I hate potty training (Page 2)

I just want to say, thanks for the birth control.

I'm going to sound crazy here, but I'm used to it by now and probably a hundred people will say this is ridiculous, BUT we trained all of our kids in 1-2 days.  There were accidents afterward and still have a few, because they just get too engrossed in playing, but they are in regular underwear and regular clothes.  We did them all at 2 &1/2 years.

Leading up to it for a few months our Daughter would go to the potty with my wife and our sons would go with me.  If I went then they would sit on the potty and go if they needed to, not if they didn't.  it was more just the whole concept thing and they have a driving desire to be like mom and dad, right.

Then at some point we set aside the entire weekend threw away all diapers and completely committed, no turning back, got the timer out, got the potty out in the open and for 2 days every 15 minutes potty.  Drank a TON of water.  Once they ran out of clean clothes, they just went naked.

Now here's the crazy part.  They cleaned up their mess.  They pee on the floor, they clean it up.  Now, we all know that it's really us, but the kids were right down there with us cleaning it up.  A 2 year old can't effective clean the floor, but they can wipe some stuff around and get the "ew, gross" experience with us.  They make to the potty and they get an M&M.  So no potty = clean up; potty = M&M.  The M&M was VERY effective for us because they don't get candy anyway so this was new for them.

You've probably already done this, but that's what we did.  I consider ourselves lucky on this front.  I don't think our kids are the norm on this one.  Stick with it though and don't give in.  I think you'll just make it harder on yourself later.  Good luck

Ha ha ha - don't let Andrew see this thread......

Haha, I'm sure Andrew will be able to engineer up some device that dispenses M&M's for a sufficient urine deposit. No M&M unless at least 3 ounces of urine are deposited. That should teach them to hold it.

She's probably confused by the mixed message you send her when you tell her she has to pee in the toilet, but you pee your pants on the bike. 

As far as practical advice, my son's 16, so I can't remember how old he was, nor how hard it was, so I don't have anything to offer.  Now, if we could just get him to clean his own bathroom...

We are going thru potty training with our 2-1/2 year old.  Lately she was been taking her diaper off during the middle of the night and we end up washing the sheets and stuffed animals etc... every morning.  Last night I walk into the laundry room as my wife is getting my daughter ready for bed to see this...

Daughter says "look at my pretty belt daddy".  The wife had used masking tape to make sure she did not remove it during the night.  I could hardly get the picture I was cracking up so hard.  The wife just had this deadpan look on her face and says to me.. "I couldn't find the duct tape"

We pretty much got it all right.  We have amazingly well-behaved, wonderful kids.  We're the uber-parents!  When my oldest, Gracie was 2-1/2 I asked her what it would take for her to stop being in diapers and use the potty.  She thought about it and replied, "I want a purple bedroom."  She likes the color purple and wanted me to paint her room purple.  So I did and when we showed her, she took off her diaper, my wife handed her a pair of "big girl panites" and that was that.  Never even even an accident!  WE'RE PERFECT!!!

And then along came our son...  3...  3-1/2...  4...  Aaaaaaaaaaa!  And then the "withholding control thing".  He refused to poop.  In the potty, in a diaper.  Nothing - just hold it in - FOR DAYS!  Doctors, counselors.  We tried this.  We tried that.

Guess what?  WE AIN'T THE PERFECT PARENTS.  He sure knocked us off our pedastal.

So while I'm usually full of all kinds of parenting advice, and to be honest, usually right.  When it comes to potty training.  I've got nothing.  My first was sheer dumb luck 'cause the second proved we don't know what the F we're doing.

There is a last resort you know.  It worked for my sister out in Oklahoma and I've heard it works for many many parents.  It's bold.  It's radical.  It's southern.  But it does work...  Have her wear - NOTHING!  It can be messy.  It can be gross.  But in one weekend, she'll learn the feeling and not like having anything run down her leg.  She'll use the potty all right.  My kids said that at one of our sitter's house, she was training her youngest (not even 2 yet) that way.  Little Ruby was running around with nothing.  That's how our sitter trained her first two and it works in 1-2 days.  I don't know if I would have the courage to do it.

Good luck!

Sorry, but I had to fix that.

Mine wears big girl panties and pees in them all the time unless we make her go to the potty.  She's an incredibly bright kid, but she doesn't get it. 

Again, thanks for the replies everyone. I really appreciate reading all of the different experiences.

I like the naked idea that several of you have suggested but she doesn't. A couple of weeks ago she went through all of her undies and I was behind on the laundry. She ran out. I told her no pull-ups unless your sleeping, all your undies are dirty, I guess you can just go care free. She had a fit, couldn't stand it. She went inside and put on some pajama bottoms. I thought she would like it. Nope. I can't force her to be naked LOL! 

Yesterday only one accident and that was in the car when she was tired. A little progress I think .

And this cracked me up!