Question
We have started back with the potty bell/timer since I got the response below (a little over 2 weeks) and have made no progress. He hates the timer and every time it goes off he says "no potty!!" and tries to run away. I usually say I can carry him or he can walk to the potty like a big boy and he eventually will go. I have taught him to pull his pants on and off and to wash his hands but when I leave him in the bathroom (as recommended below - so he can go mostly on his own) he gets very upset and I think it seems irresponsible to leave an upset toddler in a bathroom alone. If he goes #2 it is also unreasonable to think that a toddler can wipe himself and wash his hands well enough on his own. He has had very few accidents which I guess is good, but he is still not telling me when he needs to go or just going on his own, which was the point of all this.
So I am exhausted from negotiating with him every time the timer goes off. And frustrated that he still will not tell me when he needs to go. This is supposed to be potty training without tantrums but we have dealt with tons of them - please give me more advice than just wait and it will get better!
Previous question and answer below:
We started potty training my son at 23 months. He is now 26 and has been "mostly" trained for at least a couple of months. We still have a couple of issues.
He sometimes has accidents at preschool (he only goes 2 half-days a week). I send him in underwear and have given them the okay to change him to pullups if he has 2 accidents. Usually he will have 0-1, and he tells them when he needs to go potty. Most accidents happen when they don't get him to the potty quickly enough.
More frustrating is that he has a few accidents a week at home. He will NOT tell me when he needs to go. I take him to the potty at logical times (after breakfast, before leaving home, etc.) and if I manage it all day, he usually will have no accidents. But if I leave him to his own devices, he will never say anything until he's had a small accident already. Then he will tell me he has already peed. I'll take him to the potty, he will pee more so I can tell he stopped himself.
It seems like the response to every question is just wait, be consistent and he'll get it. Same answer here?
Answer
Hello! Thanks for your question. Glad to hear he is doing so well.
I think the 'just wait, be consistent' advice you have received is on target! He probably just gets too busy and forgets to go. And the fact that he is able to hold it when he realizes that he went a little is great! I say that you reintroduce the potty bell and then leave him to his own devices. Allow him to go alone at the sound of the bell with minimal help from you. After a couple of weeks of this, I suspect he will get it on his own.
Good luck and let me know if you need any help!
Traci Turner
Certified Parenting Coach
www.bringthemupblog.com
traciturner77@gmail.com
