Potty Training a 3 year old boy.?

Question

My son was 3 in April and still isnt potty/toilet trained.

He can hold his wee in for up to 7 (Yes 7) hours which cannot be healthy. During that time i can tell he needs to go and i ask him does he want to/will he sit on the potty or toilet and he always says no. Bribing him doesnt work and i dont want to force him to sit on the potty or loo either. He just so head strong and stubbon, its hard to get him to do the simplest things and ive been dreading this potty training stuff for a while but it has to be done as he's starting playschool in September and has to be dry. Another thing is he doesnt seem to be able to hold it in when he's wearing pants so i tried changing him into a clean pair and he screamed for an hour solid (No joke) that he wanted his nappy on. Please dont get me wrong im not one of these mothers who lets their children rule the roost but when hes going mad for over an hour i do tend to give in.

Please help!!!!!!

Answer 1

Jessie I work in a nursery and I can tell you that a 3 year old boy who can hold his wee for 7 hours is playing you up.  I know  2 year olds who go to the toilet on their own.  He knows that if he is wearing nappies/huggies that he can do what he wants.  Forget the potty - throw it out!  Put him in pants in the morning and tell him that he has to tell you when he needs the toilet.  If he wets himself you will have to be strong and tell him he is a 'big boy' now and shouldn't do that now.  Keep changing into pants - never give in to the 'nappie' scenario.  Even when he goes to bed - cover your mattress with a protective cover to show that wee is not a problem.  Never give in - I know it is hard, but he has the upperhand at the moment and you have to take control.  Playschool will be much harder. My daughter went from nappies/huggies to pants in 1 week when she was 18 months old - and I never had a wet bed.  Post again if you require more info.

Answer 2

Have u tried asking him to use the toilet standing up? Thats how i trained my son. he never sat down on the potty, but i asked him to stand up like a big boy and do his business; i dropped a froot loop in the toilet and asked him if he could pee on it for me... and he did. Try to get him to do it standing, that might be easier for him. I didnt potty train him until he was 3yrs old also, and he caught on pretty quick. But let him wear diapers when he sleeps for a bit, because he wont wake up when he has to go, like adults or older children do. I think everything will be ok.  He'll eventually stop having to wear them but it may take awhile.

Answer 3

I am in the same situation with my 3yr old i need him dry by september as he starts nursery this week i am goin to put him normal pants all day as this is no joke i wish you luck

Answer 4

boys can be difficult ..more so than girls and potty training..

try getting some poty books at the library and try something that i did with my son..

he had a "nudie summer".. i let him run around the house and backyard(it's got a very high privac fence)...he liked to pee against it ..heehee but he got the idea.

we would read potty books and talk about what the book means,.. if dad or grandpa is around have him follow them in and observe..

it will take some time and A LOT of patience... just keep trying..

good luck!!

Answer 5

First off don't ever let anyone make you feel bad about your son being three and not being potty trained.  Every child is different.  Just put him in regular underwear during the day, all day and pull ups at night.  When he makes the connection that it feels better to stay dry and use the potty he will.  Just keep telling him that if he has to go to use the potty.  I had the same problems with my son, that was the only thing that worked.

Answer 6

Its a good idea to get him to pee standing up - like a big boy - even if that means you have to aim it for him to start with. My cousins could do it standing up at 3 and it was a fun game for them rather than sitting on a potty for ages.

Answer 7

WOW 3 year oldy didnt u star him at 1 boys are so easy to potty train my boys were potty trained by a year n a half

Answer 8

I always tell mothers to be patient, and don't force the issue. They all get there in the end. after all, it's not often you meet a 16 year old still in nappies, is it? Boys tend to be slower, and lazier than us girls, and your little chap is no exception, by the sound of things.

I always started training around about 15 months, and my 2 girls were dry before they were 2, but my son was like your chap, and wouldn't entertain the issue until he was turned 3. I eventually stopped putting a nappy on him, and put him to bed without one too. and I certainly didn't bribe, or bully him, He wet the bed for a couple of weeks, and screamed for me to put a nappy on him too. I didn't lose my temper, or scold him for wetting himself , or his bed, and he soon got the message. He is  33 now, and having the same problem with his 3 year old twin son's. Good luck, it will happen at some point soon!

Answer 9

Ive been a nanny for many years now and this is the knowledge that I can pass on to you. The first mistake you made was waiting for him to turn 3 before you started potty training. The longer you wait the more comfortable the child becomes in his diapers and the more traumatic it can be for him to transition into the potty. The longer you give in to his screaming and whining the worse you make it for him, because he gets the mind set that he can avoid the potty.

My advice is, first off stop buying the diapers. When you run out it will force both you and your son to use the potty, because there will be no other option. There will be accidents and bed wetting, but that's all part of the process. The wetting is often traumatic for kids at first, but eventually they will learn that if they use the potty they wont wet themselves. If he screams for a diaper tell him there arent any. You have to remind your son to use the potty every few hours, and go in with him. Sit him down and be patient!  Kids need to feel comfortable on the toilet so if you push them and nag at them to hurry up it wont help. Boys might have trouble learning to pee standing up, so teach them sitting down first. It might take a few weeks but be persistent! Its never easy but it will get better if you are persistent with him, it takes a little push but at 3 years old he is definitely able to grasp the concept of potty training, you just need to show him how.