully potty trained. Although he still uses pull ups at night. What I did was get him a big boy chart. Every time he went to the potty he got to put a sticker on his chart and a sticker for himself. He loooved it. Hope you get some tips...

We did the Potty Training in One Day System on a modified schedule and I had my 22 month old potty trained in just a couple weeks. (I was way too busy to block out a weekend and it doesn't fit with our lifestyle to do the full on induction to potty training). But, at your daughter's age, she may take to the system better than a toddler. At any rate, the book was filled with a ton of hints and suggestions for behavior issues and roadblocks you may encounter.

My littlest one just turned 3 and I'm having the same issues. She just doesn't care if she's sitting in a messy diaper, and we haven't hit upon the "bribe" the will get her motivated. Both of my older daughters were potty-trained right at age 3, but this one is stubborn! And I really want to sent her to pre-school in the Fall so this is pretty important. What worked best with my other girls was a reward chart. I think kids really need visual stimulation. Saying "if you go on the potty you can have M&M's" is not going to stick as well as seeing the reward. So we would use stickers to mark successes, and they earned "prizes" after achieving a certain number of stickers. And we would put pictures of those prizes on the chart. It really worked well! So I really need to get off my lazy butt and try this with my youngest, I just haven't figured out what "rewards" will motivate her. Just don't be frustrated and stressed because they pick up on that, and don't use negative reinforcement (punishment, etc.). I think that is the one thing I learned, so I am much more laid-back about the whole thing this third time around . . .

When my daughter showed us she was ready, we went out and bought Dora panties (she loves Dora!). We took them out of the package together and I told her that Dora and Boots are very special and that they do not like getting wet with pee pee or poo poo. It would make them really sad if they got wet or dirty.

The first time she had an accident, she was so upset that she got them wet and since then we've only had two more accidents. Making it about the characters helped us.

Good luck!

I will not point a finger about the age...i am in your same shoes, except my daughter is over 2-1/2. I have alot of frustration on the subject. My problem is that my daughter don't talk yet and also seems to have a messed up stomach alot and I can imagine cleaning THAT up. I just ordered and got a potty that talks and makes sounds to try. I wish you many good answers....and I will glean some advice from the ones you get..

if you think she understands when/how... my doc said to leave her in a messy diaper for a bit "i'm busy right this second" long enough so she is uncomfortable (not long enough for a rash or anything).
i simply told my son they don't make diapers in his size anymore. LOL

Since she is older, maybe something more "long term" and "tangible" than candy and pennies... is there something she REALLY REALLY WANTS? Some toy or doll that she would just LOVE to have...

Buy it... and tell her that when she is able to use the potty and give up the pull-ups.... it's hers!

Try mental aspects such as encouragement ie you are such a big girl now you can tell me your numbers letters and even when you have to potty. Even when she is not thinking about the bathroom. Hold a big irl conversation with her.

I wouldn't call it a bribe, it is an incentive. You might try something that she likes as an incentive. Kids don't really understand the value of money. We used hotwheels cars for my son, and found these $1 baby dolls at wal-mart for my daughter. I made a potty chart that she got to put stickers on when she went potty (we removed a sticker if she had an accident) when she reached the end of the row, she got the baby doll. We prebought them and they were sitting in the bathroom waiting for her. The same went with the cars. Good luck whatever you decide to do. My son didn't train until he was over 3 so I don't think it is an age thing. I don't agree that they should be trained by a certain age, every child is different.

My son was over 3 also before he was trained. What worked for us was bare bottom around the house-they are so much more aware of what's happening and they get tired of getting it on themselves very quickly. Yes we had some accidents on the floor for the first week but it got better. We also used a "treasure box" I filled a clear plastic box with a lid with goodies from the dollar store. Every time he pooped in the potty he got to pick a prize. It was a huge motivator for him.

Don't use pull ups. For a few days, give her plenty of sugar laden juice and aslty snacks. This will make her have to go. Then, if she has an accident, have her clean it up. She's big enough to do this. She needs to put the dirty panties in the washing machine (or in the laundry basket), get a new pair, wipe the floor. You could even have her give herself a quick bath (not a fun, play in the tub all day bath, just fill the water about 3-4 inches deep and have her wash herself to get clean then straight out and into clothes). Hopefully this will motiviate her to want to stay dry. It seems pretty obvious that she CAN do it, but doesn't WANT to do it and has the security of pull ups sometimes. No more safety! Good luck!

I had the same problem with my daughter several years ago. We too had already tried many "bribes", but she just wouldn't make the effort unless I constantly took her as you are doing. So we tried a different approach. I took her to the Pre-K we had her registered for and let her see the nice room, meet the teacher, etc. (Pre-arranged of course.) Then in the hallway I told her that only little girls who went to the potty could go there. Next we checked out the child size toilets and she saw several young girls come in and out. It somehow then clicked that this was what "big girls" need to do. She was completely potty trained in about 2 weeks after that - just in time (with a little spare) to start Pre-K. ;) You are not alone - good luck!