3 year old has potty fear

[mazzamoo123]

Hi there, I think my 3 year old DS has a fear of the potty. He simply won’t use it! I’ve offered him chocolate, presents, tv, EVERY form or bribery but he just refuses and gets really distressed when he needs a wee. In the end, I put a nappy on him to calm him down because he’s so upset but should I just be strong and refuse to put him in a nappy or will it make his fear worse?

Thanks
Mary

I could have written this post myself! My DD who has literally just turned 3 is the same. She will not have any of it. Tried all the tricks of the trade to no avail.

Us too! Can’t get him near it or the toilet.

We have taken the nappies away though, and judging from what I can hear between him and DP, he has just shat on the floor.

I attempted to train DD again today and she's terrified of it. She pooed her pants twice

Try this, worked for so many of us at nursery/playgroup

www.argos.co.uk/product/5386585?cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59156|acid:444-797-0832|cid:189942085|agid:18074274565|tid:aud-144400486596:pla-197645504245|crid:77627772445|nw:g|rnd:12832313444059850480|dvc:c|adp:1o1|mt:|loc:9061004&gclid=CjwKCAjwo87YBRBgEiwAI1LkqUa3TuYTbAPZeQDcDlfzSNpqDSjLyrB2k9VWJ_IrRsJtnM1TGZaNJhoCUo8QAvD_BwE

I was looking at those yesterday! Worth a try.

I had this with dd1. Absolutely terrified of the potty and realised it was going to be a mission to get her to use it, and then probably another mission to use a toilet. So I bought a toilet training seat and forgot about the potty. I realised it was probably normal for her to see me on the toilet and not squat on a potty so that helped too. I also promised not to flush it until they left the room, as the noise frightened them.

I think just lots of encouragement and refusing to let them get so wound up about sitting on a toilet/potty helps. Also once you decide to toilet train don’t give in as you are showing them you are soft and will get them a nappy if they get hysterical and I think a true phobia gets born.

Lots of praise, encouragement, calm talking, wet pants aren’t a big deal.

No scalding or negativity if they have an accident however frustrating.

Good luck, as I’m doing DC3 in summer hols and I’m dreading it already. I don’t know who these kids are who just were ready and cracked it over night but they aren’t mine.

I had a book called where is my poo. The girls still use it
Good luck!

After my initial concerns, he actually just suddenly decided he wanted to do it and hasn’t turned back! I found him yesterday doing a poo on the potty having taken himself off to do it himself so I feel like that’s a big deal!

I think it must all be about patience.

I was seriously worried he was going to be in nappies at the age of 18 at one point though.