3 and 3 months and refusing

[hostelgirl74]

I have never punished my boy for not using the toilet/potty and tried all I can think of to get him to use it but we are going backwards. It's not that he doesn't know, just won't do it. I see him doing something, straining, concentrating and remind him. This is when he is most adamant he doesn't need the loo. It started off OK with wees and odd poo in a potty/toilet so I started offering it after meals to build a routine and last thing before bed as he was dry overnight. This is when it went wrong. Soon after he point blank started refusing. So I backed off hoping he would choose to go of his own accord but he doesn't ever. He seems too big for a potty now so if I talk about it I mention toilets. "Big boy" stuff doesn't work as he just says he wants to be my baby. Hr is supposed to be starting at a preschool where they have to be trained after Easter so I am feeling the pressure. His father wondered if a bit of reverse psychology may work - he suggested getting a potty and telling him he wasn't allowed to use it as it was a special one to build up interest. Its starting to drive me mad.

Does he like books? Ladybird do a great one called pirate pete's potty ( princess something's potty for girls) . It really helped my children to get interested in using the toilet to be just like pirate Pete. Only thing is that is about a potty rather than a toilet, but this didn't seem to matter, I never used potties and went straight to big toilet.

Thanks abagail12. Think I will just go cold turkey and say there's no nappies left now cause they dintvdi em for big boys. May see if I can find that book.xx

We are going through exactly the same thing! My little girl is 3 yrs 2 months and will not sit voluntarily on the toilet or potty. Refuses outright. Goes off and hides when she is having a poo and often has a tantrum if I try and put her on it if I think she is going. I tried to potty train her at 2 and a half and she actually did better then! But we just seemed to go backwards. I, also, am at my wits end but I think the more you ask them to do it the more they won't. Have tried everything I can think of too. So I really understand your problem! Let me know if anything works! At the moment, I am just leaving it a little longer maybe when the weather a bit warmer. I think they all get it eventually. I have just decided to try and be laid back about the whole thing. I think the older they are the quicker it is. My girl also refuses to clean her teeth and also hides in the corner when we mention it. Its an age thing I think. Good luck!

My dd is around that age. At 3 we tried for 2 weeks, she would wee on the potty or toilet but had frequent accidents and refused to poo on the potty or toilet and also wouldn't ask for a nappy so just did it in her clothes. After 2 weeks I gave up as she started holding her poo.
We tried again a couple of months later, this time we made a special trip so she could pick some pants to wear, made a big deal about not pooing in them, etc. she did much better with wees but after a couple of poos went back to saying she couldn't and asking for a nappy. This was at least better than pooing in her clothes and Her weeing was better so we continued and last week I found some flushable peppa pig wipes in home bargains. I got them and told her they were only for poos done on the potty or toilet and we haven't had a poo in a nappy since and only one wee accident in only a week. The only thing I didn't want to do was use food to bribe as I have food issues but the combo of wipes and pants has worked for us.

My dd is just gone three and like jazzers, she hides if she's pooing. I'm going to wait til the weather's a small bit warmer and then just leave her run around with the lower half naked. I know it works but am not putting the heating on all day yet and it's too cold to do it yet. I tried pull up pants and big girl pants but she wouldn't tell me if she needed to go. Her sister was the same and this method worked. If anyone has any better ideas, I'd be willing to give them a go

hey hostelgirl 74 - just wanted to add another tip which now seems to have worked for us! After all our failed attempts, we cracked it within a week (pardon the pun) it appeared that privacy was the issue. She was doing her usual thing and hiding in the corner about to start doing a poo - I asked her to use the potty and added that I would shut the bathroom door and let her do it all by herself. As soon as I started doing this she just did it all by herself, getting her own trousers down and then calling me when she had finished. It was amazing and we are now in knickers and she has hardly had any accidents. Now just takes herself off in to the toilet, and does it all by herself! I could have saved myself a lot of time and effort. I think readiness is the key. Now she has the motor skills to actually get dressed and undressed it all became so much easier! Good luck for you, just wanted to share in case it helped!

Hi just wondered how hostelgirl 74 was getting on with the potty training and share a little tip that has now worked for us! PRIVACY - as soon as I started to give my little girl complete privacy in the bathroom, she started weeing and pooing on potty all by herself getting her self undressed but wanting the door shut. As soon as I just started letting her get on with it we cracked it (pardon the pun) Success within a week. So I think, readiness is the key. Now she has the motor skills to get herself dressed/undressed its so much easier and I could have saved myself a lot of time and effort. Anyway, just thought I would share, hope you are getting on o.k. and best of luck!

sorry didn't think first message posted so did another one!