If my kid pees on the floor one more time I’m going to scream. Yesterday we pulled out the training pants and our Potty DVD’s and attempted to train Rex. He knows all about going to the potty, we talk about it, sing about it, demonstrate it for him–you’d think he’d be all over it. We’ve even tried ignoring it for months on end, hoping that maybe he’d come up with it on his own. No such luck.
I’m not asking for much here, people. In fact, broken down it equals about four simple steps.
1. Identify need to urinate
2. Tell Mommy
3. Do your business ON THE TOILET
4. Flush and wash
I know my kid is smart enough for this, but the second he smells manipulation in any form, he heads for the recliner and hides from me. I gave him five cold showers yesterday (each time he peed his pants), but do you think it made him use the potty? Candy, toys, treats, bribes, you name it I’ve tried it. I can hardly bear the thought of changing his bum one more time. He’s three and a half years old today. It is time.
I guess we’ll try again next year.
My son was similar. I finally started setting the kitchen timer a few minutes before I wanted him to go. It would go off, and I’d say, “Oh, look. The timer says it’s time to go potty!” He’d obey it more than he would me.
The trick after that was getting him to go potty without being prompted. Don’t remember how we got to that point, being as he’s 13 now . . .
Wow…all I can say is good luck cuz I have nothing more to offer.
Ooh-but to respond to what you said on my blog, I wish we could watch TV together, too. Let’s plan a Biggest Loser finalee party. Then we can:)
My neighbor’s girl had a Potty Watch. It is the funniest thing. It’s a watch that is in the shape of a toilet and you can set it to go off every 30 or 45 minutes or something. When the alarm goes off, you’re supposed to go sit on the potty. Hahahaha. I don’t know if it works, but it sure is fun to say “Potty watch”.
That’s tough! I’m sorry…maybe you could find naked baby bum pictures, like the ones Mary had on her blog (snif), and tell him that since he hasn’t learned how to go in the potty he’ll have to walk around town like one of those kids and then add that when people see naked bums they like to pinch bare bottoms so if he doesn’t want everyone around town to squeeze his cheeks he’ll have to use the potty like big people.
hahahaha…I’m sorry to be laughing, but that was SOOOOO my daughter!
Finally one day, she just up and did it…and has never looked back.
I think it was because her older brothers friends made fun of her for wearing pull ups! So maybe peer pressure?
Had to re-read the beginning of the post because it said “train Rex”… LOL!
My son was nearly four when he potty trained and it wasn’t a moment too soon. They didn’t make size 6 diapers back then. The potty training video we used was Bear in the Big Blue House “It’s Potty Time”. It’s a family favorite from the mouse gasping to the funk/disco and totally not P.C. “Potty Train” shadow song. It also took a promised trip to Sea World (which we didn’t make good on until he was 9).
Take heart. I’m waiting patiently for my 3-year-old boy to train. You’ll know when he’s ready. 🙂
Have you tried having him “aim” at floating objects? (Handful of cheerios thrown into the toilet worked for us.) Something about the male DNA & the need to shoot things worked for my boys. Call it “Secret Agent Potty” where you go potty with a gun. (Wow, it just sounds wierd now that I see it typed out on my screen… yikes.)
Yes Megan, we have the video and even though he loves it, he doesn’t seem to agree with it. I keep it on repeat for him.
Barbaloot! We are so having a biggest loser finale party.
I have no words of wisdom for you. Only pity. Lots, and lots of pity. At this point, I don’t know what I’d do – have you thought about using the technique you developed for getting Harrison to poop? Maybe if you make him poop a few times, the pee thing won’t be such a big deal. I swear that’s what that kids problem is – he hates change! He’s COMFORTABLE with a diaper, and (like Lane) sees no reason to switch just because people want him to.
Good luck. Maybe by the time he’s five?
FIVE??!! How dare you even say that word, you evil, evil sister.
Just think of it this way – how many 4 and 5 year olds do you know that wear diapers?
It’ll happen when it happens, don’t put pressure on you or him. If he’s not ready, oh well. We went through this with my daughter and she still has accidents but, you know, its just not worth the battle.
Encourage him when he decides to go, don’t say anything when he doesn’t. Don’t put him in underwear – why should you clean up the mess when he is not ready? Put him in pull ups and just stay positive. One day he’ll just go “aha! I like being dry and clean and it makes mommy smile to go”
Remember that some kids don’t have the ability to control it even at 3.5. Perhaps he isn’t able to identify the feeling before he is already wet. Perhaps his bladder won’t give him the signal yet. It may not be his fault, even if he is sneaky. He may be trying to get it right and failing, thus the hiding. Just take a deep breath and keep positive.
Some advice:
1. Put him in girl silk panties
2. Let him pee in a coffee can
3. Take away his animals and when he pees in the pot, he can choose one animal back. And if he chooses not to sit on the pot, take an animal away.
Good Luck!
Please tell me what works. Although Kelsi is a year younger than him, I see this in my future!
Uggg…I tried the wait and see approach with my then three year old and I THOUGHT it worked great. Up until she started peeing in her pants and peeing in her pants. She is just NOW stopping. Four is a good age. I can work with three.
Is Rex a year younger then Ally? I can’t remember.
So not looking forward to this with my littlest one. He is beyond stubborn. But I have a couple of years befroe I have to sweat it. Sigh.
After 17 years of parenting, I think that potty training is one of the worst mom jobs of all.
You want to know the absolute worst mom job? Teaching a teen to drive.
Moms don’t get paid enough.
Oh, the joys of potty training!! I do the cold shower thing,too. I thought I was done with potty training now that my youngest (3 1/2) is potty trained. But my 5 year old (a boy) still has accidents ALL THE TIME. I’m at the point when we’re thinking it’s a medical thing because I just can’t believe my son is THAT lazy.
Good luck to you!
So sorry to hear about this. I hate it when that happens. Hang in there. Someday it might be funny.
Sorry dude, I’ve decided not to potty train the Infantile Delinquent or the Baby. They can figure it out themselves when they’re in junior high or something.
Okay, this worked with my youngest grandson when he wouldn’t train. I thought it up in a moment of “I’m smarter than you” to his mother.
Tke him on a trip to the Dollar store and purchase $5 worth of plastic lizards, dinosaurs and the like. Buy packages with multiple toys.
Go potty in the toilet, get a lizard.
Go in the pull ups, take a lizard.
Trained within two days.
Even I was amazed. Boys need rewards for doing things girls just want to do.
We’re all pulling for you.
O.K. you’ve convinced me. It’s time to start potty training my 16 month old. My mother-n-law has successfully trained kids that young. It must work, or she would never have had 13 kids. In case this little “window of opportunity” doesn’t work out for me, and I am in your same situation, please let me know what works.
And yes, it is tough to be in the shadow of that type of mother-n-law.
But I think I’m a better cook.
O.K. I’ve got it! Start training Junie. He will NOT want to be left behind then. Focus all your attention, treat giving, and positive praise on her. See what happens. Then let me know.
So I’m a little late reading this and I’m going to pretend REALLY HARD that I didn’t read the follow up post about Rex choosing underwear, because my little Screamer is now FOUR YEARS OLD and still refuses to use a toilet. Ever. EVER EVER EVER. Total frustration going on here. So then I read everyone’s suggestions – we have tried them all. Oh, except the cold shower thing, because I just can’t handle that many screaming tantrums (oh that would be ugly…) SO. Now it is time for Harrison to pray that Screamer will want to use the toilet. PLEASE. That kid has power and we need some major heavenly intervention here.
My son is also 3 and a half years old. SAME PROBLEM!!!!! Sooooooo frustrating.