XP: Scared to go on potty or toilet

Twizzle

I just realized this board was here.  I posted this on the Toddler board already. To clarify he won't sit on the little potty or the big toilet with or without a bjorn potty insert.

We are trying to follow the 3 day potty training by Lora Jensen but it's been really difficult so far.  DS is 3.5 and has been extremely resistant to PT, one of the reasons I wanted to try this method.  He talks about sitting on the potty all the time, he totally understands, he even tells me before he is going to poop but he throws a fit if we try to get him to get on the potty.  He will not sit on it for anything.  We have tried every kind of positive reinforcement we can think of--candy, stickers, toys, special clothes, you name it.  He still refuses.

So today we threw out the diapers and it's been a disaster.  I can tell when he's about to pee but if I try to sit him on the potty he melts down.  If he has started to pee already, he tells me, but once we get to the potty he throws a fit, gets off, and finishes peeing on the floor.  I can sit right next to him, holding his hand, and he tells me he will let me know if he has to pee, but instead he starts peeing on the bed or couch or wherever and when I rush him to the potty to finish he melts down again.

Being pregnant and emotional the last time this happened I had a total meltdown too, I know I am supposed to be positive but I was so incredibly frustrated.  I have no idea what to do.  I feel like this is our last chance to PT before the age of 4 because of when the baby is due.  I can't imagine having a 4 yo in diapers.

SOrry this got so long, if anyone has any suggestions I would be eternally grateful.  

games2010

I was having a similar problem with my daughter.  She was scared to death to pee and every time she felt it coming she would jump off the potty and freak out.  Finally I held her down - not roughly, I did it by hugging her and singing to her until she couldn't hold it in any longer and she peed on the potty.  She spent about two days asking me to hug her and sing to her when I insisted she pee on the potty (I didn't give her an option as I could see when she had to go because she was holding herself) and by the third day she was like a new child - she couldn't wait to pee on the potty and show everyone.  I called my pediatrician to make sure I wasn't going to scar her for life by insisting she do it, but they said as long as I was loving and caring she would be fine. 

I hope that helps!

mweav1025

I had a similar problem and did something similar to the person who posted above me.  My DD was say ow and freak out even when she started to pee.  The first time she peed on the toilet she cried the whole time.  After that she would try and hold it while on the toilet.  For a couple days I had to hug her and reassure her it's ok and then she would relax enough to pee.  After a couple days she caught on.  I think it also helped that after she went on the toilet(even if she freaked out), I would have her call DH and either tell him she peed or left a message.  I think it helps that other people get excited about her success.  I was worried about having a LO in diapers until school age when they had to be out of diapers, but We are on week 4 of potty training and DD is in underwear and doing great.

 

Don't get frustrated and realize that it will happen before you know it.  I learned not to push my DD and she now is running to the bathroom telling me she has to go and is calm and relaxed very time she pees.

 Good luck and much success. 

Pink714

I wish I had seen this before, too! My son would scream and fight even getting into underwear.  Then, he finally decided he was cool with it, but still freaks out to poop on the toilet   I posted asking for suggestions, too!