Really, REALLY Need Potty Training Help

**craftypam** · 03-30-2010, 09:35 PM

I have never tried this and do not know if it will work, but I'm also giving this info to my son. My grandson is 3 and is not the least bit interested in getting potty trained either.

Dr. Phil.com - Advice - Potty Train Your Child In Less Than a Day

**MaryCarney** · 03-30-2010, 09:38 PM

* This is for laughs only *

The $79.95 Potty Training Method

1) Wait for warm weather
2) Purchase several LONG t-shirts for the 'subject'
3) When 'the day' arrives, announce that until potty training is completed, all the 'subject will be given to wear are the above-mentioned t-shirts
4) When potty-training is complete, spend $79.95 to have carpets cleaned.

**justpeachy92** · 03-30-2010, 11:04 PM

Cheerios and food coloring. Drop a couple of cheerios in the potty and have him squirt them, this helps with learning how to aim also. A couple of drops of blue food coloring in the potty, then have him pee and see what happens.

**joyofsix** · 03-31-2010, 06:22 AM

First, I know you're thinking you should have figured this out but every kid is different. My 3 boys have been all over the place from 2.5 to almost 4. A favorite (I do live rurally) was peeing outside. If it's on a tree or in the flower bed it's even more fun. That pretty much worked for the two of mine. The one who took a long time I just became very matter of fact. If you pee or dirty yourself go clean up. I kept wipes and fresh underwear under the sink. And clean up the area where you were. Ooops gotta quit playing to do that. It worked in about 3 days. I just made sure to bathe him really well those 3 days. I think this worked because I totally removed myself from the equation. I'm not telling but I'm not cleaning sort of thing.

**ubumartin** · 03-31-2010, 06:58 AM

I only have girls but I used a chart and rewards. I repeated 1 2 3 on a chart. On every #3 I put a star. If they went on the potty, keeping their clothes on, (they like to take off all of their clothes every time so that was part of the deal) they got a sticker. On the third time even if it was just a drop they would get a toy I bought from the dollar store. The first twin would use it and my other one would clap and help her dump it but would not use it herself. Well once the first toy happened you can bet she went 3 times in about 10 minutes. This you gradually fade out the toys then the stickers. It took only 2 days for them to be potty trained without many accidents ever. My 4th was a different story. By the time she came along, she could have cared less about stickers or toys because we had so many around it wasn't an incentive. She wanted to go to swim lessons and I told her she couldnt go if she was in diapers. I took her to the swimming place to check it out, when we came home she took her diaper off and that was the last time she ever wore a diaper.

I would also make him clean up after himself but matter of factly not demeaning him in any way.

Could you get another sibling involved with maybe getting a reward also when he used the big boy toilet.

Good luck. I know it is not easy. Especially with the stubborn ones.

**NewLeaf** · 03-31-2010, 02:55 PM

O.K. here's another "different" idea. I used the Old Farmers Almanac and followed the signs to wean and potty train my kids. The old timers here used it for all sorts of things such as planting, harvesting, canning, weaning, etc.

Go to The 2010 Old Farmers Almanac. Then mouse on the "Best Days" tab and click on Best days calendar. You will then see that the best days in April to Potty Train start on April 4th. It looked like the best days were April 4 - April 9.

I'm not sure how or why it works, but I'm thinking it has to do with the phases of the moon???

Let me know what you think.

**cab54** · 03-31-2010, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by NewLeaf

O.K. here's another "different" idea. I used the Old Farmers Almanac and followed the signs to wean and potty train my kids. The old timers here used it for all sorts of things such as planting, harvesting, canning, weaning, etc.

Go to The 2010 Old Farmers Almanac. Then mouse on the "Best Days" tab and click on Best days calendar. You will then see that the best days in April to Potty Train start on April 4th. It looked like the best days were April 4 - April 9.

I'm not sure how or why it works, but I'm thinking it has to do with the phases of the moon???

Let me know what you think.

Interesting! (about the almanac)

I also like the cheerios/blue water ideas! Wish I'd thought of those when mine were training.

My older one was the most stubborn about training. He was absolutely obsessed with his uncle (my BIL)....wanted to do everything just like him, and BIL was over to our house often. I started telling him that Uncle T. didn't go in HIS pants, uncle T had dry pants cause he went on the potty, etc. That peaked his interest. Dry after that.

Does he have an idol or hero? Someone he wants badly to emulate? Even a TV personality/cartoon?

**nuisance26** · 04-02-2010, 08:49 PM

~Sounds like you've tried every trick in the book as I did. Special undies, running around naked, reward charts, chocolate rewards, reading and playing games or blowing bubbles on the potty, moving the potty to in front of the tv, a new potty seat with her favorite character on it and even so far as the potty Elmo doll. My stubborn girl(why do people say girls are easier?!?)refused to use the potty until she was almost 4 1/2. She was like your kiddo, physically ready and completely able to understand when to void and how to control it. But she looooooves control!
You are not alone with a strong willed kid who likes to manifest control by refraining from the potty.
Just keep encouraging him, cleaning up and waiting. With kids who like control, the more they see you care about them not doing something, the more they'll want to not do it to see your reaction.
My dd just decided one day she was ready to be a big girl and went into the bathroom and went. I never had to prompt, remind or clean up after her after that day.
I know that "wait" isn't the advice you want but it's all I can give. I tore my hair out over her not using the potty for well over a year and, of course, thinking it somehow reflected on me. Now, looking back, I think I handled the whole thing rather well. I tried everything I could. I learned lots of patience. And it does reflect on me that I wanted my child to have a pleasant experience where she could feel the thrill of her accomplishment and control, not just me forcing and disciplining to "train" her.
But I did a lot of laundry there for awhile. *sigh*~

**AmyBoz** · 04-02-2010, 08:54 PM

Don't know exactly what it was that did it, but as of Tuesday, he's been using the potty like a freaking champ! He pees and poops in the potty with no issues. It's like one day the sun just started shining and he got it!

So, thank you so much for all of your help! Can't figure out what the trick was, but something just clicked!

**nuisance26** · 04-02-2010, 08:57 PM

~That's fantastic, Amy! I know how relieved you feel!~

**craftypam** · 04-02-2010, 09:01 PM

Fantastic news!!!!!!!!!!!!

My baby is 24 and I remember that being one of the hardest things to do because only they have control. Funny thing is that same ds right now has a 3 year old who refuses to be potty trained!!!!!!