Potty Training I AM in TEARS TRYING to FIGURE THIS OUT!

Just relax and let her tell you when she's ready. When she's saying that she wants to go potty, then help her and make a big deal out of her, but there's just no way to get a kid potty trained if they have no interest in it. Give it some more time. She's just not ready yet.

R.,
O my goodness! DO NOT WORRY! (I am smile/laughing, you are funny). I did not stress about either of my girls and they both eventually got it. Show her (which you have done), encourage or ask her if she would like to go every now and then and leave the rest up to her...especially the WHEN part. I would say things like....go in the potty and you can wear big girl panties, and you are doing a good job when she does go. I would ask her every hr or SO if she wants to pee in the potty. I accept whatever answer she gave with, "ok". Then I would "go away" and leave it alone. I got pee on the couch and EVERYTHING with my first trying to "teach" her to go; then I stopped that!! My second one I am working with right now and I leave pull ups on her (or diaper) when I know she is really tired or if I am out or otherwise know I am to busy to remember to ask her every hr or so. She will sometimes pee in the pull up and sometimes take it off and go on potty. IT DEFINITELY TAKES TIME. Days, weeks , months, and that is OK. You are not trying to meet some kind of goal? You know. 3 is nothing regardless of what it seems the majority of other peoples kids may of seemed like they were potty trained by. My first one was not completely potty trained until she was almost 4. Back off: there are some things (or parts of things) we just can not make happen NO MATTER WHAT. They have to work out on theyre own somewhat also. Everything will be ok :)
K.

I have SO been there!!! Each of my kids had two tries at training. First when they started acting interested in the potty around 18m-2y. Which didn't go well either time. We'd take a break for a few months and try again. The second time was when they were closer to 3 for the girl and 3 1/2 for the boy.

We were given the DVD 'Potty Power'. Its sing-songy, and has pictures that compares thing that a baby needs to things that big kids get to use. Our girl really liked it and it helped her alot.

Time the accidents. If she has an accident every 2 hours, then set a timer for 1 hour 30m - 1 hour 40m. ask her if she needs a potty break. At each activity change, ask if she needs a potty break. When you go into the bathroom, have her go too, even if its just to sit on the floor.

When she does have an accident, clean up the floor first. Don't delay a LONG time in cleaning her up, but don't rush also. If she messes while your sorting clothes, have her wait until you're done. If you're cooking dinner, have her wait until your at a stopping point. Letting her feel the cold wet of the accident is just as important in training.
When my kids would mess it would be 'hurry mom, I need new clothes....oh, sigh. Ok...slowly walk up to their room... they'd be standing at the top of the stairs... hurry mom my pants are cold... i know honey, that's what the potty is for, not mommy... mommy's don't run in the house.'

When you do need to cleanup/change clothes, always do it in the bathroom. I keep spare washcloths and underwear in the cabinet. It also helps in the cases where FULL washdowns are called for.

Good luck.
M.

my motto is let a child potty train themselves it's not worth the stress & aggravation......all my kids did it on their own & at various ages.....if she she's you are stressed about it then it will make it an even tougher road, pretend it doesnt matter, dont bring it up or try to get her on the potty......if she's not potty trained by kindergarten then worry :)

I agree. It sounds like she doesn't have the physical recognition.

But, please don't shed tears over it. Is there a reason you want her potty trained so badly? Our son was past his 3rd birthday. He didn't have the recognition either. It was a long process, but we got there when he was ready with a little coaching and encouragement from us.

I used to teach a little girl that was almost 5 when she was potty-trained. it took sitting in a wet diaper for most of a 12 hour trip for her to be motivated.

Good luck! In my opinion, Pull-ups are nothing but less absorbant diapers. I was not a fan and don't recommend them.

R.,

Take a deep breath and know that she will not be in diapers forever. Given your anxiety and your daughter's apparent lack of interest in the potty - you should take a break from training. Put her back in diapers for at least a few weeks and don't even mention the potty. Then try again...when you do pick one method and stick with to see how she responds. For example, some kids do better with a gradual approach with pullups, etc. while others are fine with a "cold turkey" approach when you just go straight to underwear. In the two days leading up to when you plan to start training again, talk to her about it in a fun way and what you plan to do. Let her watch you using the potty. And maybe she may do better in the bathroom with a potty seat. Put up a sticker chart (or some other reward system that you are ok with). If you plan to go straight to underwear make sure that you can dedicate all of your time to this for 3-4 days and plan on not going anywhere.

Also, please relax while you are doing this - your daughter can and will sense your anxiety and that will not help the training progress. Good luck!

Sounds like she is not ready yet , it really shouldn't take long for them to master once they want to do it. I would stop for now , and let her tell you when she is ready , she will surprise you in a few months and just do it.

I would take a break from potty training. Your daughter clearly has no interest and/or is not ready yet. I would take a break from it so it doesn't become a power struggle between the 2 of you.

Try again in a few weeks and see if she has an interest then. My daughter will be 3 in Feb and has gone through stages of wanting to use the potty and not wanting to try. I bought a potty DVD (Elmo) and that has helped peaked her interest again, so in a few weeks you might want to try a video and/or potty books and see if either of those peak her interest.

Rest assured though, she won't be in diapers forever. Also, don't let other parents make you feel bad by saying things like, "Oh my child was trained before they were 2." Each child is different and trains at their own pace and in their own time. I have found it much less stressful to go at my daughter's pace.

Good luck!

First off ... take a deep breath and realize this is NOTHING to cry over. Let it go.

Sounds to me like she's not quite ready yet for the whole process. Maybe give it a break for a month or two and then try again. Take the pressure off you AND her.

As my pediatrician told me ... no child has ever graduated from high school and not been potty trained. So RELAX. She'll get there when she's ready, it just may not be when YOU'RE ready.