Potty Training - Kalamazoo, MI

Updated on June 10, 2008
C.S. asks from Jackson, MI
8 answers

I know this is probably one of the most asked about topics on here...but here comes another question. My son will be 3 in August and has been using the potty on and off for quite a while. He knows how to do it and occasionally does it on his own, but most of the time he still just wants to wear diapers. We give him the option of using underwear or pull-ups and he will wear them sometimes but most of the time he says he just wants diapers. So basically he is quite capable of going, he just doesn't want to do it. Now I'm not big into pushing him about it because his personality is such that if I push he will push back harder, so I usually just ask if he wants/needs to go and let him do what he wants (plus I don't believe that this is an issue that deserves any kind of pressure). Also we are expecting a new brother in a few weeks so I really don't want to worry too much about it until a few months after the baby arrives. I have been thinking that once the baby is a few months old that maybe we won't give him the option of wearing diapers anymore. Is that a bad idea? Has anyone else experienced this? I would really like him to be trained soon so that I don't have to have two kids in diapers. Any suggestions about what anyone else has done would be great. Thanks!

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M.W.

answers from Saginaw on

You recieved good advice from people. Commit to underwear and don't go back, at least during the day. My friend's daughter wanted to wear diapers, so she put one on. Then her daughter wanted to color, she simply informed her that baby's wear diapers and baby's can not color. Then she wanted to ride her little bike outside. She told her why she couldn't. This went on for half the day. She stayed calm, ignored her tantrums and didn't say much more then necessary. She finally took it off and asked for her underwear. She then did big girl stuff. Just thought you would like that story, may use it or not. Good Luck, Potty training is emotionally tiring, this will someday be a distant memory!

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

I wouldnot give a choice about pull ups diapers or underwear.. Either the child is capable of going on the potty or not..

If he is capable put him in underwear nad deal with whatever messes occur.

If he is not capable then put him in diapers and dont worry about it.

My duaghter trained in one day.. she was ready and it was no big deal. But I never gave her the choice.. I put on big girl panties and she peed in them a total of 3 times and then she has been accidnt free.

I think it would be confusing for a kid to go back and forth.. I can pee in this because it is a diaper but then no i have apull up on I am not supposed to pee in this ...

If he is not the kind of child that you push.. then dont push just wait sooner or later he will be ready.

But potty training really shouldnt be that hard and take that long.-- IF the child is ready.

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L.N.

answers from Benton Harbor on

Kids are smarter than we imagine! A child who is ready to potty train will not be confused by a pullup. Even so, I would put underwear on during the day at home so he can get used to how nice it feels to be dry and not bulked up with a diaper. Honestly, potty training is a breeze when your child is ready, but it's torture if he is not. My hubby decided to begin training our son the DAY I was discharged from the hospital post c-section! I though he was nuts, but it was SO easy because we waited until he was ready...he was 2yrs 8months. I think you'll probably be more successful if you wait until baby is here, then you won't have any 'interruptions' (and it gives you a little time to put it off...LOL). But you can spend the next weeks building his confidence and getting him excited about using the potty! It really helps to have a baby in diapers when you train your toddler, I found that my older son liked to feel like a big boy because he didn't wear diapers like the baby did!

~L.

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A.S.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I agree with both previous posters...first, you have to wait till he is ready, and I mean completely ready...because you shouldn't turn back once you start. You just need to commit to underwear and be done with it. Once he pees in them a couple times and you make him clean himself and his mess up, he won't like that very much and then maybe he will keep himself dry. I did the potty training in a day with my boy and girl and they both had three or four accidents and then they were off and running after one day of "potty training boot camp." But once you go for underwear, you can't go back. I tried putting pull-ups back on my little boy while we were doing it and he just peed in them because it was easier and they get lazy. So, he is always in underwear for that reason.

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K.D.

answers from Detroit on

Hi I know you probably don't want to hear this but boys average age for potty training is 3 1/2. My son will be 4 in August and we just got to the point where he will go to the potty if reminded but otherwise he just goes in his training pants. I'd love to give a magic answer but I still haven't found it :)

Good Luck hope you get some good ideas
God Bless and Congratulations
K.

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A.H.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Christine-

My sons are 25 months apart and the oldest started showing a high degree of interest right before the second was born, but I decided to wait because I didn't want to hurt his progress because I was busy with the baby when he needed me. We did go full force with him when he was less than 2 1/2 and he was fully trained (night, too) in less than 3 days. I can tell you what I did... First of all, buy your son underwear that he is excited about and then on the day that you are ready to start, hide the diapers out of sight and put his underwear on him with a speech on what a big boy he is. You WILL have accidents, so be prepared to clean those up. When he does have one, tell him that it's okay, give him some support and encourage him to make it to the potty next time. After an accident or two, he will start to go in his underwear, but the wet feeling will remind him and he will finish in the potty. It's all about breaking the habit of just going when he has to go. Every hour or so, take him to the potty and have him try, and try not to get frustrated when he has an accident 2 minutes after you take him; it will happen. As his accidents get more seldom, you can remind him to go less frequently. You'll be able to tell how he is adjusting. As for nap time and nights, but a pull up on OVER his underwear. This won't confuse him, he'll still have the feeling of his underwear next to his body, so he should be able to tell you if he feels wet, but it will protect your sheets. Also, on your first outing or two, don't be afraid to put a pull up on over his underwear, also, but also take him to use the restroom while you are out. Whatever you do, don't go back to diapers. It will only confuse him. If he is showing interest, he is ready, it is just a matter of breaking him of the habit. Good luck!

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N.M.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I have a 3 year old daughter. I had the same problem, here's how I did it. I would take her to the store and have her pick out "potty treats". Something small like gummies. We would go home and pick out a glass cup, so she could see what was inside. I put the cup on the TV and everytime she went potty, she got to pick a treat to put on top of the TV. If she ever had an accident, then we would go and take one treat out of the cup and put it back in the bag. At the end of the day we counted out all the gummies and I told her that each gummy was for her being such a big girl. It only took 2 weeks of doing that to get her on track. Hope this helps. Good luck with your new litte one!

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K.S.

answers from Saginaw on

My son is 2 1/2. He hasn't worn a diaper since Sunday. Not even at night or for naps. There have been accidents, but he's been dry after every nap and has only wet the bed twice. It took me three days of hell, but I'm so proud now and I'm never going back to diapers. Go to www.3daypottytraining.com You can do it! It's hard but it's only three days and it works! Good luck.

P.S. Trust me, your son is ready.

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