My son is almost 3. We have not pushed potty training, we ask if he wants to and sometimes he says yes, most of the time no. He is speech delayed and starting preschool for it this week (2 hours a day). We're going out of state for Christmas and we are moving out of state in May. All that being said, do I even try to potty train now or wait until we move when he'll be almost 3 1/2?
There's advantages both ways, if you train now it's less expensive, but he may relapse after the move/changes. If you train later you don't have to deal with it now. By 3-1/2 he probably will be ready. It's really up to whether or not it bothers you to 1) change diapers/pull ups
2) pay for pull ups and 3) Know if he seems really ready.
It may be harder on the trip having him trained (more stops, etc.).
Best to you,
K.
I agree with Elizabeth, right after Christmas would be a great time to start. I have heard a lot of people really struggle more with BMs when waiting to potty train until closer to 4. He should learn much more quickly than say at 24 mo.
We were preparing to move and had decided to wait to potty train our nearly 3 year old until after the move so he wouldn't regress with the change. I packed up the potty he had sat on a few times in the months prior. About a week later he saw it in the garage and wanted to use it. I grudgingly took it out and low and behold he went! I hung up a sticker chart and he started filling it up. He was amazingly fully trained in 2 months. (If it is not like this for you I totally understand. One of my sons took years!)
I hope it goes really well for you!
My daughter was about 3 1/2 when she first became potty trained. She also was speech delayed and we found out later that she has Autism. It was a difficult process to get her to go in the potty but with the help from my friend who has two daughters we did it. I think the speech delay and other issues in our case were a contributing factor in the late potty training. We didn't use it, but I have heard that sign language can help him tell you if or when he needs to go. I think if we had tried using sign language things would have been much easier. I know our daughter's speech and communication improved dramatically by having her in the special education preschool. I am sure you will see a difference in your son's speech by having him in preschool. Good luck!
My son had the same problem so he has been going to school since march of this year. He was almost 4 before he was staying dry and going potty in the toilet, he only has one problem with the potty he wont go bm in the toilet. It took him awhile to start going potty, do not rush it, did they tell you if he was behind on anything else, that is the way my son was.
I would just keep doing what you are doing.
Then after you move increase the asking and try to push the training.
Boys are more difficult to potty train and you are planning on moving which depending how he deals with that....
may make him harder to train as he will be trying to cope with the big change.
Usually someone is speech delayed because of a hearing problem, but it could be something else. Either way, that will be something he will have to be concerned about, and may delay his interest in the potty. My daughter had no problems, but didn't choose to be potty trained until she was 3 years and 2 months old. She never went in the potty until that day, and then never had an accident afterwards - it was just a decision. She wasn't ready before that. I think you are wise to let him decide. What was unusual is that we were camping in a tent and just going outside by a tree when she decided to be potty trained! So, even if you are moving, when he decides, that will be the day, regardless of the circumstances.
My oldest child was speech delayed and potty trained kind of late. He had no desire to potty train at all before 3 years old. I think if you push it, it will take longer as well as any progress made will be lost during the move. I would say if he is interested in going on the potty, let him do so. Try to get him interested, but don't push him. The more you push, the later he will get it.
Moving usually makes kids regress a little, but they catch back up quicker as well if they have already started the process.
D. P.
Hi R.-
Don't worry, and don't ask. Just say, "Mommy (or Daddy) is using the bathroom right now. Let's see if you can do it, too. Take him in there, take down (or off) whatever, and sit him down. You sit on your big throne; he sits on his little throne (or stands, if he has his aim down). Praise for any production. You will figure out the intervals when he is most likely to go. Always have him on his potty at those times. If his speech is delayed, you may wish, if you have not already done so, to teach him and yourself some basic sign language so that he can tell you when he needs to go. Talk about how nice it is to be warm and dry. That's the routine. Do not scorn failure. just change him, and go ahead with your schedule. Go ahead and start training. It should be big news, and he should get praise from everyone when he is successful.
Good luck, and have faith. He will grow up, and be just fine. :-)S.
I'd just wait. But that all depends on you & your tolerance level. I much preferred changing diapers to cleaning messes. Other moms hate their child being in diapers more.
My son didn't potty train till 4 1/2 and *to me* potty trained means going to the bathroom by himself, without wetting or without having me DROP everything I'm doing right this min to take him to the potty.
4 1/2 seems rather late (esp when moms of 3yo or younger boys are saying theirs are potty trained) but one day I was out with a friend whose son was "potty trained" and both boys were approaching 4 and he made a mess in his pants. She went into the restroom to get him cleaned up but had nothing at all for him since his underpants and shorts were dirty (I had a diaper in the car) so the rest of the time we were playing at the fastfood playplace, he was in a diaper which he hated but it was either that or be naked.
That is when I decided not to be in awe of young potty-trained little guys because MOST of the time I found it to mean they were potty trained in going pee in the toilet but would still go poop in their underpants. and/or still have nighttime accidents. I prefer to deal with poop in diapers or toilets, not underpants!
The # 1 guideline I see for deciding readiness is does your son wake up dry each morning and then go on the toilet? Go by that, more than anything else.
Hi R.! Are you reading your son books about using the potty? My son loved: "My Big Boy Potty" and "Once Upon a Potty". Even though he's been potty trained for over a year, he still loves those books. I also took my son shopping for "big-boy" underpants and let him pick-out several designs. We kept the underpants in view on top of his dresser. We also made sure he spent time with other friends (boys) who were potty trained and (casually) let the friends show our son how it was done. We never made a big deal about using the potty, we just acted like he would be ready "when ever". One day, when he was about the same age as your son, all the preparation paid-off and he decided "no more diapers" and he never looked back! Sure, he had maybe three accidents but no more. He gave-up his nighttime diapers the same way about three months later. Please don't give up. Consistency is key. Let me tell you, life is SO much better (an less expensive) without diapers!
I'd try in between the xmas break and May...that seems like a good stretch of time.
Most boys are around 3 1/2 when they really start to catch on so I don't think that it would be a huge issue for you to wait until life is a bit more settled. Especially where you are attacking the speech delay as well. Let's make it easier for him to communicate about it first. Best of luck, you will not scar your son for life if he waits a few more months.
