Help Please

O.k. here is the deal. What I need help with doesn't have anything to do with surgery, or even WL. So here goes.... My little Josh was accepted to the pre-school program at our local school. It begins August 7th.... He needs to be potty trained by then.... Now when I first started all this process I was planning to potty training him while I was recovering from surgery. But now surgery has been moved back so. . . . So I've tried all the tricks....sinking the cheerios, pull ups, bribery, sinking the fruit loops, gummi bears, bribery, rewards for tinkling in the potty (rather than the floor or diaper) . . . When he tinkles we make a huge fuss over him. Cheering, jumping for joy, giving him a little gift, just making it a huge deal. But he doesn't seem interested in tinkling in the potty. . . So I'm at a loss. What can I do to get my little Josh interested into pottying? Better yet, how does one potty train without getting frustrated? Thanks for any advice! Tiff

Tiff, I have 4 boys I understand the problem! .....Soooo....give him a week of very soggy diapers (pushing the line here of child abuse ....J/K!) then "do it in a day". He needs to have some cool big boy underwear "unopened" and laying on his bed ready to use for the one day. On Potty Training day, do NOT take any phone calls, do not leave your house, do not have friends over, stay off of the computer, send other kids away and have this be a day of total concentration between the two of you. Start with salty foods/snacks first thing in the morning and provide all the popscicles, juice, water, soda, etc. Let him "sit" to tinkle and by all means use the word "pee" for him. It's a buff word. Tinkle is for ballerinas and fairies! Give just one M & M for a job well done. Overkill can only put more emphasis on something that they are very fearful of letting go and flushing down the potty. They seriously have some kind of ownership over their urin and stool and do not like the idea of sending it into the world beyond. Little potty seats can give them that transition where it can sit there for a bit before they get the honors of sending it off. I swear by the book "Potty training in a day". It worked for all 4 of my boys. There will be set backs which you deal with lightly cuz negative reaction is still a reaction and they shouldn't be getting one for soiling themselves. Do not go into situations where he will feel anxious or distracted for a few days *i.e. the mall, a friends house, Disney Land....y'know".....Carry the little potty in your trunk if you have to go to the grocery store!!! Good luck! If he's not ready then just tell the school that he was perfectly potty trained before they traumatized him and then threaten to sue them for ruining your son's self-esteem! (I am soooooooooooo kidding!) Good luck! .....But, you know that when Mom goes off to the hospital that he will most likely have a major set-back. Don't stress over it. He'll soon figure out that you are back to stay and will adjust. Big Huggggz, Joyce P.S. When all of the above fails, then teach him how to "P" like a good Boy Scout!...Outside!

Hi Joyce, Those are some great suggestions. I am on the verge on teaching my daughter how to potty train as well. I might have to use the "do it in one day" method!!

I love your advice and I am going to buy the book and get started. I have a 2 year old who thinks he is a big boy in every way but still a baby when in comes to potty training.

We tried to potty train the little guy this weekend. We had 4 days off.... he peed in the potty then he would pee in his undies... then he would pee in the potty... then he would pee in his undies... after doing this a coupld times, I just set him on the potty for a while.... He isn't potty trained yet... but he did pee in the potty 6 times in a row.... I have to remember he just turned 3 and that he will have to learn how to do this.... and to be patient.... and to BREATH!!! Thanks for the help... Tiff PS - bribery for us is fruit and gummi bears.. Little guy is allergic to anything that deals with nuts.

Well, maybe I was mean....but I made mine sit there, no gimmicks...crying or not until they went.. after 5-7 times of this they got the drift I meant business--of coarse my nerves were shot!!!! ....and they did understand and went as soon as I put them on the pot. I might of been the one who was trained...bec I had to que them. But, my kids were potty trained to my likings in like 2 days. If you think I was mean.....maybe I was. My kids are 37-33 and 26 yrs old....Sandy

Tiff, You didn't say how old Josh is and that might make a difference. My son didn't want to potty train because he was afraid of missing something when we went to the bathroom so we put a potty chair in the middle of the livingroom and left the diaper off. It was risky, but he never had an accident because the potty chair was right there and he could get to it in time. Once he got the hang of that, we moved it closer and closer to the bathroom and before we knew it, he was going in the toilet. I think it took about a week or two. Connie

P.S. IMVHO you should never use those slip up diapers or put diapers on them again after you have committed to potty training. They need to feel the wet and uncomffy of going in their underwear. Diapers and pull-ups mask the nasty feelings. and...to keep with the naure of our "Weight" support site.....maybe you shoudl reward him with a grape or bite of apple instead of the before metioned " M & M "....o.k. ...now I feel better! Whew! ......worrying about promoting fat genes in babies the entire rest of the day....big grins!