Toilet Training at 31/2+

lswd ↓

Mon, Dec 21 2009, 3:04 pm

It seems from the posts I read that most are having trouble with toilet traing prior to age 3 and a half... How about after that? my son is 3 and 8 months and although understands it all, extremely verbal, is not scared, I've tried it all reward systems, pull ups, bare bottom, underwear and I even tried light punishments when all else failed... He keeps telling me next time he will definitely go to the toilet or potty (we have both at his disposal- as he sometimes wants one over the other) I've given him breaks for weeks at a time before trying again... but nothing is working he still always makes in or on whatever he happens to be at time he needs to go. If he happens to be on toilet because I put him there - he'll go and I'll reward him immensely but he never initiates it and just goes right back to square 1 in case I thought I was getting anywhere... He is not majorly strong willed and some days insists he is a big boy and will always make in the toilet, somedays he plays it down and says I'll take the diaper - I'm still a baby. He doesnt seem to care one way or another. Please someone give me a piece of advice I haven't yet heard. my pediatrician thinks its normal - (I asked him if possible physical issue( and says there are many 4-5 year olds not trained.. but I dont think this is the case with children of average or even above average intelligence as is the case here.

merelyme

Mon, Dec 21 2009, 3:18 pm

With all due respect, I'd just get rid of the diapers and put him on the toilet for a few moments every half hour. He's certainly old enough and bright enough, from what you say.
This way he'll see exactly what happens when he goes and be"H start going to the toilet himself when necessary within a few days.

↑ lswd ↓

Mon, Dec 21 2009, 3:22 pm

I actually tried that a few times for 3 days in a row I'd get him to go to the toilet every single time - meaning I'd have to act like a hawk either with a time clock or by noticing his facial gestures when he needs to go... and I thought yippee its working only to find that as soon as I put him in underwear or bare bottom and slack off after 3 days of reminders very often to only so often - he was back at square 1 as if he never went on the toilet.

fiddle

Mon, Dec 21 2009, 3:41 pm

a friend of mine had this, on and off for almost two years starting at 2...she gave up on her and said forget it. she put her in diapers and on the girls 4th birthday I think or a bit after she came to her mother and said shes done..they had a big party and that was it.

↑ lswd

Mon, Dec 21 2009, 3:45 pm

I would wait until age 4 if I knew my case would be like that... but whose to know that it wont extend way past that... I sometimes think that maybe I'm not doing as much as I should or that I'm pushing too much... There is no way for me to know... I can only ask for ideas and perhaps come up with something I haven't yet tried... He has to go to kindergarten next year and they wont take him in diapers...