Potty training for 3 weeks and getting no where with it

[Conspmumma97]

I’ve been potty training my 2 and half year old son for over three weeks now and I’m honestly getting absolutely nowhere 😩 I don’t know what else to do.
He doesn’t seem to tell me when he needs to go to the toilet. He’ll sometimes just stand there crossing his legs, and I’ll realise he probably needs a wee, but he still won’t tell me. He has weed in the toilet a number of times, so I know he can do it, but he just doesn’t seem to communicate when he needs to go.
Other times, he’ll run over to me after he’s already weed on the floor, almost as if he knows he’s done it but it’s too late by then.
We’ve been doing this for over three weeks and I feel like we’re making no progress at all. Has anyone else experienced this? What actually worked for you? I’m starting to feel like I’m doing something wrong and I’m not sure whether to persevere or take a break and try again later. 😩

What are you actually doing to train him though? You sound really passive 'i realise he must need a wee'...

Are yoy doing bear bum?

Take a break. He doesn't sound ready yet. It will just cause you stress and him a negative experience of learning to use the toilet. Not forgetting the inconvenience of constantly cleaning up wee. Revisit it again in a few months xx

Is he running around with no clothing on his lower half or wearing underwear? My nephew didn't care that he was weeing without underwear but soon caught on when he had wet underpants.

Without more details about exactly what you are doing with him day to day, it seems obvious he's acting very normally and just isn't 100% ready, but progressing.

Keep going! Take him to the loo or the potty every hour, don't expect him to tell you when he needs to go at this stage. I'm not above bribery with chocolate buttons if necessary, it worked like a dream with DS1. Don't make any fuss whatsoever about accidents, just 'never mind, it'll be OK next time'. Don't stop as he's at the ideal age right now and it'll only confuse him. There's no such thing as 'being ready' by the way, it's good as a parent to take the initiative and you need to keep at it once you've started.

Please don't give up! 2.5 is a good time to be training him.

It all sounds a bit vague. He'll pick that up and conclude it can't be important. You are racing to the finish point (knowing he needs to go and asking you) and missing out the steps to get there (regularly following a routine, learning to recognise the signs his body is making, understanding that signs need to lead to action).

How about (if you're not doing these things already):

• training potty (£12.99 on E-Bay - looks fun, never used one)
• lots of fluids then take him to the loo about 20 minutes afterwards
• taking him every day as soon as he gets up, soon after meals and before bed
• having him in the bathroom when you and DH have a wee so he sees it as a normal thing to do
• get him to help mop up the wee and wash the soggy pants (if he's wearing them)
• him choosing new underwear

Typo

There definitely is such a thing as being ready.
I have two children and three grandchildren and they have all been ready at different times.
Two were dry by themselves at 2, two struggled even when they were 3 but got there in the end and long before school. And one was dry at around 2 and a half.

The advice now is to start training/preparation as soon as they can sit and not to wait for signs of readiness. It's fine that he's not telling you yet when he needs a wee. Put him on the potty/toilet at regular times - when he wakes up, after meal times. Talk to him about wee/poo going in the potty, read books about it. If he has an accident, put him on the potty, saying something like - wees go in the potty'

Sometimes they are capable but not ready. My 2.5 yo I needed a pee sample from. Gave lots of squash to get him to drink loads. Potty right there, sitting on it happily singing away but nothing. Got to 90 minutes after the squash and still no bloody pee. Had to then take him to his appointment so put a nappy on him to put him in the car. Obviously he peed as soon as the nappy was on. Peed so much it overflowed the damp nappy and leaked.

He was holding it until he had the nappy on. He is a wonderfully stubborn child. Has the control and knowledge but won't do it no matter what the bribery. Even at nursery he goes to the potty with his friends, nappy off, sits on it happily. Then pees as soon as they put the new nappy on him after he says he's done.

We started potty training my dd in July, I had tried at Easter too but to no avail. I honestly think that some kids struggle more with it. My older two got it much quicker. It took about a full month for her to stop weeing in her pants and to actually go in the toilet/potty. I bought her a mini toilet and also a seat with steps for the normal toilet. Two months in full before she stopped having regular accidents. But 3 months on she still has poo accidents every day & wets the bed most nights so I put a nappy pants on over her pjs. She's now 3. It really is a slog with some kids.

Night time dryness is hormonal and not related to potty training in general. At 3 I wouldn’t expect them to be dry at night so I’d just put a nappy on as normal! Save yourself the washing.
DS was toilet trained at just over 2. He’s now three and no sign of night dryness.

@op bribery worked a treat for us, no clothes and regular trips to the toilet/potty. Have you tried books? “No more nappies” went down well here and also at 2.5 talking it through - even at 2 he was quick to learn “wee wees go in the potty not on the floor” but accidents were met with calmness and “never mind, next time
wee wee goes in the potty”. He also came to the toilet with us a lot and we are still very vocal about mummy and daddy needing to go for a wee/poo.

OP was there any update- how are you getting on now? We're 16 days into our second attempt and im feeing the same frustration. We have lots of success- but also still quite a few accidents whcih seem to all be home! She will sometimes run to the potty, but not tell me she needs a wee, just stands next to it? Tell me things got better in week 3!