My 2.9 year old will be in nappies forever...

[Rooster30]

It's horrible. HORRIBLE! Potty training is just going from bad to even worse. He will not be bribed or tricked. Talked to or reasoned. Reward charts don't work... nothing works. he understands what the potty is for but he's scared to use it for some reason. He will wee down his leg to avoid potty or toilet.

I could actually cry. I'm actually a bit embarrassed that he's still in nappies but it really isn't through lack of trying.

His cousin of same age is wearing pants.

He's happy walking around in a sodden nappy with poop in - he's gross. My child is gross.

Just a moan

 

[Orion]

He isn't gross hun. Lots of babies use the potty in their own time and trying to force them (bribe them etc) can put them off it rather than entice them.

Stay positive. It will happen one day.

 

[Iwant3]

calm down he may not be ready yet.....I didn't even start my boy until he just turned 3! and I know plenty of little ones who do it in their own time - most have been around 3 or just after when they master it. I would keep him in pull ups and make sure the potty is there - and just tell him he can use it if he wants to - and otherwise just change his nappy as you would have before. The more you try to force the issue, the more he may not want to - it needs to come from him - and it will He is not gross, he is just not emotionally ready for the task ahead just yet. Also your little girl is in nappies and being changed by you, he probably doesn't want to let go of needing you for this. Try not to stress about it, he will pick up that you are stressed about it too. It will happen x

 

[MrsT2011]

Take a deep breath Hun. My mum potty trained me at 14 months - my son was 2.9 months. My friends son was 3, my friends daughter was 3 and 2 months. All so different.

Potty training was by far the hardest thing I've ever done as a mum and I tried everything and it took months of stop starting then one day he just got it. He still has accidents weekly but we manage. When I got to breaking point with it I just stopped for a week then went back to it. The more stressed I got the worse B became so it was better for us to start afresh.

 

[Baby2sky]

You're not alone hun, my daughter is the same. Ive given up now and really like the advice from iwant3 - thank you for that post - they will get there eventually, they all do xxx

 

[Les1504]

Aww I could have written the same a couple of months ago as my LO would literally scream until I put a nappy on him! He tried to throw his underpants down the toilet and was happy playing in a wet and dirty nappy! I gave up and a week after his third birthday in July we went cold turkey and he didn't have any accidents after day one- it has been the easiest process ever! He loves his pants and is even trying to train himself during the night. I would leave it until he turns 3 in a couple of months time and see if he's anymore willing xx

 

[Rooster30]

Thanks everyone. I am finding it stressful. I start off keeping relaxed but after he sits on the potty for an hour holding it in and watching little dribbles go in the potty I just think COMMMMEE ON! He is an intelligent boy and in so many ways I forget that's he's just 2.9... until I change his nappy. He doesn't tell me that he's wet or dirty... infact he'll say he isn't even though there's a rotten stench coming from him.

He wees A LOT at nighttime at the moment too. Never in his life has he wet his nappies so much over night (even before my recent attempt to potty train). Even as a baby we didn't need mattress protector - until now. His nappies are soaking in the morning and he doesn't care.

I am struggling to keep calm. Today was my first day at attempting it again after a month off and if anything he's just got worse each time we have re-attempted potty training.

Thanks for the advice though and will try and relax (if i can!), it's hard with having to look after my baby too. I think I might have her looked after by my folks for a day or two whilst I try and get my son at least relaxed on the potty. He's also back at preschool in September so going to ask the teachers to talk to him about it if they can.

 

[Mummybexee]

Yikes he's a toddler he's not gross! My God son is 3 and only just potty trained

Have you bought a different potty? Try putting stickers all around the outside.

Leave it a few weeks - new potty, fresh focus and try again x

 

[Lucyboo]

Yeah try not to stress too much, he will do it when he is ready. my niece and nephew done it when they were 3yrs, my goddaughter about 3.5, they actually had success on holiday as just let her wear nothing but pull ups and she done it when she was relaxed. A colleague of my mum her son didn't potty train until he was 4. He will get there eventually. X

Oh btw my niece had one of those musical potties, think it plays a tune when you wee or something.

 

[Rooster30]

I'm considering buying a different potty and I probably will. I know he technically isn't gross, but still gross at the same time I know he doesn't mean to be but can't help but internally cringe at the sight of his dripping wet nappy!

I think what I will do for now is to leave it until say, end of September (unless he asks otherwise). In the meantime, I will ask preschool to talk to him about it every so often (no pressure). I'll get a new potty and whip it out at end of September as a novelty and hope it peaks his interest.

Thanks everyone.

 

[CARNAT22]

Same age, same problem. I've stopped with the potty for the time being.

I'll try once every 2 weeks and if no joy then he isn't ready and I'll wait a while longer.

James has to be dry for nursery in 3 months. If he isn't and they won't except him then so be it. I'm refusing to let this become a source of stress and unhappiness for me or him.

X

 

[kumber]

Could you try a mini seat on your toilet? I don't know if you already tried that though, apologies if you have.

 

[littlemonkey]

I'm not even bothering with my boy who's 2 and a half anymore.

I was telling myself I should get it done this summer while he's home with me all the time before he goes to play group. And then I thought why?! It was causing me a lot of worry and stress and I just felt like why not just enjoy this summer with my new baby without making it harder for myself. Totally selfish I know!

But I just don't think he's ready emotionally or mentally for it yet. He keeps saying he's a big boy all the time, so I'm using that as an opportunity to discuss its with him, that big boys use the potty.

I'm guilty of forgetting how young my eldest still is. It doesn't help that he looks like a three year old he's so tall and talks a lot for a child his age. Every one thinks he's older and is surprised he's still in nappies. I keep telling myself he is only two!!

 

[littlemonkey]

Also posted before saying when I spoke to my mum about potty training she was surprised we were thinking about it this early, as she never bothered with any of us until we were about three. I do wonder with more kids in childcare younger now if it does put the pressure on to have them out of nappies earlier.

 

[Rooster30]

Yeah I tried putting him on a toilet today (with child seat) and he cried for his potty - but did't wee on it.

Thanks everyone. I've calmed down a bit now thanks to all your comments, and now deciding to give it a rest for another month.

 

[Mrs CW]

Definitely don't stress he will get there. I agree with Iwant3 he'll do it when he's ready. Our boys basically potty trained themselves and when they were ready. We put the potty out every evening and when they were happy to sit on it we encouraged it and the same again when they used it. I think we had the potty in the living room for a couple of months before my eldest sat on it. I hope the break from trying helps x

 

[Nicnax]

If it helps, my little girl (2.7), would sporadically use the potty, then go completely off the idea, and ask for nappies Tec. So I stopped mentioning it at all, put the potties away, and carried on as before. Who knows why, but last Thursday,she decided she wanted to use the potty. No prompting from us at all. In a week, she has had one accident (which was kind of my fault), and has basically trained herself. She makes herself off to use the potty whenever she feels ready, and it has been the easiest thing ever. I dreaded it, and was starting to feel jealous of other people's children being out ofnappies. But waiting was the best thing ever, as she has done it herself. It will happen, honestly. Xxx

 

[russellmuscle]

Jackson is quite tall, we have had the potty out a few times. He knows what it is, what you do on it etc but when hes on it with no nappy on hes far too tall for it. Hes all legs everywhere. We have got the toilet seat for inside the pan and a step and actually he seems to want to go to the toilet. He isnt quite doing it on it yet, but he asks to go toilet then sits on it then gets off and flushes. He comes and tells me when he has pooped and asks for a nappy change but not for a pee yet although I imagine this will change when we use the pants on and get a proper run at it and he actually feels himself wet.

The other day he sat on it, says toilet and farted - so we are getting somewhere

Jackson is 2.7 months and I am in no rush, people who rush to train often find some babies regress and end up having alot more accidents. Try to go at your boys own pace and not anyone elses. Including yours.

 

[Goat]

I had a very similar experience to Nicnax except my daughter would scream whenever I attempted potty training. Each attempt (about 4 of them) would seem worse and worse. So the potty went away and I left it for a a couple of months until one day I was rummaging in a cupboard to find something and took the potty out briefly. My daughter saw it and decided she wanted to use it and after that the process was so much better and she's now (1.5 months later) dry throughout the day and her nappy in the morning is getting much lighter.

It does seem like it'll never happen but one day it'll click for them and then the process feels so smooth!x

 

[clairebear22]

Both my boys are still in nappies. Bit different for my 4 year old. He has autism, is non-verbal and doesn't have any connection between brains an 'bits' yet so he could be years before he's ready. My youngest is nearly 2.5. He loves being nappy free and sits on the potty for a second or two if I ask him but he isn't ready at all yet so I'm in absolutely no rush to train him yet. I'll just go with what they 'tell' me like I always have