Potty training frustration...help!!

gabbride

Hello ladies,

I'm hoping someone can help me, because I'm so frustrated I could cry!!  I decided to potty train my 2 1/2yr old son with the 3-day potty training method.  I took off a whole week from work, and I feel like it was all in vain.  You're supossed to wait for the child to tell you when he needs to go to the potty, but my son won't tell me until he already peeing!!  I'm just so frustrated and feel that I'm doing something wrong.  When I try to put him on the potty to try (b/c I KNOW he has to go), he cries and fights me, but then 20min later, he's wetting himself.  Is there any advice out there?  Am I just not being patient enough?  Thanks

Ayrika

Cooper81

It's possible he just isn't ready yet.  My DS has been going for about 2 months now, almost every time we sit him on the potty, but he still isn't at the point where he will tell us (but he is still in pull ups the majority of the time).  Typically weekend mornings we let him run around w/o a pull up and most of the time he just wets himself, but this weekend he started to go, just a little, and stopped himself and said "I have to potty" and finished on the potty, but we had a lot of accidents and probably will have more.  Boys are harder and are ready much later than girls, it can be frustrating, but maybe take a week off and try again over the weekend.

 

Do you do any kind of reward system?

jcsntms06

Cooper81:

It's possible he just isn't ready yet.  My DS has been going for about 2 months now, almost every time we sit him on the potty, but he still isn't at the point where he will tell us (but he is still in pull ups the majority of the time).  Typically weekend mornings we let him run around w/o a pull up and most of the time he just wets himself, but this weekend he started to go, just a little, and stopped himself and said "I have to potty" and finished on the potty, but we had a lot of accidents and probably will have more.  Boys are harder and are ready much later than girls, it can be frustrating, but maybe take a week off and try again over the weekend.

 

Do you do any kind of reward system?

 

I agree w/Cooper here. It sounds like he's not ready yet. I tried several times to potty train A. We put the potty seat in the living room for months. Back in May we decided to give it another go. She demanded that she wear under wear. Since that day she has been in under wear and now she wears them at night too. It was a work in progress with lots of accidents, but she's doing well. I definitely have some kind of reward, either M&M's, stickers, etc. 

KathrynMD

he's too young, 2.5 for a boy is very young.  Drop it for a few months or you will create more trouble than its worth.

You can gently encourage it by talking about the potty, putting potties around where he can see them, sit on them, use them if he wants and make a big deal when he does, talk about you or DH (or others) using the potty.  When you go to the store, you can go look at underwear and remind him he can get Cars/Superman/Spiderman underpants when he's a big boy and can go potty by himself.

From what I've read about the 3 day method, it seems like its more of a "boot camp" method to be used w/ older kids who were initally trained then had set backs or inconsistent messages from parents or caregivers.

mrs. remy

Ditto what Kathryn said. My DS just turned 3 and he has only really been going well without accidents for the past 3-4 months. And that is only peeing. He is still terrified to do #2 on the potty. IF he isn't really ready it will end up backfiring on you. Also, I have to say the biggest motivating factor for my DS was peer pressure....he moved up to the next classroom at daycare and saw all the kids in that class were using the potty, then suddenly, he had an interest. I know it can be frustrating. Good luck.

Kaybee44

We did the 3 day with both kids and it does sound like he's not really ready especially if he's getting mad about going to the bathroom on the potty. 

DS was potty trained at 2.5 and in 4 days but he's a rare case from what I understand. He did have issues with going potty in public but he was afraid of the automatic flushers.  

gabbride

Thanks for all your responses...Yes, we used stickers as a reward and he also got little presents.  I know it's a work in progress and maybe I just need to give him more time.  The thing is, he cries with me, but not his father.  So that part is really frustrating as well.  But I'll just relax and give him more time..