My daughter is 21 months old and I have started to potty train her. I started when she was 19 months, because she was always taking off her diaper or wanting to sit on the potty. Since I have started she has peed in her potty 4-5 times and has pooped in it many times. And sometimes she comes up to me saying mommy I have to go potty.
Even though she does these things she doesn't tell me she has to go pee until she has already gone, and sometimes she cries that she doesn't want to get on her potty. I don't want to feel like I'm forcing her, but I also don't want to wait too long since she is showing signs that she is ready. What do I do?
By NyLah's_Mommy from Springfield, IL
Are you using the diaper panties or regular little girl panties? If you use the regular nylon panties like older children and adults wear, let her feel them how nice they are and let her see what you wear. If she goes in them she is not going to like how it feels do this will work good. This is how I trained my children as they didn't have the diaper panties then. It will work.
I know just what you mean-if she feels forced she may stop letting you know when she needs the potty.
When mine (girl now 35 and son 30, I'm amazed I remember this!) were going through it, if they started to show signs they needed the potty but protested against sitting down, I asked them to sit for just two minutes and put an hourglass egg timer they could watch in there. They were so enthralled with the hourglass sand running down that they willingly sat.
At the end of the two minutes they could get up. Most of the time they didn't need the whole two minutes:)
However, there were times the egg timer sand ran out without them using the potty and on top of that they didn't wet or soil their training pants. That's a huge signal something isn't right with a small child because whilst they can withhold elimination on the potty, they shouldn't be able to also withhold elimination in the training pants.
If your little one doesn't use the potty or her training pants on the same sort of schedule she has been, you need to figure out if she is getting enough fluids or is coming down with something, especially if she isn't urinating-that's an extremely serious signal that you need to have her checked by the doctor!
Just a reminder, if you use the hourglass egg timer, make sure it is a plastic one so that when they are curious and want to explore it they aren't in any danger from glass breaking.
My oldest daughter, now nearing 30, was a very prissy little lady. I potty broke her at a VERY young age. I did it by having a lady who sewed cute little girls panties make some for her. Bright colors, lots of lace. My daughter loved them and didn't want to dirty them. Plus when she sat on the potty we played games, like Patty cake, and when she did go in the pot we made a big deal out of it. :-) Now, as for getting my son to potty, LOL, that is a whole different story.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have a problem; my youngest child is 2 and will be starting preschool next year, but still uses her nappy. I have been told I have to potty train her before she can start. How do I do it? I have tried and she always goes everywhere else but in the toilet. Please help.
By mc4lifes from Sydney, NSW
What I do is ask them if they have to go potty, (unless they already went) if they say no they still probably do. So I bring them to the bathroom and close the door with myself inside and the 2 year old and tell her she can't go unless she goes potty.
Are you sure she's ready? Some children aren't ready for potty training till they're a bit older. Potty training is a big step for them physically and mentally. If she isn't starting pre-school till next year I wouldn't rush it. If she gets stressed it might make the job all that much harder.
I am trying to potty train my son who is 2 and is showing signs that he's ready for potty training. He doesn't like going in his diaper any more, he wears underwear now. I put him on the potty every half hour, but he will go into another room and take off his pants and go to the bathroom on the floor. I have tried so many things to get him to stop doing it. I don't know what else to do. Please help.
By dee
Here's one idea, a tip I posted several years back: We'd do the "Potty Dance" together...
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But, we had to wait until my granddaughter was 3 (not all kids are ready at 2 or 2 1/2). You'll know if it's too early to start if your child starts "holding it" for long periods. If this happens, stop the potty training & wait for 3 to 6 months until he's ready.
When you go, have him watch you or his daddy pee. It was my 10 year old daughter that taught my 2 1/2 year old son to use the potty. He saw her & wanted to "go" too! This should be a fun thing to him, if it's not, then he's likely not ready. In fact once I tried to start potty training my daughter & found that she would hold it all day long while I was at work. So when this happened 2 days in a row, I realized it was best for me to stop the potty training & start up again 6 months later when she was ready.
If I were you, I'd put "pull-ups" on him & watch him like a hawk! Once he sees that he'll get a treat (like a piece of candy, or whatever) for going in the toilet, then he'll want to do it over & over again!
But until then, you'll have to really keep your eye on him so he can't "sneak off".
One idea would be to spend one whole day giving him lots & lots of his favorite drink (like juice mixed half & half with water) & spend this day always at his side, watching where he is & what he's doing every second, & keep him very well hydrated so he has to pee, but don't let him out of your site. Then once he actually does go in his little potty chain, then give him a reward & do a fun dance & give him much praise & he'll want to repeat it!
He does have a little potty chair doesn't he? Because many kids are afraid of the big potty & all the noise it makes (even if it has a little seat on top of it) so he needs a little potty chair if he doesn't already have one.
Make it a game - float 1 square of toliet paper in the bowl and have him take "target practice" and hit the paper. It helps develop aim and it makes it fun.
If he pulling his pants off and going in the house he's not ready. Give it a little more time. If he's sleeping at night or a nap and he wakes up dry. That is a sign he's ready Bribing works well and is a useful tool. Spend a weekend just to potty train and of watch him at all times. Give lots of liquids.
There will be some accidents but just call it an accident and don't get upset about it. In the end talking constantly about going to the potty and giving some treats will also help. Good luck
I have a 2 year old boy who does not go in his pants all night or at nap time or most days. But there are days where he goes in his pants every time that he needs to go to the bathroom. What can I do to stop him from doing this?
Like many people I used the sticker chart when I toilet trained my 3 kids. I let them choose the stickers and put the chart in their bedrooms. Don't punish if your child doesn't get it right every time. Simply say "oh dear", take them to the toilet - if they sit they sit, if not don't force and then get them to help clean up the mess. I found the best way to get my son who is 6 toilet trained was to let him see us adults using the toilet and then asking him to try. He was really taken with the children's toilets at our local shopping centre that had a big person and small person toilet next to each other.
My mum suggested putting them on the toilet and sitting their talking and or reading for about 5 minutes - if something happened well good. I also waited until the summer months and let them run around with no nappy on, but you need to have a week or two when you are going to be home. I do make my kids go to the toilet before we leave home to go out and again before we leave somewhere to come home.
I never used a potty - grandma bought a padded toilet seat and a small step stool. I know it's annoying and frustrating but training can take time and the more you stress - particularly if you have a stubborn child - the worse it will be. I have bought a bed wetting alarm for my son, as he is such a sound sleeper that he just didn't wake up.
After 6 weeks of use - he is dry - I have kept the alarm in case he has a relapse or a cold and we need to do some more training. I also explained to mine that what they eat go used by the body and what was left over came out the other end (the dog proved to be a good teaching tool). I explained that it was natural and everyone did it. The poor dog was observed at great length eating and then pooing. He was observed so much that he got used to having an audience when he pooed that when the fascination wore off and no one watch him - he would come and scratch at the door to get someone to come and watch him. - he's a mad kelpie.
I do remind my kids to go the loo, but when they were little and we did have the odd accident in the shopping centre - I used to carry a small back pack with a spare change of clothes, plastic bag and wipes for a quick clean up. I used to say "oh well" and tried to stay calm. Even now I keep a back pack in the car with a spare set of clothes for each kid.
Do check with your doctor if you think there is something wrong, but don't punish, don't leave kids sitting in wet clothes or knickers. Sitting in wet clothes in not good for their health and can make matters worse as they can panic. Also kids can't hold it - give them plenty of chances to go to the loo - when my 4 year wet her pants at local shop after asking to go to the loo, I was standing in line to pay for something - I ticked her off and got very angry with her. When we meet grandma for lunch - I was in a mad mood and I had a grumpy 4 year old.
Grandma gave my daughter a huge hug and said these things happen. She then asked me what a happened. My mum has bowel and bladder problems herself , so she knows that when she has to go, she has to go. She reminded me of this and that kids only have small bladders. I know that this is not always possible but I do get my kids to go to the loo if I know that we are going to be away for awhile, especially my 6 year old who sometimes gets so focussed on what he is doing, he isn't aware until he really needs to go.
Also give kids reminders. My son knows that after lunch he needs to go to the toilet, as he can't get through the afternoon at school. He has had several accidents - when the teacher has told him to put his hand down. He carries a spare set of clothes in his bag and some wipes, he knows to go to a cubicle in the boys toilets, change, put the wet clothes in the plastic bag and put them in his bag. Since getting him to go at lunchtime - we have had no more problems.
I am so desperate! My 2yr old does not want to potty train. She continues to go in her pull ups. I tell her to tell mommy when she has to pee or poo, but she will not tell me. She says any and everything else accept for "mommy I have to pee/poo". I need help. She's in daycare, but in July she will be enrolled to another school then in September she'll be 3 and starting pre-k. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions, because everyone else I speak to say's she'll go when she's ready to go, but I would love for her to go now. Help potty training momma. :(
By Shuquin S.
My daughter will be three on June 9th and she's not potty trained yet. She has peed a couple times and then that was it. Now she says she's scared of it; now what do I do?
By Kristi from Birdsboro, PA
I need help potty training my daughter who is 3. She is my only baby and I have not a clue! Thank you for your help.
By mary from Dallas, TX
Why would my potty trained 2 year old start peeing in bed?
By carol odonnell from Chicago
