Daughter still refusing potty

Question

My daughter is 3 and half and not potty trained. I have been trying for a long time and two weeks ago finally stopped using diapers and only put her in underwear. At first she would go in the morning and after nap but now all of a sudden if feels like she is on strike. She refuses to sit on her potty. She doesn't even seem bothered by using her underwear. I have tried everything from potty charts with stickers to a small prize if she goes. We have also tried the big potty with a smaller seat on it. Pull ups don't work because she thinks they are diapers. Any ideas?

Answer 1

You should try being more strict. Sit her on the potty. Tell her she isnt leaving until she goes.

Or you can try going on strike. Diapers are now something she has to wear unless she potties. Toys are now something she can only play with if she potties.

You can say she will get a surprise if she does.  

Answer 2

It is a control thing. She is in control. She will go when she gets ready.

Answer 3

if she goes in her pants, make her sit in it, don't clean her.  after an hour or two, she'll decide not to do that again...

sounds cruel, but it works.

Answer 4

With my niece, we had to fully get rid of the diapers and put her in panties or let her go naked.  She saw pullups as diapers.  Even pants were fair game because "it doesn't get on the floor when I wear pants."  She wore dresses if she had clothes on at all.  Don't get mad if she pees herself, but have her help you clean it up.  Try sitting her on the big potty without a small seat.  Some kids dislike them and want to feel just like a big person when they use the toilet.  You may have to hold her on, but if it will get her to go.....

Answer 5

With my daughter I wanted her to be completely comfortable and able to do things on her own---little girls like privacy too!  I found a very safe and very sturdy stool with sides for the toilet so she could hold on the whole time.  http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Child-Corpor...

My daughter immediately responded to being able to use a REAL toilet on her own.  This stool is totally worth it and you will wish you bought it a year ago.  Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Patience is my advice. My daughter was the same, was a little younger then 3 and a half, and one day she just began going...... Keep up with the reward chart. Even buy something for her, show her and tell her once she uses the toilet 10 times, she can have it. We did this with my daughter

Answer 7

have her naked, when she poops and the f***s comes out and lands on the floor make her clean  it up, she will probably hate clean it herself and want to the potty so she doesn't have to clean anything up after she goes...leave her wet underwear... and poopy diapers if the above does not work... she can't love the feeling of wet underwear and poopy underwear... can she???

Answer 8

I know what your going thru I was there once too...it might be one of two things or both...its a battle of wills and or shes not ready....I would approach it as if it were both...first off tell her she doesnt get a choice of sitting on the potty or not...its going to happen...you cant make her go but the IDEA that shes not getting her way on that make get thru to her...secondly  PATIENCE....all kids are different and its possible shes really not ready or is unwilling to do it just yet....you are there every day and can better judge her moods, intentions, etc. than any of us here...hang in there you system of rewards plus patience will pay off...if you reach a point where you ABSOLUTELY feel shes not ready? ok pull back...I had to do that twice with my daughter too...go three weeks or a month and let her wear diapers then start again...but only do that as a last resort it sends mixed signals...good luck...

Answer 9

The answer is pretty easy... Put her back in diapers, she isn't ready yet. Wait a ten to fourteen days and start again. In the mean time, have some of her potty trained friends over and praise them for using the potty with ice cream, toys, etc; but don't give any to her. Just say, "these are for big kids who use the potty, not for kids in a diaper".

It is kind of tough love, but she actually sounds ready except for her trying to keep control over her own life. Doing the above gives the her the motivation to give up the diapers on her own terms.

Answer 10

god you've got ur work cut out.  ok. What if you got one of her friends who is potty trained and took them both to the shop and they could buy some pretty little knickers together..... Explain that only big girls who go on the potty get to wear the special knickers. When you get home and her friend uses the toilet, make a big fuss of how good she is using the potty all by herself, then give her her lovely new special knickers.  With any luck (!) your daughter will see all the praise her friend is getting and will want her knickers on too!

good luck!!

Answer 11

dont make to bigger deal if she goes in her underwear, but when she does use the potty praise her! she will do it when she is ready!

Answer 12

Wow I feel your pain. My daughter is 23 months old and I have been trying to potty train her for the last 4-5 months off and on. She has not interest in it. From what I've read it isn't a good thing to go backwards. whatever you are using stick with it. If the pull ups don't work because she thinks they are diapers take them away. Let her use it in her panties and keep explaining to her it's a bad thing. I feel so bad for you mom. I hope and pray my daughter gets it by 3 1/2.