Potty Training - Shamokin,PA

Dont worry! My son did the same thing. He would hide to poop. But it took him 1 year to pee in the potty and 2 years to poop in the potty, and one month to start to poop in the toilet. He is now five but i started on his training at 3yrs. Dont use pull ups, they use them like diapers. get cloth ones or regular underwear, let him pick them out and when he pees or poops tell him that he got his new undies wet and "spider man, Hulk, ect." doesnt like to be wet. Eventually it will kick in. But have a carpet cleaner handy. Boys seem to pee a lot with force when they go, lol. Big mess. Let me know how it goes. Frustrating, but he will get it. M.

My daughter was a little slow at picking it up too. I knew she KNEW what to do. She just didn't seem to WANT to do it. We didn't make a big deal out of it (meaning we tried not to stress her out about it), but my husband and I read her books about potty and watched DVDs with her about the process. We even played with her dolls acting out the potty process.

I'd highly recommend a DVD called "Potty Power." It's got some real catchy music and it seemed to really motivate her to try.

One day she looked at me and said, "I have to use the potty." And she never looked back. So, don't worry, it'll happen when he's ready. Hope that helps.

hello there,
i had the same issue with my son....he is four and a half now but he was not potty trained till he was over four years old..he was early to walk but very late to talk...right before he turned four he was"fully potty trained"but only if he was naked(which obviously wasnt practical..lol)...if we put him in underwear, a pullup, pants ...anything on him he would pee in them..i would ask if he had to go..he said no..but seconds later he would just pee in them...but if he was naked he would always go on his own and use the toilet..doctor said we just have to wait till he was ready...i was really beginning to think he would be in diapers during high school..lol..i tried everything...throwing cereal in the toilet..he cried that i was wasting his cereal..i bought him cool underwear...rewards...potty videos...taking away his favorite game..you name it..but then one day..and i mean just one day..he started using the toilet....i still put a pullup on him at nighttime but he hasnt had one accident since he started...good luck..i know what your going through...but trust me,your child is NOT the only child...i had read that the ones who start late potty train very quickly and with fewer accidents...i didnt believe it...but i have since seen it happen with my own eyes...basically, its his decision..and it has to happen when he is ready...i know that if i had known a year ago that my son would be potty trained by now, i wouldnt have had so much anxiety about it..but we want to do everything we can to make it an easy transition for them...we worry too much...lol...take care..and good luck..R.

A.,

I had the same concerns when my son (now 13) was potty training. First, boys are always slower to potty train. I would ask my son if he had to poop, and he would say no, then go into a corner and go in his pants. I would suggest ditching the pullups during the day and going with big-boy pants. It's more laundry, but the pullup holds everything in, while the big-boy pants let everything run (which is uncomfortable). The best advice I got was from my aunt who said, "Have you ever seen a 5-year old in diapers? Stop worrying, he'll get it." And she was right. He was almost 4, but he did get it, in his own time.

Good luck!

Hi A. -

I'm sorry that I don't have any advice for you. I wish I did, my son who turned 3 in July is going through the exact thing. I can get him to sit on the potty, but he says "I will sit here, but I'm not going to pee". I tried putting him in big boy underwear, but for a week, he would either hold it all day (8 hours) or just keep having accidents. Then he quit pooping. I had him at the pediatrician & he told me that it is more important for him to poop everyday than it is to get him potty trained right now. I have books & the Elmo potty DVD (which he knows my heart), but nothing has worked. So I put him back in pullups. I actually had to pull him out of preschool because they need to be potty trained. Needless to say I am frustrated, but everyone keeps telling me it will happen when he is ready. Best of luck to you & if you find the magic solution, please let me know.

Hello A.,
I just wanted to tell you that your not alone.I'm going threw the same thing my son is also 3 1/2 and has never went on the potty and i don't know about you but he is going threw pull ups like crazy.They don't hold much pee at all with him getting bigger.Let me know what works for you.I think I'm going to get him his favorite cartoon underwear and maybe he will like it and want them on.Have you tried that yet? i heard once they pee them selfs they hate to be wet and learn to sit on the potty..Well good luck to you and remember your not alone.

H.

A.,
my son Gavin is 3 and acts very similar. He could care less if he is wet or poopy, he has even on occasion taken his diaper off and smeared the poop on the floor like an art project. I have bought the books and the elmo potty time video, Nothing is helping.....like they say though, it just happens and dont push it, although I have a 13month old obviously still in diapers so it would be nice not to have to change 2 kids at once:) You could call your doctor but they will most likey say dont push! I took my son in because of other behavialr concerns and found out this week he is considered learning delayed, he is not talking either so he starts a special program that i found through the state where they will work w/ him, and hopefully the potty training will come soon as well, Good luck, and your not alone:)

A.,

I guess I would mention this to the doctor - not necessarily about the pottying but with the mixture of delays in other areas. It may be nothing, but I always worry that if there is something wrong and I don't mention it to the doctor then it can't be fixed correctly and could get worst.

As far as the potty training, what methods have you used to encourage him? I don't have much advice in this area because my dear 3 1/2 year old daughter won't use the potty either. She was potty trained but then decided about eight months ago that she couldn't be bothered with it. I feel your pain!!!

Good Luck.

l.

Hi A.,

I doubt there is anything to be concerned about. Boys take much longer than girls to potty train. My daughter was trained by 1 1/2. My son took until he was 4. He used to hide to go poop also. Once he got trained to go pee on the big potty he never wet his pants again. I think that is because I didn't force the issue before he was actually ready. It did take him longer to learn to go poop on the potty.

I hope this makes you feel more secure that everything is fine.

L.

Have you tried regular underwear? I have heard that the Pull ups confuse them b/c they don't feel wet.

Also, we used the Potty Video. It worked great. It's about a child's birthday party. It's very old and corny but it worked.

It took my son until about a month before pre-school (at age 4) to finally start pooping in the toliet. I don't know why he wouldn't do it, but all the talk of upcoming school (and the fact that he couldn't go if he wasn't potty-trained) finally did the trick.

It can't hurt to talk to your doctor. Have faith - eventually he will go. :-)

I wish I had advice for you because I am in the EXACT same boat. I too have a 3 1/2 year old who is not even close to being trained. She has been wearing pull-ups for almost 1 1/2 years. She has gone pee pee, but not consistantly and a few weeks ago she pooped, but I think it was just luck. She too could care less if she is wet or soiled. She hates the sight of big girl underwear. I sometimes put them on over her pull up so she gets use to wearing them. My husband and I put her on the toilet 15 minutes after every meal, first thing in the morning and before bed. She cannot communicate having to go. We have books and DVDs and we constantly talk about it. She goes to daycare where all the other kids are trained and it still doesn't help. My daughter is speech delayed. She goes to a preschool program at the IU 4 days a week for 2 hours. I believe her inability to communicate is 90% of her problem and the other 10% is stubborness. If you think your son has a learning disablity, talk to your pediatritian. I also have my daughter on a waiting list to see a developmental pediatritian. Not all kids who are late potty trainers have a learning disablity, but it's worth checking out. I am so worried about my daughter and I completely feel your frustration. I also have a 6 mos old and I am going broke buying diapers! Try running the water when he is on the toilet and bring lots of books in the bathroom. The longer my daughter stays on the toilet the more likely she is to go. I wish us both luck!

Hi A., my son is 4 (turned 4 in July) and we are just NOW getting potting trained.....some kids, boys mostly go when they are ready.
I knew he was ready when he was waking up dry each morning.
We 1st started with putting him on the potty, pants up and the lid down (yes you are reading this right) and we did this for 5-10 min to get him use to sitting on the potty. He'd have a book to look at.
After about a week we started with pants down on the potty seat on the toilet.
We also went ahead and got a potty chart where he'd get a star sticker or a smiley face for each time he sat, voided on the toilet.
IF he had a accident he'd get an X on his chart with a sad face.

Hopes this helps! Lord knows what I went thru to get him here. LOL

N.

Hi A...I am in the same boat and I feel like I am finally making progress! My son is 3 1/2 as well and my DR. recommended Mirlax 1/2 teasp. every other day..his stool was softer so he was more comfortable "pushing". Also take 2 days and devote your entire day to following him around the house so he can't hide, my son did the same and then we would have a race to the potty and have lots of books to read while on the potty..also I let him be on the potty with no inserts or "baby" potty he likes to be like us. Hope this helps..try not to worry it happens...relax and he will. I know it is hard! My son was also delayed growth, talking, walking but they are all so different!!! I am sure he is fine!!!

well my daughter was potty trained since she was 2 1/2 i didn't give her any thing to ndrink after a certain time and i put underware pullups are just anther diaper

Regular underpants or NAKED! Take about 1 week and don't schedule anything else for you or your child. Keep him home and naked. Boys especially need something to "go in". If they are wearing pants of any kind they just go in them. He needs to feel the urge and know that he HAS to take that urge into the bathroom and use the toilet. Once he starts, it will form a pattern and he will train very easily.