Potty Training For 3 And A Half Year Old

NeerjaC · May 30, 2018

Hi all

Needed some advice on potty training. My daughter was ready and trained by the time she turned 3. My son is 3 and a half and I haven't been as proactive as I was with my daugher in getting him ready but he refuses to even try. I've started telling him that he needs to start using the potty like his sister and some days he is OK, some days he'll cry and refuse to even try.
I'm concerned that he is getting older and still not potty trained. I'm hoping to enroll him in daycare and most won't accept him if he is not potty trained.
I was hoping someone would have ideas on how to start and encourage him to use the potty. Any advice is welcome.
Thanks!

Rakhii · Jun 7, 2018

Neerja, mine is 3 months short of 3 years and the fear is so legitimate! I hear ya girlfriend! With my DD, i took a week off from work, let her run around diaper-free. When she felt the wetness the first day, she recognised that she peed and she showed me where she peed. Slowly I brought in that portable potty to the living room (i know, gross but hey, a mom's got to do what she's got to do). slowly she went and sat there. She got to blow a candle everytime she peed in the potty from then on. She got a small treat everytime she went poo in a potty.

I intend to do the same with my son when he turns 3.

blooms4me · Jun 7, 2018

My daughter was potty trained little short of turning 3. Potty training is always a struggle. The ideas @Rakhii mentioned are great. All kids are different. The same technique that you tried for one kid may not work for the other. I suggest you buy a potty seat that goes in the toilet along with a stool. I feel if the kid gets used to using the portable potty its again another challenge to get them used to using the toilet. Some daycares help with potty training too. Sometimes when the kid sees other kids using the toilet it gives them the boost they need to do the same. Don't loose hope. Keep trying everyday.

NeerjaC · Jun 7, 2018

Thanks for the great advice @blooms4me and @Rakhii

I swear I never had such trouble with my daughter, she was potty trained pretty much straight away. This guy doesn't even seem to want to try. I do have my daughter's old potty stored away somewhere so I'll try to dig that out and hope it works!!