My LO turned 2 in May. She’s been peeing on the potty since she was 18 months old (and started having accidents in the tub). We started potty training in earnest in June. We’re now in October and not doing much better. We have very little issues with getting her to go. She will pee on the potty almost every time we suggest it. But she will not hold it and she will not tell us when she needs to go. Making it through the day with no accidents requires us to make her stop every hour and go. She knows all the mantras and will tell you the right thing every time you talk to her. But she isn’t putting it to practice. We’ve tried stickers, hand stamps, screen time, juice, stickers in the potty that show dinosaurs when she pees on them. She likes all of these things and is excited for them. But she will not go of her own accord. The thing is, I know she can hold it. She'll hold it for hours in the car or when we’re out and about in public. She doesn’t fear the potty (sometimes after pooping in her pull-ups it’s sensitive and she’s afraid to pee for a time or two, but gets over it quickly). We’ve done underwear, pull-ups, no pants, leaving the door open and lights on, and us announcing loudly when we need to go to model. Is it just a waiting game? Eventually she’ll understand her body better? I’m a little apprehensive because the next room at daycare will send your child home if they have 2 accidents in a day. So we’ve got about six months to make some drastic improvements. We’ve done books and songs and get super excited when she goes. I’ve tried to make it a positive experience for her. And that’s just pee. The only way she will poop on the potty is if we catch her in the act (usually after not going for a day or two) and run her to the potty. Most weekends she’ll go both days without pooping and then go first thing at daycare in her pull-up. Is there anything I’m missing? Anything I haven’t tried? I would be fine with the occasional accident because she forgot to go while playing, but right now she will only tell us after she has gone in her pants and will only go potty if we remind her.
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this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2024
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We started around 2.5 years, and followed the "Oh Crap!" potty training book. We went straight from diapers to nothing (no pull ups, even at night), and it took less than a week. The idea is to take a few days off where you can watch them constantly, go without pants, and catch their "cues" right before they go and run them to the potty. Once they are doing that consistently (usually after a day or so), add pants and repeat, but give them a chance to decide to go themselves. They won't want to go in their pants/on the floor. More than 1 or 2 accidents, go back to day one.
Sounds like you're close, but just need to be consistent and maybe do a bit of a reset, to make it clear that going in the potty isn't an optional, once in a while thing, but the only option going forward. Not sure about your day care situation, but the book recommends against pull ups as it feels just like a diaper, and makes it hard to be consistent.
It’s hard to have time off with our work schedules, which is why I tried over the summer initially. She doesn’t care as much as I thought she would about going on herself though. She ran in yesterday with a big smile to tell me she peed in her underwear. I’ll check out the book though, thanks!