Potty training has got to be the worst thing about the terrific terrible 2s. Seriously. It's just so much pressure from all the other parents who have kids about the same age. Molly is potty trained! She wanted to do it even before she turned 2 1/2! Well la ti da Molly! My kids seem to think their potties are step stools so they can reach the sink and wash their hands. Yes, hand-washing has become a fun activity in my house. (Does Molly know how to wash her hands? Huh? Does she? Does she?) I kid. Sort of. My twins did show an interest in going on the potty a few months back. They sat on it. Clothed and with pants down. But there wasn't any action.
Now, like I said, they just use the potty for other things -- as a stool, a place for toy cars. When I was talking to my pediatrician about it, she told me something scary.
Never force them or make them sit on the potty to go, she told me. Not that I was, of course. She said that pressuring your kid to go on the potty could make them end up holding it and not going when they should, making them all constipated and backed up ... and um, if you are an adult and ever had that problem you know how horrible that is. Imagine how bad for a little kid?! My doc also said that if we try the potty seat on the toilet, instead of the free-standing ones we do have, to make sure they have a step stool that allows their feet to rest on when they are sitting. It helps ground the feet so they can go properly. Interesting.
All of this makes me think ... and I'll have to ask my mother, but I'm so very poo shy in public bathrooms that I wonder if there was ever some forced potty training going on oh-so many years ago. I swear since I've become a stay-at-home mom (TMI warning!) and am able to go number two in my own bathroom, I am much more regular.
Oh wait ... let's get back to the kids. I'll admit that I am totally fine with changing diapers. And if my kids aren't ready for potty time, they aren't ready. But I know they aren't going to be in diapers forever, so I'm not worried. It WILL happen. For now, I'm changing diaps, knowing that they grow up so quickly and I will cherish even these poopiest of times.
I'm going to call my mom now.
Are you worried about your child not being potty trained yet?
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Comments 40
I was told by my son's doc to not take him at regular intervals because he was just not ready. He strained to go pee even if he didn't have to. That could do a lot more damage than having a 3 1/2 year old still in diapers. I agree with Tara about potty vs parent training because of MY child. Kuddos to the kids who trained early, but my son still isn't, and will not be until he's ready.
I wish that I had started earlier. We are in the midst of training and she just turned 2. I should have started when she first started showing that she was ready...when she was 16 months. If I would have started then I wouldn't be getting the back talk I am now when I ask her to go. She can also lie now which is no good.
DD was 1 year old when she potty trained she would not leave my side so .. when I went in to use the restroom so did she .. M & M's for the good work .. and keep a chart . it worked wonders for us
my son is 3yr old and still isn't potty trained, not even remotely. I tried when he was about 2 1/2 but after about 5 months putting him on the pot and having him look at me like I was punishing him for something he couldn't control broke me and we quit for the time being. I would rather have 2 in diapers than having my oldest son think he did something wrong when he didn't. And for all of you that are going to say that I'm lazy for quitting, he's mentally handicapped, so Im doing what I think is best for him for the time being.
All 3 of my kids were past 3 when they were potty trained. One's in the army, one has a job in a hospital, and the other one is in Kindergarten. It doesn't appear to have caused any problems. There are way too many things that you have to try to teach toddlers, why add another fight? Who cares what the "other kids" are doing?? And the youngest, when she started showing interest, I bought a potty chair and some big girl panties and she was using the potty within 2 weeks, night and day. No muss, no fuss, just because I waited for her to decide. :)