Potty Training Insanity! - Lake Jackson,TX

The only way I could get my 2 year old to poop in the potty was to watch her non stop. Usually you can tell when they're about to go. I had to do a lot of running but eventually she got the hang of it. I also acted really silly when she would, I would just shout and laugh and praise her. She hasn't had an accident in a couple of months now.

I'm with you spanking him isnt going to do anygood. I think some kids regress at some time or another trying to find their fit in their little world. There are some really good potty training books out there. The best thing to do is go to the book store and kinda brouse thru and find a book that you feel will work best for you and your child. Its been along time and I can't remember the book I used. I just remember having to take time off where I knew I would be staying at home and not going anywhere and making it a potty training week. The best thing that worked I remember is going to my mother in laws because there is a house full of kids a few years older than my daughter and the little girls all have to pile up in the rest room together and I guess she saw them go and I never had a problem after that it was like oh okay this is what mom wanted me to do and she didnt want to regress anymore.

Ohhhhh, sigh.....feel your pain.... Two things that helped with us (my daughter will be 4 next month) were what I call "Playing Stupid" and "Line Leader". The first one is going up to your child and saying, "Oh! I feel something in my bottom that needs to come out!" and having him/her lead you through the steps of pottying. The 2nd one my mom figured out the last time my daughter spent the night w/her (because up till a month ago we were still having issues..!) -- she would say, "Well, I guess I will be the line leader to the bathroom...." and of course my daughter HAD to be the one to lead! Ha ha! I kept it up at home, and when we'd get to the bathroom she'd want to run off and I'd say, "The line leader to the bathroom is the line leader on the potty." And she'd get on up there! Now she goes a lot of the time alone without even saying anything to us, and other times she'll tell me that she needs my help.

I'm not saying that those things are the Magic Key, because it's just whatever clicks with that particular child. Just be creative and try and think of off-the-wall things that can tie in to pottying. It will not be an overnight thing but if you stick with it it WILL happen!!

I'm sure this doesn't help because it's not a how-to, but I had the same problem with my son (he turned 4 last week). For months I tried EVERYTHING - same things you're talking about. We had no progress. In the past month or so, he's all of a sudden started running to the potty and going in there for #2. He's gone pee pee in the potty since Easter of last year - it was like a switch - never gone back with that one. #2 he still has his accidents, but it's more in the potty than not and it seems he just needed to mature. He also saw his "best friend" go poopoo in the potty and wanted to be like him. When he flushes - he says his poop is going to his friend's house. Whatever it takes to get it out of mine! ;0

My son is almost three and doing the exact same thing. The preschool he is at tells me that it is normal for boys to do this and it just takes time. Especially since your boy has only been potty training for 2 months. I have been working on my boy for almost 8 months. I just keep him in a pull up so he doesn't dirty underwear. Just be patient. It will happen.

R.

Hi R.,

I feel your frustration, my daughter did that as well. I started giving my daughter a "surprise" each time she went poopy in the potty. I wrapped several gifts (playdoh, dolls, colors) whatever you think your son might like. I showed her the presents and told her she would ONLY get one if she went poopy in the potty. It worked like a charm. So, now she goes poopy in the potty and I don't wrap gifts any longer, but I always give her a little something for her achievement! Oh, we also call everyone she knows on the phone..(mostly family)and tell them what a big girl she is and how proud of her they are. I hope this helps! My daughter still uses a pacifier at night..and I know we need to give it up. I think I'm going to try the same technique with the paci and see how that works.

Good luck to you!

My son is two and is doing the same thing. I started sitting him on the toilet 15-20 minutes after he eats and we read books, play with his favorite tractors, etc... We have been doing this for about a week and he started yesteday telling me when he has to poop. YES!!! My neighbor had the same problem with her son when he was between 3 and 4. She started making him wash out his underwear when he would poop so that he had to take responsibility for his mess. She said it took about two weeks of this and he got the picture. You may also check to see that he is not constipated which might make him hesitant to go in the toilet since it hurts.

Good Luck!!!

I am currently going through the same thing with my 3 year old daughter. She has gotten great at pee pee... (she still won't tell me she has to go but will hold it for a good while so the accidents are few and far between) but she will not poop in the potty... I think the problem with poop is that we as parents can not predict it like we can pee pee... so with pee pee we can start them off by taking them to the potty every hour or 2 until they catch on and start going on their own...with poop we have no way of knowing when it's coming so there's no real "training" for it. Also there's the patience issue... I mean generally even once you feel it coming it can still take a while to actually come out so it can be a long boring process on the potty and at 3 the attention span is still pretty short.
I haven't quite gotten through this issue with my daughter yet so my advice may not mean much but I'm pretty sure spanking and punishing is not the way to go. I think time and patience are better ideas...and don't be embarrassed about him having accidents at school...trust me; his teachers have seen it all before, and I'm sure he's not the only 3 year old in his class who's done this. My daughter's teacher is very good about it....when she has an accident my daughter instantly says "I sorry" Her teacher just says "it's ok, it was an accident" and that's just what it is...he's not trying to poop in his pants he just hasn't learned what that feeling is yet. Good luck to you and him....remember that this is a hard time for him as well as you...learning to do things on your own can be a rough transition.

I feel your pain! We had the same issues in my house this whole year! Our pediatrician said that our son was "toilet training resistant". He said it happens alot, actually. The Dr gave us some info on it and even though it didnt happen overnight, my son did finally decide to be potty trained! :) Check out this website...
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/toddler/toddlerproblems/to...

Hang in there!! Good luck!

I wouldn't do the spanking thing unless you know for sure he's going in his pants on purpose and makes a big joke out of it. But I don't think he'd do that till he was well over 4 or 5. (I myself remember having problems till I was around six). If he's just now pee-peeing, consider that an accomplishment. Mine is over two and a half (and a girl, they're supposed to be easier) and she still won't peepee. I've always heard boys are harder to train than girls, so give him (and yourself) a break. Believe me I get frustrated too, but I don't why we do this to ourselves. We put them in diapers for the very first years of their lives and we wonder why they won't potty train in a week. I'm exaggerating of course but you get the picture. ha Hang in there.

He is three if you fight him he will fight back and win!

Make him clean up his own mess..put him in the bath and leave the room...no yelling or fussing..no attention of any kind.

On the other hand encourage and praise him for going to the bathroom "even if it is only to pee".

They want to please you. It might not happen over night but he will see that good behavior gets attention and bad behavior not only gets no attention but he has to clean up his own mess.

I keep children in my home and have potty trained 7 in the last two years. Praise works alot better.....he is only three!