Last Friday (2/29) I began potty-training my 3 1/2 year old son. Things are moving along pretty well but I need some advice. It seems my son can control his bladder a little too well and is having difficulty when it comes to actually releasing it. He displays all the signs of when he has to "go", he'll agree to go to the potty but once we he gets there he is so uncomfortable that he won't sit still long enough to fully release his bladder. I think he has figured out that he can release just enough urine to reduce the pressure but that is about it. Any advice or tips on how I can get him to relax enough to really go?
Try making it a game. Throw a cheerio or friut loop for him ti aim at and give him a prize when he succeeds at going. Good luck.
1) try leaving him alone w/ a book to read (if you're not already doing that). (I assume you're having him sit on a little potty and not having him stand.)
2) have him blow bubbles thru a straw into a cup of water. it forces the muscles in the pelvis to release. I had to do this to pee after c-section when i knew i had to go but it wouldn't come. the nurse suggested this and when i did, it just came and i pee'd for a full minute. amazing trick!
3) if it remains a problem and he seems to really suffer from 'stage fright,' there's homeopathic remedy you can take.
Maybe setting up a new rule where he has to sing a whole song while on going potty. Like they do for washing hands, you sing "Yankee Doodle" or the alaphabet song so that you wash your hands long enough. That way he will stay there for that amount of time. Just make it a song that will be long enough!
J.,
I dabbled with potty training this past weekend, also. My son was the same way. He knew when he wanted to go, but couldn't do it on the potty. The one time he was successful, I was reading a book to him. He went a little bit and was so excited. Then, we put the underpants on and about 10 minutes later, he finished - in the underpants.
So, anything that can distract him from the task at hand would be my suggestion.
GOOD LUCK!
T.
When he's on the potty, distract him. Start asking him questions about other things, or singing songs. My son would start to go and figured out that he could stop it, then go, stop and go.
Remember too that they are discovering something new, body function, toilet, sounds, etc. Sometimes it becomes a game for them, or like my son he's stubborn and likes to hold in the pee as long as possible so he can still play, run around...he would dribble just a little in his underwear to releave himself.
I make him sit on the toilet until he goes or finishes to avoid an accident. Even if I have to hold his legs, because he will tell me, "no mommy I don't have to go pee pee" and start throwing a fit, and then all of a sudden after he will start peeing...
Dear J.,
I used to put a few Cherrios or Fruit Loops in the toilet bowl for my boys to aim at.
Good Luck!
S.
I am also in the process of training my 3 yr old son. I started giving him his "privacy" by leaving the bathroom when he had to use the potty. Since then, we have had success. He might have a "bashful bladder" or simply feel too much pressure to perform when everyone is watching/waiting for results?
Good luck!
We have successfully used:
peeing on Cheerios floating in the big toilet
reading books while he sits on his little potty
blowing bubbles while he sits on his little potty
When we first started, I would let him bring his little potty into the family room so he could sit on it and watch TV while he tried to go, but now his little sis is mobile so a potty in the family room isn't a good idea anymore.
