Question
My son is 18 months and 3 weeks old. I have read Johns book Toilet training without tantrums. Started toilet training yesterday. I have made sure to use the 5 "C" in Johns book. My son ignores my commands to sit on the potty and acts like he doesn't understand. I also tried a potty bell in place of me having to tell him. Potty bell gets his attention, but he continues on doing what he was doing. So I then started picking him up and setting him on the potty, telling him to go pee and poop and I then walk away. Sometimes he jumps right up and sometimes he will sit and pee. I had been having him pee in his potty before bath time two weeks prior to starting toilet training so he would get the accosiation that pee goes into the potty. I know he understands what I'm commanding him to do and understands the potty bell. I had a bad feeling he was going to react this way before I started. He is a very strong willed toddler that doesn't like to do things that's not his own idea. Again, I'm commanding him and not asking him, but I still think he knows it's not his idea so he doesn't listen. Is it ok to physically pick him up and place him on the potty if he doesn't listen. The only place that I could potentially gate him in is our bathroom. I know he won't like that and will become upset. All the rooms in my house are completely open, so I can't gate him anywhere where he would still have sight of me. I don't know if picking him up myself and sitting him on the potty will make things worse or not? Should I just let him ignore me and or the potty bell and not pick him up? Then when he has an accident just remind him that pee and poop goes into the potty and he needs to do that next time hoping eventually he will just start doing it on his own? Also, if you think I need to gate him into the bathroom how long should I wait to do that? If he cries when gated what should I do? I don't want to cause a power struggle between us.
