@Comeandeat I’m going to admit that I haven’t read the full thread, just your posts but have obviously seen the ones you’ve quoted and I’m honestly amazed.
Im going to go against all of that and say you absolutely should stop potty training just now. It’s not working, he’s not ready. To be able to potty train he first of all needs to be able to recognise the feelings of his bladder and rectum being full, before the point where his body can’t hold them, secondly understand what those feelings mean, and thirdly associate this with going to the toilet. That takes time, and by that I don’t mean you need to put you both through many months of trying to potty train, I mean that it’s developmental, not that potty training should last for months and months like some ridiculous kind of rite of passage. My older son was fully potty trained in 3 days. I say that not as a boast, but rather as an illustration that you don’t need to be surrounded by dirty washing for months on end; it’s not a necessary part of the process. When they’re ready they’re ready and it’s actually really easy. All the signs are showing that your son isn’t ready just now, and that’s totally ok. Some babies walk at 8 months, others at 16, both are completely normal. Potty training is the same, there’s a wide range of ages where they become ready, which is absolutely normal. And be reassured that 3y3m is nowhere near pushing the upper end of normal.
In response to the posters saying that it’s too late and that the habit is too ingrained, do they not think that if that were true then 2 would be too late too? 2 years is a long time to have let a habit become ingrained, and yet potty training at bang on 2 would be quite early. Also, my son was 3y 3m when he trained, and like I say, did it in 3 days so clearly it wasn’t this impossible, or even difficult habitat to break. But that’s because he was ready.
And as for the lazy comments. You’ve been at it for months, you’ve put loads of effort in, you’re clearly not lazy. But being blunt, it’s not getting you anywhere. And it’s not because you’re doing the wrong thing, it’s because HES NOT READY (said loudly for the ones that are calling you lazy). I’ll tell you what though, I sure as sht can’t be arsd cleaning up pee and poo for months on end just because some strangers on the internet think I should because my child has reached some magical age where society thinks I ’should’ be doing it. My parenting is responsive to my children and their needs, not the expectations of society and randoms on the internet. Honestly, it’s freeing, I highly recommend you try it. Or don’t, because at the end of the day, I’m just a stranger on the internet too, but my advice is a bit different because I’m not saying listen to me, I’m saying listen to your child. No one knows what he needs better than him and you x