Potty Training - Belleville, IL

This is not a technique, but a bit a good info I wish I had had when my son was young. Potty training is a developmental skill, not a learned skill. I studied anatomy and physiology after when my son was older and learned that, normally around age 2 1/2 to 3 1/2, there is a developmental stage in a child's hormone/neurology that provides the child with increased genital sensitivity. This increased sensitivity allows the child to be less comfortable with soiled or wet diapers/underwear.

When my son was 2, I started trying to 'teach' him to use the toilet. I don't know why it never occured to me that if he could learn to walk and talk, 'learning' to use the toilet should not be such a monumental task for him. One day he got up and started running about bottomless in mid diaper change. I decided to let him do that for a few minutes, when he suddenly got a startled look on his face, ran over to me, stood over the clean diaper that was waiting for him, and urinated into the diaper. That is when I realized, "He knows what to do. He just doesn't care." A couple of months later he asked for the Potty Book we had not looked at for months. He took it to be with him and the next morning started using the toilet. It was his idea. Two weeks later he had an accident and was very upset about it, very uncomfortable, and walked bow-legged to the bathroom. I remember thinking, "Two weeks ago he could have sat in that mess for hours without caring. It must FEEL different to him." So, when I learned about this physiological change that is a normal part of development at that age, it all made sense.

So, you may want to start asking your son how the diapers FEEL or how messy diapers FEEL and suggest that he can wear the underwear that FEELS better when he poops in the toilet. Just remember, you can't make him feel the difference. Some kids just experience that development switch earlier than others.

It just seems like pediatrician would better inform parents about these things. How else is the common parent going to know this. I don't know why our children are allowed to graduate highschool without knowing more about early childhood development and the difference between learned skills and developmental skills.

Both of my boys potty trained very easily so I'm a bad judge on a time frame. I introduced underwear pretty early in the process though. It was just another reward!
When we were at home I didn't make them wear pants...just their underwear. I would set the timer for 30 minutes and ask them every time it went off if they had to go potty and they would go sit down and try. Eventually they would hear the timer and just go try on their own. I think alot of the trouble is not wanting to stop the fun thing that they're involved in to go potty so we used the timer and it worked great.
We introduced a potty chair very early though too. As soon as they could walk we got a new chair and just let them sit on it. In front of the TV at first with their clothes all on. Then we moved it into the bathroom and they would sit on it whenever we would go. Eventually they wanted to take their pants down like mom & dad. They had "potty reading" books too.
Both of my boys were done before they were 2 1/2 and I don't remember it being very difficult for us at all. I think if you start early enough just gradually introducing little things that it'll all just fall into place. Good Luck!

I would strongly recomend just using underwear and no diapers or pull-ups. I actually used the 3-day potty triaing guide and it worked like magic! I would be happy to email it to you. It sounds like your doing great! Good luck...

I got the training pants ( extra padded underwear) and when he pooped in them, he didn't like it. We took it to the potty put the poop in the potty, said bye-bye and he got to flush. That was the big deal, the flushing. Oh, loved that. I could never get the little potty thing to work becuase it didn't flush. So, I got the Baby Bjorn toilet for kiddo's and put it on the big one and he has been going ever since. Now, we have accidents, some time more than normal depending on the attenion span of the day but he is 2 1/2 and doing both regulary daily. But, if he has a diaper on, he won't go to the potty only with underwear on. It's a messy clean up but I just told myself I was saving money on pull-up and it would work fast and I belive it did. Good luck. My ped said to never teach a boy to stand up to pee it will affect his ability sit down and poop (delay it a lot). So, sitting to pee is what we do.

It sounds like everything is going pretty good. My almost 3 year old hates panties and pull ups.

Charts are good, it can take months to be accident free and that's okay. Just always keep extra clothing on hand if you're out. If he wants to wear underwear then go for it.

There is a reply that you received earlier about the 3 Day Potty Training Method! That's what we used for my 24 month old and he was potty trained in 3 days. In there, they recommend getting rid of all types of diapers and going straight to the "Big Boy" underwear! If you think about it makes since, a pull up is basically a diaper that's easier to pull up and down but in the head and subconcience, it's the same sensation as a diaper so they are going to be more prone to pottying in it. Also, my son still would wet in his diaper at nap or at night up until the day we started the 3 Day Potty Training and the very first day we put Underwear on his was the last time he pee peed while he was sleeping!! Highly recommend the guide!!!!!!!!

Well I learned in a parenting class that a small boxes of cheerios or other cereals he likes and try to sink them in the toilet boy is that fun for them lol but sitting on the toilet one was afraid he was going to get sucked down in it so i kept the potty chair just for him for a very long long time lol Just some info for ya tc D. also lay both out near the potty chair that way its a choice thing not control a pair of pull ups or underware only though if he went poop see ya