Potty Training for Almost 3 Year Old Boy.

My son NEVER wanted to sit. We taught him to stand, and it's been a breeze ever since. Let him go in with dad and he'll get it.

Take the diapers away. He will catch on quickly enough ;-)

I agree, be done with the diapers. Put him in underwear. My son was being a real stinker about going in the potty too. But he wanted his diaper changed after every pee. I took that as a cue that he was ready to potty train. We had had a potty chair as well as a potty seat for the big toilet, and he knew how to use them, but he was resistant and chose to use his diaper instead. So, no more diapers in the day, only underwear. I set the kitchen timer for 30 minutes and everytime the bell rang it was potty time. Everytime he peed on the potty he got a star on a chart (I found a printable Diego calendar on NickJr.com and since my son LOVES Diego it was a fun idea for him) If he pooped on the potty he got a different color star for that. When we put the star on the chart we did a dance and jumped around chanting "James got a star!, James got a star!" I continued with the 30 min for 2 days, then I stopped setting the timer because he was letting me know when he had to go without needing to be reminded. We have had very few accidents. Eventually I stopped giving him a star for every time and instead he was awarded a star if he went the whole day with no accidents. We went from once a day to once a week for a pee accident. When his Diego chart was filled, he earned an award ribbon. When he filled up his 'no accidents' chart, he earned a trophy! He's very proud of his prizes :)

Find a motivator that will work for your son, something special that doesn't happen everyday. Then get rid of the diapers during the daytime. Let him pick out some underwear with a fun character on them. Get a couple packs so you'll have plenty in the event of accidents. If he has an accident, don't get mad, just say, "Oh, looks like you didn't make it in time to go in the potty. Let's get changed and we'll try again next time." Don't make a fuss, don't discipline him for having an accident. But don't let up on making him wear the underwear only. He'll get it eventually, and it might shock you how fast it happens :)

Good luck!

I would try taking the diapers away... you can prepare him by telling him that (on whatever date you choose on the calendar), is the day that big 3 year old boys no longer wear diapers during the day. Then he will need to change his pee or poo accidents (with minimal help form you). He'll need to take off his soiled clothes and put them in the wash (you'll help him wipe up) and he'll dress himself.

Some kids just will not go on the potty if they are wearing a diaper. He's told you... "my diaper is my potty". Why should he...? He can use a diaper, you clean him up and he has to lose only a little bit of time playing or doing what he wants.

I am not a fan of letting kids sit on a potty chair wherever they want. We go potty in the bathroom not in the living room. After the initial introduction of the potty chair I think it needs to move back to the bathroom and stay there.

Forcefully trying to get him to go won't work. Just tell him the plan, and let him make the choice with out any control from you... don't scold him when he has accidents, just say... "oh, it looks like you had a pee accident. Time to go to the bathroom and lean up." Matter of fact, but kind.

When he does start to go on the potty on his own, praise him like never before every time.

And I agree with Bug.... teach him to stand to pee.

Good luck!

I would just tell him all the diapers are gone. (Go in his room and remove them while he is asleep tonight).
Be matter of fact. Don't let him decide whether or not he wants to go, just like you don't let him decide whether or not he wants to put his seatbelt straps on in the car. It must be done. You can do it kindly, nicely and positively.

Let his feelings about the potty chair/seat direct what you do there, though. He may not like the plastic seat attachment. He may prefer sitting on the "real" potty. Just be sure he has a step stool in front... it really does help them feel more secure, and enables them to be more independent. He may prefer sitting on a potty chair. But I would keep it IN the bathroom... not anywhere else.
Keep him in clothing that is simple to get him out of in a hurry. Or let him go bottomless (except for training pants/undies).
And when he is successful, do a HUGE potty dance and sing and be the most excited you have EVER been over just about ANYTHING. :)

I didn't do stickers for potty. I did lifesavers candy. I bought a big bag of individually wrapped fruit ones. After a successful potty experience, and washing hands, he got to choose which one. (kept them in a clear ziploc on the counter, so he could see all the enticing colors). CHOOSING is a BIG DEAL. And EVERY time he pottied successfully, he got to choose. :))

My son just was not interested until age 3 and a half. Maybe you just have to wait a bit longer. He got motivated bc we visited his future preschool and he was told he could not come unless he was potty trained. He saw some cool toys there he wanted to play with so right before preschool started he suddenly just potty trained himself. Can you think of something your son really really wants? What will motivate him?

Since preschool is on your case, what do they recommend? Find out what they do to get the kids to use the bathroom and follow that at home. If they don't have a plan stop using diapers, allow him to watch tv AFTER he uses the potty or toilet (this is your "power incentive" to get him motivated) and make cleaning up accidents his responsibility so he sees it isn't fun. Sit him at regular times in the bathroom not in front of the tv. In any event be straightforward, not a game or option, and consistent. And don't get mad at accidents or he'll refuse even more. Expect him to comply, it's like walking and feeding himself and necessary since preschool isn't happy and most likely expects all the kids his age to be trained. Model the behavior you expect from him (take him with you in the bathroom when you go) and show him...potty training doesn't just happen, it's a learned behavior. And praise him like crazy when he cooperates :)

My son was 3-1/2 when he finally stopped having accidents. He's a middle kid and we thought it was just for attention. In retrospect I think it was a constipation/food intolerance thing, but I can tell you what finally worked.
My 1st born and 3rd born were trained before their 2nd birthdays. All 3 wore pull ups to bed, but we took away all diapers during the day. We made a big deal out of our trip to the big-kid underpants store (Target) and they got to pick out their own big-kid undies. They have some great really thick ones perfect for training (perfect for leaving the house.) The big-kid potty and big-kid underpants were all it took for my 1st and 3rd.
For the 2nd we tried everything. What finally worked was taking him to Chuck E Cheese, then printing out a potty chart from the Chuck E Cheese web site. Once the chart was full we got to return to Chuck E Cheese (they give you some tokens or somthing for filling the chart). Somehow that incentive worked better than my dozen of sticker charts before that.
Good luck. It's a frustrating time.

Since TV was such a rare treat for my son, I would let him watch it only if he used the bathroom. So he couldn't watch anything unless he went...no ifs, ands or buts.

TV doesn't work on some kids so find something that will affect him enough where he can't have it unless he goes to the bathroom.

I also let my son pee outside in the beginning (about 2 - 2 1/2 yrs). He learned to control aim and flow and created less mess when he started using the toilet.