Potty Training Help - Gilbert, AZ

Hi L.,
Potty trainning is fun. I put a see through container in the bathroom with small treats,like those individualy wrapped tick tacks( not too much sugar) every time my children went to the bathroom they got to pick one of their choice. When they had an accident .... no big deal we will try again. If you dont want to do treats you can have special box of toys that they can play with only while on the pot. Expect to spent some time on the pot.:) It worked with all my children. 12,7 and 6

I do not agree with pullups being a bad thing at all! My son used them and was in them for two weeks, then underwear 100%. I kept them on him at night for another month after that too. Never did we have pee on our floors or poop! I think maybe she isn't a 100% ready yet. She sounds like she is really doing great, but I am with putting her on the potty every 1 1/2 to 2 hours and do not ask her, just put her on and say "let's try" Eventually her body will just figure it out. Letting her run around naked to me sends mixed signals as we all don't run around naked and she obviously doesn't care if she goes on the floor. I would have her help you clean up her mess she made, put her in pullups or underwear so she doesn't feel comfortable and just continue putting her on the potty and if you ask 90% of the time she will say no so just put her on the potty without conversation. Reward for her doing it on the potty and make a huge deal out of her being a big girl. If you rush her potty training you may find yourself with her regressing later, just be patient.

Hi L.,

What's happening here is pretty simple to fix. When a preschooler goes potty successfully for several days in a row—you now know she can do it. As soon as she's been successful a preschooler moves to the next stage of potty training, the stage no one tells you about, the testing phase.

This is the developmental part of the process. Your daughter has an unconscious developmental need to see what happens when she doesn't do as she was asked. So she pee-pees and poo-poo’s on the floor, to see what happens.

To solve this tell her, "You can pee and poop in the potty or you can have a diaper, you decide!"

If she decides to go potty and then turns around and pees on the floor, immediately take her in and put a diaper on her. No need to talk about it actions speak 1,000 times louder than words.

You may be thinking, but she can get the diaper off in 2 seconds flat! Try duct tape on the diaper to secure it, most parents can’t get it off!

Make sure to be supportive as she cries and begs you to let her go potty. Don’t say, “well okay, since you promise.” Don't play the game here it will just turn into a power struggle. Allow her to wear the diaper for about 10 minutes and then ask her if she’s ready to try again in the potty this time?

If you do say anything try “ I know you don’t like this, we will try again in a few minutes to go potty, what shall we do together until we try again?”

Don't use punishment for potty training. Be as unimpressed as possible when she has an accident or does it on purpose. Be as excited as possible when she goes in the potty.

Laying down the boundary so she knows the only place you poop and pee is in the potty, plus your tone of voice and body language all send her the message you need to go in the potty only. Punishment says, you’re wrong and you’re bad and must be punished, and that isn’t the case with potty training, it simply a case of learning. Looking for more solutions like this, check out, www.proactiveparenting.net
Good luck, The Mommie Mentor

Don't worry too much. It's common for them to regress. Just stick with it, and maybe make her sit on the potty every hour or so to prevent accidents. My son (4) can get so involved in playing that he still ocassionaly have an accident. I wouldn't punish her, this could make it worse.

Hi L..

I had a friend who's son would poop in his underwear so she would have HIM clean them out. He didn't like that idea and decided to use the potty again. Maybe you could have your daughter clean up her own mess...the princess may feel like Cinderella and decide it's better to go on the potty! (I know that's not the most 'helpful' idea to YOU but it may change her mind).

I bribed my son when I trained him. He loved Elmo Gummies so I said he could have them ONLY if he went on the potty. Is there a treat she loves you could use as leverage. It couldn't hurt. My son is going on 5 now and certainly doesn't need gummies everytime he uses the potty!

When I was potty training my twin girls a friend of mine recommended I take them shopping and let them pick out their own underwear. This worked. My girls didn't want to get their "panties" wet or dirty so they went on the potty all the time. Maybe use panties to see if she's adverse to getting them dirty - it sure beats the floor!

I would recommend putting her underwear back on her so that she is very uncomfortable when she does have an accident. I would keep up with the positive rewards, 1 for peeing & 2 for pooping. Be consistent and keep her in underwear!! I strongly advise against pull ups during the day. I only use pull ups at night as a just in case. When you go out, bring two changes of clothes with you. And when she does have an accident put the poop in the potty and show/tell her that the poop always goes in the potty. She will get the hang of it soon. Don't give up! Good luck!

Do you have your daughter signed up for any group activities? I used gymnastics as incentive for my little girl. I signed her up for gymnastics at the local rec center and that was for "big girls." And I stuck to my guns... (which is so hard - but so important) after 3 accidents in a week (because of course accidents do happen - and that is okay) - no gymnastics. And if/when we got to NO accidents in a week - there would be some other reward - like a new puzzle or book from the dollar store. (which I had already stocked up on)

I didn't do naked time... and i kept pullups to a minimum because they become reliant on those things. I used those plastic panties... and had a bunch of clean-up for about 3 weeks... but she was full potty trained by the time she was 2... (and only had to miss 1 gymnastics class!)

I know how hard it is to stick to your guns - but it works - and it only gets harder from here!

My little boy just turned one... I hear that boys are SO much harder than girls... guess I'll have my work cut out for me! GOOD LUCK!

both of my boys went through thier little phase of the floor is the toilet....i got so tired of them not trying any more so when they would do it i started telling them that, that wasgross and big boys didn't do that if they wanted to be big boys they had to go in the potty.....and of course they always want to be bigger so with that and having them help me clean up thier mess they soon started using the potty again and now they are completely potty trained.....at that age they can try to mop upthier mess. just keep in mind that you need to mop after they finish thier not always the best at cleaning.. but it helps them learn.

L.,
I'm having the same problem with my daughter. Its very frustrating, but everyone keeps telling me to be consisted and she will get it. The most Frustrating thing about it is when she does have an accident, she tells me immediately. I know she know what to, but she doesnt want to stop playing long enough to go do it.

K. :)

If you have a pet that has ever pooped or peed on the floorand you have had to rub its nose in it. Just sk her if she thinks the same should happen to her. Big girls dont poop and pee on the floor only naughty pets do! Something about freakin a little kid out and grossing them oout works sometimes. I myself have had to gross out a few kids to make them do what they are told and it works.

I would agree with the poster below and add one thing. Try using a timer. Set it for every 20 minutes or so and each time it goes off, everyone goes into the bathroom. At first, you can take a turn trying, too. That way it's the timer telling her when to go, not you. And it helps everyone be aware of how long it's been and how we all need to keep pottying in mind.

Potty training has its ups and downs - keep on truckin'!

As for baby #3, why not consider being a stay-at-home mom? Sometimes when you consider your heart and crunch the numbers, it's really a viable option!