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I have a 3 yr. old a 2 1/2 yr old and a 1 yr old. My 3 yr. old is just now starting to go to the potty. I have learned the hard way. The more I pushed her the more she didn't want to go. When I left her alone the more she went. I just kept telling her every day that she was a big girl, and she would follow me into the bathroom. She would watch as I used the potty and asked what I was doing, and I would simply tell her that I was going to the potty, all big girls go peepee and poopy on the potty and not in thier pants. And would then tell her that she was a big girl. Soon enough she got the hint and I would ask if she needed to go. At first she would tell me no, and the only place that she would use the potty on a regular basis was at Wal-Mart, that is because it is a big potty that flushes by it's self. And when she used she would tell me that she is a big girl using the big potty and she wasn't affraid. So now that she is going more often her little sister is following insuit. But, yes my oldest is the same a vey independent, and vey stuburn little girl. The more I told her that she needed to go to the potty and push her to give up the last thing that kept her a baby the more she fought me. My advise to you is not to give up but maybe try to back off a little and when your child is ready they will sure enough go. It might just be the only thing that your child has left to hold on to as a baby. And seperation is very hard for toddlers. If this helps at all or not please let me know [email protected] and I hope that this will help you.

Shellie

A few thoughts -

* How quickly do you change her after she goes in the diaper? Does she tell you that she has gone or do you "find out"? Try not changing her as quickly (getting those training pants where they can feel that they are wet) - she may want to use the potty more instead of sitting around in a wet diaper.

* It also sounds like you maybe started too early and she is now rebelling. You probably want to back off for a few months and maybe not even mention it and see what happens.

* Maybe the seat with all the "bells and whistles" is freaking her out. Our daughter seems to be having better luck with a potty seat that goes on the regular toliet than the potty chair, but that may not solve your problem.

Good luck!

That you can purchase a potty seat he can use on the grownup potty, or that you could make him use the boy or girl. Both means you'll most of the time ought to stay in the bathroom with him except he goes for the first few months of potty coaching. Don't assume him to be in a position to go in there and maintain it himself. Snatch a book and plant your self except he goes. Don't make it demanding. That you would be able to present a reward of some style if he uses both potty (like two m&m's). Be sufferer even supposing he is not and do not worry. Training takes time.

I started out by buying a simple white potty that looked the closest to a regular toilet. No bells n' whistles. Then I got her the "Feel N Learn" pull-ups which are great because when they are wet, they feel wet to the child. Then we had a "sticker" program. I would put her potty in front of the toilet and we would both go potty together. Every time she was successful, she got a sticker that she placed on the bathroom cupboard beside her potty chair. That way she was able to see the rewards of her efforts. And I also made a big effort to praise her really dramatically! Then we'd both empty her potty into the toilet and wave and say "bye-bye peepees/poopoos, thanks for coming out!" She'd sometimes just sit on the chair and "pretend" to potty just so she'd get a sticker! But she quickly figured out that she needed to produce visible results... It took about 2 months. Then I took her shopping and let her pick out her own underwear (Dora). She was so happy to wear them and very, very proud. She had a few accidents but I never made a big deal out of them to her. It got tricky when we went out because it's important that as soon as said she had to potty, we had to pull over right away. I was sure NOT to fall back on the pullups just because we were out. It just prolongs the process. She was able to wear underwear during the day and a pullup at night. Then, eventually she lost the nightime pullup and I woke her at 2am and took her to the potty - every night for about a week. And then that was that.

Every child is different tho - the key is to make a big fuss when they go and not make a fuss if they don't. Good luck with it.

The harder you push it the more they will dig in and REFUSE. Sounds like that is already happening. I would relax and back off. Also, we never used a potty chair. We started from day one with the little kid sized seat that goes on the toilet (less cleanup too!!)

I would wait about 1-2 months and see if she starts to show signs of wanting to go potty like a big girl. If she does, go out and buy her some big girl panties in something she likes (our daughter loves My Little Ponies). When she gets up in the morning, change her out of a diaper and into panties she picks out. After a few hours, take her in, set her on the potty and STAY there until she goes. Once she does, praise her (we never did treats like M&Ms or stickers, just praise). Mind you, you could end up sitting there for 30+ mins (we did many times) but it WORKED. You could read stories, sing songs, paint her nails (ours had her nails done more in those couple weeks than I have in my life). Once she has gone, let her go play, do whatever and after a few more hours, do it again. Eventually she will learn that she needs to pay more attention to her body and learn to tell when she needs to go potty and not just go right there on the spot. Best of luck to you!

Also, I tried with our daughter at ages 2, 2.5, and finally 3 years old. She finally took to it right after her 3rd birthday! Took only 1-2 weeks and she was trained during the day. A couple months later she took to staying dry at night too.

Have a 2 1/2 year old that i am potty training right now ...

Sounds like you have tried everything...

i have decided to stop for about a month and start again..

WHY? well i think I'm putting too much pressure on him.. he'll sit on the potty, which seems like forever, and never go. he gets off and after a few minutes he'll potty in his pants.. Maybe she is just not ready yet.. Good Luck!!

Potty training is one of the first times that kids can really successfully assert their independence and get a great reaction from mom and dad (and grammy and granddad, etc). And as a first-time parent it can be really frustrating.

My suggestion is to cool it. Stop attempts at training. Put her back in a diaper for now. Stop stressing it - you know that she won't be going to college in a diaper - lol - it will come. And when you stop stressing and trying, you remove the power from her. Wait until she asks to go pee in the toilet...no-one is or should be judging you because she is not out of diapers. This is truly something that should come when she is ready...not when you want it. It sounds like there has been a great deal of effort made and I would suggest that you just wait a while until she makes some moves. And she will, she will not want to be in a diaper much longer.

I hope this helps...

I think you started trying too soon, but that's ok, what's done is done. My pediatrician told my mom to just let my sister be in control of it when she was being difficult to train. As long as she comes around before kindergarten, no big deal, right? My mom used an old calendar with stickers as a "reward" for going potty. You don't want to begin giving your child candy as a reward, for sure. That is leading her down a straight path to health problems and associating food with feeling good. Try putting up an old calendar next to her potty and getting lots of glittery, girly stickers (even let her pick them out.) Every time she goes potty, she gets to put a sticker on the calendar. Being able to see and touch their progress is a great way to motivate children! Good luck; I know this is a tricky situation!

You are just going to have to give her time. I am in the same boat. I have resorted to using pull-ups on my 2 1/2 year old. She will do #2 everytime in the potty, but she keeps peeing on herself. I have thought about calling the Dr. to see if she has bladder problems. I am just going to be patient. My son had no problems. He was so easy. I think if after 3 or 3 1/2 they are not, then you may need to get intervention, but every child learns at their own pace.

Oh boy! I've walked this road three times. Count them...THREE! This is what worked for my kids. Yep...we've got the stubborn streak too. Are we kin??? Hahaha

Put her in panties. Remind her when you put them on her that she is in BIG GIRL panties! No tee tee-ing! Mine cheated EVERY time we put her in pull ups. Take her to the bathroom every hour at first. Take her whenever you go. Make the bathroom your second home! My Mom used those tiny candy things whenever she actually did something on the potty. In the evening, use the pull ups, but your main goal is for daytime training. Putting her in panties is taking a risk...but sometimes you've gotta give a little to get a little.

My first girl was trained by I think 22 months, my second by 30 months (she was in NO hurry at all!) and my third by about 26 months. Good luck!