Potty training stinks, and I mean literally!
Why do I say this you ask? I just finished cleaning poop off a butt (too busy playing to take a minute to sit on the potty chair five feet from where he was playing) and changing the sheets/starting a load of laundry that includes a comforter.
Why? Because this morning he had the brilliant idea to strip down, take off his pull up and then put his pants back on. That must have made him sleepy, because he then proceeded to climb back into bed where he later peed all over the entire bed.
Okay, I hear you giggling… oh wait, maybe that was a groan of empathy that I heard?
*insert blurry traveling back through time imagery here*
4-5 months back Ethan decided he was ready to potty train. It was his idea. I was totally shocked, surprised, happy, joyous… you get the picture. I had decided long ago that I wouldn’t push the issue until he was 3… after all, he is a boy and boys tend to train later.
He wasn’t even 2 1/2 and telling me he was a big boy?! Oh happy day!
We had the expected potty accidents, but from day one he has pooped in the potty chair or toilet (with only a small handful of true accidents). Daytime potty training was going well, but I noticed that he was loosing interest and having a few more pee accidents that usual.
Nighttime hadn’t even been attempted yet… those Pull-Ups sure are absorbent!
A couple of weeks ago Ethan got very sick. He wasn’t eating, barely drinking, had terrible diarrhea and barely peeing. His first bout with diarrhea he made it to the potty. That was the only time that week he made it. I didn’t scold him… in fact I never even mentioned the fact that he was messing his pants.
It took about a week, but my Ethan was coming back around. I thought for sure he would decide that going in his pants was yucky and start heading for the potty/toilet again.
Ummm……… NOPE!
Ethan likes to please everyone he loves… so when he soiled his Pull-Ups I would tell him how sad I was. I thought he was a big boy… yadda yadda. You get the picture. This went on almost a week… no results.
One day I decided to tell him that I was done being sad, that now Mommy was mad (all of this in a stern voice). I knew he was a big boy, he had shown me, and that going in your pants is not okay and not acceptable. It made him cry… but the next morning he pooped in the potty chair!
Oh HAPPY DAY… something WORKED!
That day he pooped twice… both times in the potty chair. You should have seen the big deal I made over his accomplishment! Happy, singing, dancing… and he grinned ear to ear and said “I made you HAPPY!”.
*insert Hallelujah Chorus vocals here*
So, how did the next day go, you ask? TERRIBLE.
The next day? He went in the potty again! 
So… now here we are. Poop in his Pull-Ups, pee in his bed and I am exasperated.
I have potty trained 3 children… I don’t remember any of them acting like this. Kaytlin and Josh were closer to 3. It was a struggle (and my idea), but they caught on fairly quick. Emma was only 27 months and it was completely and totally her idea. Once she got over the fear of pooping in the potty we were done.
So here it is. Ethan is 32 months. We have been doing this for nearly 5 months now. He started when he was 28 months… again, all his idea. We have used underpants most of the time, but recently switched to Pull-Ups because, well quick bluntly… I give up. I am tired of changing wet pants 5 times a day, I’m grossed out by poop in his underpants and I’m tired of all the laundry… you get the drift.
So what would YOU do?
I am in the same boat. He is actually great at not having pee accidents anymore, but can’t seem to get him to poop in the potty. He has a few times and was so proud of himself. He tells me as soon as he goes in his underwear, but I don’t know what else to do to get him to poo in the potty. I get so grossed out by having to rinse out his underwear… And now he wants to go potty like a big boy standing up, so I have to go in after him and clean the whole potty everytime.. Ahhh!!!!!!! Mommy is tired of cleaning!!!!
April, it sounds like you are SO close! I know, though… poop is the worst! That is why I was so happy Ethan got the poop thing right off the bat. I didn’t really care if he peed in his pull-ups or not. Now I have both! He pooped in his pants AGAIN this morning *sigh*.
LOL. You are way farther ahead than I am with the potty training mess. My daughter is 28 months and practically tells me when to change her diaper but we can’t get her to sit long enough on the potty to do anything. We just got over the “I am going to take off my diaper and play with whatever is in it” stage. Not sure if that is a stage for everyone but my daughter sure thought it was fun. I am not liking this potty training thing…maybe I could just leave her in a diaper for a couple more years, haha. Sorry I have no advice for you but I wish us both luck!
Thanks April. Fortunately my kids never took their diapers off and played with the contents, although I’ve heard many a story about that. They just take them off and walk around naked… peeing wherever they are! lol
(((HUG))) Potty training can be a challenge.. BUT.. honestly until they are ready and made up their mind it won’t happen. Don’t push them, pretend for a few weeks like you don’t care about him using the potty.. i bet he will turn around; a friend of mine had the same problem and her son is almost 4… she put pull ups on 24/7 and then eventually one day on his own he decided that was it. I know it’s easier said than done… relax, you’ve been there .. you know they will get the hang of it and maybe he just likes that “baby” pampering and is worried to let go of that… You are doing everything you can.. now it’s up to him…. I always say, and i know it’s hard but “they never go to College that way”…. it will be okay…
if you need to chat, message me… 🙂
Well, as soon as you figure out what to do, let me know! We decided not to push the issue with our son either until he was ready (he is now 31 months). About a month ago, he decided he wanted to start pottying in his urinal (we have a tiny urinal so he can stand up to pee). We were so excited! He is wearing Pull-Ups, but he only pees in the urinal once or twice a day. The rest of the time, he goes in his Pull-Ups. And he won’t pee or poop on the actual potty. But, over the past couple of weeks, he has LOVED to whip off his Pull-Up when we aren’t looking and just pee wherever he is standing!! This morning he took off his diaper while I was in the kitchen and peed on the living room floor and the couch! He peed under the computer desk a couple of weeks ago. Now, he is already losing interest in peeing in the urinal, so he just stands there and pretends like he is going to pee on the floor and then he laughs and laughs when I tell him “No!” Aye yi yi.
Oh my Amo! They say not to “punish”, but when we know THEY know what they are doing… UGH! Hopefully this too shall pass.
Ugh. Potty training! My 3 1/2 yo still doesn’t want to go on the potty. He cries and screams if we try to get him to do it. He just wants a diaper. Oh, I’m so sick of changing diapers. It’s time for 3 days of naked to see if he’ll get it.
Cristi, I hear you! I’m thinking of doing the naked thing too. I tell you, though… I don’t think it’s going to phase Ethan. He knows what he’s doing… I think it’s all a matter of will and laziness right now. Check back in and let me know what happened with 3 days of naked!
I will. My friend actually did the 3-day potty training thing and it worked for her when her son was about 2 1/2! I’m so jealous, but just have to find the inspiration and time to do it! I just want him to magically decide, oh look all my friends go in the potty, i should too! erg.
I’m right with ya! I have 30 month old and he wants to go on the potty. We put his “potty books” on the back of the toilet so we could read to him and maybe he would sit there and go…nothing!
He tells me when he needs his diaper changed…but other than that…we got nothing! I too am a fan of waiting until closer to 3 especially with a boy! (My 3 year old figured it out around 33 months and I didn’t have to really do anything!)
Good luck! You’re doing everything you can!!!
I am so sorry! That sounds frustrating. We aren’t even there yet with my 19 month old but I am not looking forward to this process at all!