My son William will be turning 3 in February and he is still not potty trained. I hear from other mothers that boys take a lot longer to potty train than girls. Hooray for me, as I have two boys I get the pleasure of potty training.
I have tried several different methods of potty training with no true success. My gauge of success is measured by my sons’ ability to go potty in the toilet as opposed to his diaper/underwear. Since he is not yet fully potty trained, I feel that none of my previous methods of potty training were successful.
I have tried naked potty training, pull-up potty training, and cold turkey potty training. I have put my son on a timer. We have tried charts and stickers. We tried reading special potty time stories. I even pulled up a Lego table to the potty to play with while on the potty all in the hopes of catching him at the right time. Nothing thus far has made a dent in my sons’ ability to be potty trained.
So we took a break (probably not the best thing to do) until my son started to show an interest in potty training again. I like to think that I am a patient person. My husband would not agree with this statement. I know my limits and as far as potty training was concerned I was reaching the bottom of the barrel. Then the other day my husband turns to me and says, “I want William to be potty trained by the time he is 3.”
Uummm… Congratulations?!?
I don’t know what he thinks I have been doing. Does he think I have been teaching our child to avoid the potty? Hello!!! Who do you think changes all those poopy diapers? Of course I would like our son to be potty trained! Is there a store that sells fully potty trained children? Is there a stork somewhere that delivers potty trained babies?
I am sure that my husband means well and is just trying to be helpful, but potty training is hard work. This is not I Dream of Jeanie; I cannot blink my eyes and nod my head and *poof* our child is potty trained! I keep trying new things. I swear I really am trying! But... apparently my potty training has not been up to snuff and I have been given a deadline.
Ha! Good luck with that!
Then what to my wondering eyes should appear... not a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, but a little boy telling me that he needs to go potty!
Out of the blue one day my son says that he needs to go potty on the toilet. So we race to the bathroom, sit on the potty, and he pees! I cheer and whoop and holler. This is a very big deal. My little boy can tell me that he needs to go potty in the potty. We told daddy that night, who was also equally excited about this breakthrough.
My husband bought a treasure chest and a whole bunch of chocolate treasure treats for William to choose from after a successful trip to the potty. William goes pee in the potty pretty regularly, but has yet to poop in the potty. I have tried to catch him to no avail. He will not go poop in the potty. I think that it scares him. Even if he has to go poop, he will hold it until he is back in his diaper. I would love to hear some suggestions or tips on how to get my child to poop in the potty. I am at a complete loss with this one.
I guess I will take one success at a time and be grateful.
