We have been potty training our 25 mos old boy for one week so far. He started well and continues to do well, going pee and poop on the potty 90% of the time. Half the time we suggest he tries (every 30 min or so) and half the time he goes to the potty on his own. My question is, when do we start potty training during naps and night hours, since it really doesn't seem he is yet ready for that. And more importantly, when can we start leaving the house? It seems he may be far from ready for that as well, unfortunately. For those of you who have potty trained a boy this age, how did things go? Thank you!
Try to strech out intervals at home between going and bring a change of clothes, especially with it being cold!! You have to go all the way, or when the novelty wears off, he'll want to go back in diapers!! Maybe just diaper at night.
I am going to tell you something that goes against what everyone else is saying, so I hope this doesn't sound crazy.
1. Pullups ARE diapers. If you have spent your life so far going in your diapers, you will continue to do so if you are wearing pullups.
2. NOW is the time to start sleep-time potty training. If you are sometimes expected to use the potty to avoid accidents, but at other times expected to use a diaper, you will only be confused. That's why the pull-up moms say things like "This could go on for many months".
3. Talk to him tomorrow at breakfast -- "This is the last day you'll wear diapers to bed. From now on, you'll only use the potty." Fill him up with liquids early on, and taper them off toward late afternoon/bedtime. Potty immediately before bed.
4. Carry him to the potty 2 hours after he falls asleep and 1 hour before he gets up in the morning. Gradually wean him off the early morning potty. He'll eventually learn to wake himself in the night. Don't be scared. Most kids will barely wake up while they pee, and will be very happy to go back to sleep instantly.
5. Teach him to call out if he needs to potty at night. Keep a liner under the sheet for accidents and a change of underwear handy. Small accidents can be covered with a beach towel until morning.
6. For daytime, prompt him with "Let me know when you need to go to the potty" rather than "Do you need to go to the potty?" That way, he won't refuse to go simply because he wants to keep playing at that moment and he's more likely to feel like it was his idea in the first place. Watch for leg-crossing and other indicators of readiness.
So that's it. Be positive and encourage him. The first couple of days can be tough -- he may be a little scared to go to bed without protection, but big boys wear UNDERWEAR all the time.
Don't fall for the pull-ups scam. Quit giving money away while you confuse your children with Sometimes-diapers. Hope this helps.
My son started at 18 months and did very well. We first started with every 1/2 hour (not asking, but telling him it's time to go). Then we moved it to every 45 minutes, to every hour. He then would go himself, but before we left the house, we made sure he went. You have to expect accidents, but it's really not that bad. For long car rides, I'd put a pull up on him and just explain that if he has to go, he should let you know. As for naps and night time, if he's not a big drinker at lunch, have him go potty before he does down for a nap and let him go without. Again, expect accidents but just let him know it's okay if he woke up wet. In no time, he'll be fine.
We are going thru this with my 3 year old daughter now and she absolutly refuses to put a pull up on at anytime. So, an hour before bedtime, I don't allow her anything to drink.
She does have a sippy cup in her bed and most nights it's about 1/2 gone by the morning, but I'd say she may wet her bed once every 2 weeks now.
She does however love to go into new bathrooms so regardless of where we are, and if she just went, as soon as we get where we are going, she somehow has to go again. Most times, it's just a drop or two.
Congrats!
25 months old is when my older son potty trained. When we would go out, I would put a pull-up on him for my convenience to be sure we'd avoid a messy accident while out, though I don't think he ever "used" the pull-up (whereas my second son would get lazy and have more "accidents" when wearing a pull-up, so I quickly learned that wasn't the best option for him :)
Probably not what you want to hear, but my 25 month old easy potty trainer still wets at night and he turns 6 years old in 3 months. Apparently it is still developmentally "normal" for this to happen. Potty training at sleep times comes on it's own as the other mom mentioned. I've heard it generally takes longer for boys and earlier daytime potty trainers often take longer to night train. My second son is now 4 years old and he potty trained day and night simultaneously (I really encouraged the daytime training when he started staying dry at night last year and he caught on to it all fast). So now my 5 year old needs a pull-up still at night, but not my 4 year old, go figure. Best wishes to you!
my boys are 4yrs and 2 yrs i have to say good for you lol my 2 yr refuses to go potty and my 4yr has been potty trianed for a year....lol the night and naps ive learned that they will potty train them selves they have night time pull ups that hold a little bit more and dont feel like diapers so that may help at night....you can also put pull ups on him when you go out i used to show my son that there was a potty where we were so he knew that there was one there if he had to go...hope this helps
We potty trained semi-slowly with my oldest. ( a girl) We always had panties on at home, but never when we went out. After a couple weeks, finally I decided this is insane! I can't keep putting diapers (pullups) on her to go somewhere, so I decided to try going without. We had no problems. She would ask to go and we would take her. If he doesn't ask very often, take him before you leave and then every 30 minutes like you have been doing. It may make your shopping trip a little longer, but you won't have to pay for pullups/ diapers during that time.
With my oldest I noticed when I used a pullup at night/nap time she would often go in her pullup when she was still awake, because why get up to go when you don't have to? I cut out the naptime pullup first. I won't lie, we had many days of complaining and crying for "a princess" (that's what she called a pullup. Before we cut it out I got a plastic protective sheet for her bed just in case. She always woke up from her nap dry.
After a few weeks my husband (it took him for me to "give in") told my daughter we were no longer going to use "princesses" after tomorrow night. We put a pullup on her that night like normal. The next night when we put her pajamas on she asked for her princesss and we simply said, not tonight. You are a big girl and we are not using pullups anymore. And surprise!!!! she woke up dry in the morning.
Now after all my rambling.... Bottom line is this: Get a plastic protective sheet for your sons bed. Then make him go potty before you leave the house and before his nap. Don't use a pullup during any of those two times. If he is potty training well he shoud be ok during those times. (But make sure you bring extra cloths, just in case if you are going to the store or out some place. As far as bed time goes... have him go potty before bed. Put a pullup on him and see if he is waking up dry or mostly dry in the morning. If he is doing that consistantly try putting him to bed in underware for a few nights and see what happens. If not, keep using a pullup. There is a chemical that has to develop in a BOY's brain for him to wake up and realize he needs to go potty during the night. Until that chemical develops no amount of begging, pleading, punishing, or anything will make him get up at night. My BIL was wetting the bed until 12 years old. They tried everything to get him to get up and go (including the alarms) nothing worked. the dr. told my MIL what I just told you. And eventually the chemical developed and he was fine, not wetting at night anymore, but like I said he was 12. So, don't sweat the night time, but he should be able to be in underware all day.
I have to agree with Marv D. I have not potty trained a boy, but my daughter woke up soaked through her diaper (size 6) every day. Her doctor kept telling me the same thing-wait until they are consistently dry when waking up. She was about 33 months. My mom e-mailed me a link to www.3daypottytraining.com and I have never looked back. It is a 3 day method (no errands, no playdates, no cleaning) that focuses on no diapers from day 1. That means no pull ups,no plastic training pants, and no diapers. It is not fun and I did it with a 5 month old around as well. It really did take about 3 days, but she was more comfortable and it became more natural after about a week. I would also say that we used our first public bathroom in less than a week and she was fine. Except for how loud the flushing and hand drying was...just keep those errands pretty short and sweet. Why spend the money on diapers and Pull ups when you probably don't have to. Go to the site, get her e-book, I totally swear by it. Good luck!
C.
that is grreat! sounds like he is doing VERY well! You cant start potty training for naps and bad until they start waking up dry or waking to go. That is a whole other issue that will most likely go for many many years. Dont push your luck! ;-)
night time and nap time dryness aren't something you can train your child to do. They rely on a hormone being produced by the body. This hormone can happen early or as late as 8 yrs old and still be in the normal range.
So, keep a pull up on for sleeping until they wake up dry every day for a week!
As far as leaving the house, you can do that as soon as you want, just make him go pee before you leave, when you get there and at a reasonable amount of time. When my kids were little I carried a diaper (not pull up) in my pocket and if they announced they needed to GO RIGHT NOW and the potty was no where near, I pulled out the diaper, put it on them and had them pee in it, then took it off immediately. This worked great and did not regress them at all as they understood that it was only cause it was an emergency.
