XP: Did/Is anyone else's DC PTing late?

Trissie18

I am so frustrated with PTing DS#1. All of the signs are there, he knows he should go on the potty (he has been using the potty since he was 18 months old) but we just can't seem to make that final push to full-time. We have tried every "trick in the book". Do they really just wake up one day and it clicked like everyone keeps telling us? Please give me advice that worked for your late PTer. TIA!

Amy and Jay

I was wondering about this too. My DD is pretty anti-potty and I feel like I've tried everything. I want someone to tell me that they do indeed wake up one day and actually want to use the potty. I'm soooooooo frustrated...

desmerelda317

I am truly convinced that every child is different.  I am also convinced that some kids need a push in the right direction and if left to their own devices won't actually wake up one morning and say, "today I would like to use the potty and never be put in a diaper again."  I am also convinced that parents who claim their child was successfully potty trained in 3 days or less and accident-free after those 3 or less days are lying.  DS is currently in the middle of a potty training regression.  He was potty trained back in June.  We used the 3-day method, but ended up having to resort to going commando because initially he treated underwear like they were diapers but would have lots of success with going commando.  And anyway, it took him 5 days, not 3 for the concept to really click in his head.  But he didn't become accident-free after those 5 days.  He had about 80 to 90% accuracy after those 5 days.  But just a week and a half ago, he went into a full out regression - it was like he hadn't been potty trained at all!  But since June we've since moved to a new house, welcomed a new baby, and he started a new day care.  So to say the least, we've had some big stressors in our lives and a regression is a completely normal reaction to that.  DH and I decided it was time to bring back all the praise and encouragement that we started out with back in June - we're talking full out dancing in the bathroom and high fives and tons of encouragement every time he had a success to encourage him to get back on track and we're just now (after a week and a half) seeing the light at the end of this regression tunnel (today was the first day in a week and a half I didn't have to clean up a mess from my floors)!  This potty training thing just isn't like turning on a light switch and it's done for good.  It is a process where you're likely to have a setback here and there and that is completely normal!  I was recently talking to a friend and she said her daughter took a full 9 months before she became completely accident-free.  Some kids just take longer.

So no, I don't think every child has that "a ha!" moment where he suddenly decides to put on the big-kid underwear and never look back.  Some children do take longer to train.  Some children do need more parent-leading when it comes to toilet training.  There just isn't a one-size-fits-all method to potty training.  If you think your child is one that will need more leading from you in this process, then go ahead and provide that.