How to potty train 3 yrs old

Hi everyone,

my daughter has turned 3 but afraid of going to potty on wc. Any suggestions on how to train her?

Thanks.

Some advice here

Potty Training tips?

LOL-I have no idea how to help- but strangely enough, when I was writing the post about learning a new language and how much 'easier' it was in Ye Olde Days of the 50s to 70s- I thought to myself 'a bit like potty training' really. When parents had no choice but tons of square terry nappies to wash every couple of days, and soaked in a bucked in the meantime, NO dryer so nappies drying on every radiator lifting the wall paper, and kids screaming in pain due to very sore nappy rash- everything happened very quickly for most kids as it became a real priority- and even more so when I was a child, and with each generation before.

Is she constipated perhaps and had a very painful experience? There are lots of fun potties out there nowadays.

We did it last spring.. Ours was just 3 then.

Basically just stopped the diapers and took plenty of change of clothes everywhere. It was really quick, prob less than five accidents. Kids don't like to pee themselves, after a couple of times they really want to go to the toilet.

It's harder for us parents i think, all that preparation, worry, carrying spare stuff around.. Actually the kids just get it.

We put my son on a pot as soon as he was able to sit up stably. Just made sure there were plenty of toys in reach. As he got bigger we bought one of those seats you put on the regular toilet and made sure there were books etc around. Going on the pot was made part of a morning and bedtime routine.

He was out of nappies completely by about two and a half - as he preferred the idea of wearing underpants. Of course you have the occasional accidents but you just make sure you take clean stuff with you if out and about.

Cheers,

Nick

The problem with nappies is they kept getting caught as the child crawled up the chimney.

It is really important that you stay matter-of-fact and patient, with no dramas.

Tchibo have a toilet seat which has a child insert for sale at the moment.

http://www.tchibo.ch/easy-close-wc-s...400054804.html

Essentially, you have decided that you child is old enough to use the toilet. So now you have a conversation explaining that the child will have underpants and there will not be any more nappies.

One of the risks of leaving it too late (3+) is they are much more embarrassed and self-aware.

Pull-up pants do not help. They give no incentive to use the toilet. To begin you need around 12 pairs of underpants (some parents buy extra thick 'training' underpants), and to set up the toilet are so the child can manage by themselves. At 3 they should be able to handle their own clothes etc. A bucket or plastic basket for wet//soiled clothing and a supply of clean clothes.

For going out, a plastic bag and cotton towel for the car seat, and a small backpack for the child with a spare change of clothes and undies, a plastic bag for soiled clothes and a cloth to wipe up mess.

Www.aidtolife.org has some good photos of toileting set ups at home. I think in the section under 'independence'.

The smell of Napisan mixed with wee and poo was enough of an incentive in itself

Greatlakes- do you know why your child is scared- constipation, a fissure perhaps, too much pressure, afraid to fall in... if you can work out where the fear comes from, you are half way there perhaps. My young neighbour is having a nightmare trying to train her 3 1/2 year old- it has become a battle of wits and she finds it really difficult to be consistent and stick to it- so back to square one every few days.

Swisspea; thank you for the Aid to Life link. Brilliant site

You have to make the decision to focus on only that until it's done. Book 5 days to not go out anywhere, keep her naked from waist-down if it's not too cold (I find kids wet themselves if they are dressed but they seem to hate it going straight down their legs so will have incentive to deposit it in whatever receptacle!)

If she is scared lots of encouragement, reassurance, praise for potty/toilet fillings and comfort her when she has accidents.

I think you can get fun-potties with designs on them and also ones which are like little chairs. Sit her on one of those while she watches her favourite film or back-to-back tv shows so that she is relaxed and distracted (or by a table to do colouring or something if you're not keen on tv)

I remember potty-training seeming like a dreaded uphill climb but once it's done you look back and think it was actually quite easy and also quick. At 3 years she should get it quickly and once done she will be more likely to have fewer accidents than a younger child.

My children were only day-trained at first, but night-training followed shortly after. If you delay the night-training make sure the diaper is only put on last thing at night (after a potty/toilet wee) and taken off very first thing. Praise if it is dry, but say nothing if it's wet.

Good luck!

We used incentives for our kids, just to get them started. I think it was a smartie a wee for my daughter and two for a poo. We also read books about poos and wees and where they belong.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Once-Upon-Po...P55FTXHPFSHDDF

this was a fav in our house and we bought the boy version too when our son got that stage.

Preparation is key. A weekend when you have no distractions, no long car trips and no visitors to cause stress or embarrassment.

Lots of spare pants and old clothes will stop you getting annoyed. A good stock of disinfectant and washing buckets for soaking will also help.

Also remember the saying "this phase will pass", some children take longer to encourage to use the toilet than others and some are ready earlier than others. If your daughter isn't ready then forcing it will not make her ready and will only cause heartache for all. If she is ready and a little incentive either sticker or sweet helps then it may all be done and dusted in a weekend.

We started by asking my daughter to use the potty when ever we changed activity. This helped as she wasn't panicking about being late to the toilet and could have some control over her body.

good luck and it will happen

caz clarke

So you potty trained for two years? Wow, that is patience. We started when our kids showed interest (at two and nearly three, respectively) and the daytime training took about two weeks. About six months after the daytime training, both kids were dry overnight.

We went with pure positive reinforcement. Works for dogs and toddlers!

I think you are adding two and two and making five. I give my sincerest apologies if I did not give a detailed week by week account of my son's infant bowel and bladder movements for the trollification of the English Forum!

Potty training we started once he was sitting up stably - I think would have been from about 9 months or so. After he was 1 we were using the toilet seat thingy. He more or less made his own decision as to when he was ready for underpants -and as it was more than 6 years ago, I actually don't have a canonical list of times and dates!

I'll turn myself in at the nearest cop shop now for my inferior parenting skills.

FPS.

Nick

I also waited for each of my (3) kids until they were 3 years old as (1) I was too lazy to keep trying earlier and (2) that was a magic date as to when they "needed" to be dry to start pre-school, kindergarten, etc

With my second one she showed some interest at 2 years old and I thought it would be a breeze. Ended up being a phase and she also wasn't trained until 3. I think it is ok to wait until the kid is ready, and if she is afraid, maybe she isn't ready.

Otherwise, what others have said. Go cold turkey, no diapers (well we did use them at night, see my comment about me being lazy...) and within a week all should be well. If not, then I would think she is perhaps not ready.

Good luck, it is quite a milestone in the little one's life.

ps - are we talking about wee and poo? Poo can be a little more difficult and this took a little longer with ours with a few accidents for each kids that resulted in chucking underwear in the garbage and moving on

Oh don't be like that...

Some parents really are persistent and some, like me, quite...er...lazy. Mine are 5, 4 and 4 months, so were are still in the diapers and occasional bed wetting phase. I am honestly impressed that you had more of a schedule than I did. Mine being whenever the barrier seemed lowest.

For us lazy parents (or my excuse of closely spaced kids) I still advocate waiting until serious interest has been shown by all.parties involved. We used stickers, but the bribe of smarties also seems pretty potent. Our biggest bribe was fancy underpants-worked well for both kids. Once the pants were wet they were gone until laundry day (once per week).

Thanks everyone for their tips ....will try what works out..

My youngest turned 3 in July we started potty training around April-May (ish). It was a bit of a chew on getting him on the potty at first because he kept saying it hurt. So we were on and off through days but always a nappy on a night. Then one day I just decided I had enough of changing pooey nappies. I think he had done a particularly bad nappy and I decided I couldn't bear it any more. So I told his nursery we started potty training and after the May half term they helped with it. I just made sure I had plenty of changes of pants and trousers.

Then on his 3rd birthday I decided I wasn't buying any more nappies at all so he was without one on a night.

When he saw that he was a 'big boy' like the other kids in his nursery he was really into going to the toilet then washing his hands after he was chuffed and we made a big fuss of him telling him how big he is/not a baby anymore and gave him treats (not just sweets, colouring books, stickers etc).

So my advice is persevere, lots of praise, treats.

Also my son loves TMNT. So we bought some turtles pants and he won't wee on Donatello!

We used the summer months to let ours run around naked at home and in the garden. Also, we had two potties - one outside, the other in the living room (!). I just figured it would make it easier for the kids if their potty was easily accessible. Grand-parents thought it was strange but well, it worked for us. We gave lots of praise of course but didn't really need much other incentives. Basically, they took to their potty straight away. They were all trained by/before the ageof three.

OP. I have a couple of potty training for girls books, of I can dig them out. PMif interested. Oh and a potty, but I'msure you have one. I also have one of those toilet seats with a smaller insert in the lid, which my daughter liked because it wasn't a baby insert.

We started potty training before three, but moved to switzerland the fay after her birthday. I continued, but it took ages for her to be always dry. Praise praise praise.