| Author |
Message |
    
liz saunders (Unregistered Guest)
| | Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 09:12 am: | |
Right, I have a 33 month old little girl who still wont use the potty, and I'm starting to get really worried about her. Even if I leave her diaper off all day, she wont go, she just holds everything in until I put a diaper on her to sleep. I've been trying to get her trained for a year now and, although I've only lost me temper once, I'm beginning to feel the strain. She starts school next year and there's no way they'll take her if she can't use the bathroom. I've tried everything including peeing in the pot myself (was not easy) and nothing works. I don't pressure her, but propose it often, and although she'll sit on the potty she wont actually do anything and then she cries because she really needs to go but wont.
We have managed one huge pee and one huge pooh and she was really pleased and we praised her so highly, but since then...NOTHING....any suggestions gratefully welcomed..!!! |
Narmin Parpia
| | Posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 - 05:08 pm: | |
Hi Liz,
It's hard to say from what you've written just what the problem is, but there's a few things you can try that might help.
First, I would suggest you carefully read through the potty training readiness signals posted on our website, particularly the section on emotional and social awareness. It may be that your daughter is not quite emotionally ready to be trained. If you feel this is the case, take a break and try again in a few weeks. Otherwise, read on.
You might rethink her potty environment. If she's using a potty chair, do you think she'd get more excied about the process if you got her a potty seat to fit on the big potty instead? There are a variety of types, including some that offer a built-in ladder for independence and ease of use.
Next, get rid of the diapers. This is a hard step, but a necessary one. If you are confident your daughter passes all the readiness tests, and you believe there to be no medical issues (always check with your pediatrician) then it's time for drastic measures. Like getting rid of the pacifier or bottle, getting rid of the diapers is a huge test of strength for us parents. You have to communicate to your child you are serious about her using the potty and not a diaper. If she knows she has the diaper as a choice, she'll pick it every time. So get rid of them. Instead, switch to potty training pants. For nighttime use training pants made specifically for overnight. I also recommend using good mattress protection.
Another idea you may not have tried is to use a potty chart and stickers. Charts are great because they display your child's progress and rewards them along the way. You can easily adapt them to the type of rewards that work for you (such as a trip to the movies, a special treat, or a new toy). There are free charts available on our website, as well as more sophisticated charts that include stickers for sale.
And finally, I want to encourage you to relax and not worry about next year and the start of school. Some kids are stubborn, and some learn at a slower rate than others, but most kids just learn when they are ready. You can guide them and teach them, but you can't make it happen any faster than their little bodies and brains want to learn. It's a true test of patience and understanding.
I wish you the best of luck. Hang in there, and let me know how it goes.
Narmin |
|
