My intention was to have my son potty trained by the time he was 3 years old. Luckily he started showing interest in the potty around 2 yo, so we bought him the musical training potty and started having him use it at regular times during the day. To start not much happened, but when a sprinkle did come out, he got high-fives, hugs, and a lot of praise - all of which made him feel fantastic about himself. Then at daycare, to help the process along, I had him wear underpants rather than pull-ups, packed a few extra changes of clothes, and wha-la... he didn't like being damp so he started using the potty full-time. And yes, from what I've heard, boys do take longer to train than girls.... You'll do fine!

By Alexis on 11/7/2009

My oldest son was a pain to potty train. At 18 months, he would tell me he had to go but as he was going. I thought he was becoming aware. Fool me! It stopped. After I had my 2nd son, he regressed. When he turned 3, I tried everything, success charts, pants with cool liners, wetness liners, and old-fashioned plastic pants that go over underwear, but no luck. I was so frustrated. He would honestly say he wasn't wet when you could see the pee dripping down his legs. I finally told him he had until after his Aunt's wedding to wear diapers. I wouldn't bother him about it until then. A week after the wedding he was trained.  My second son was much easier. I told him mommy is tired of changing diapers and he was just going to have to go potty like everyone else. He bought it. 

By Beth on Tuesday

• Virgene said:

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  HELP!we have tried EVERYTHING : prizes   toys   treats   taking things away   candy -(my husband and i were at odds about this)-  spanking   talking about big things he can do afterwards -(start pre K)-     stickers   charts    training  targets   we have put him back in diapers (on the advice of a social worker working with our DRs office whom we have had to see twice)      but our 4 1\2 yr old absoulutly will refuse to go potty     i would consider him about half trained - he will sometimes go days without an accident or will have three in one day      we think that he is holding it in at school (about 4 hrs)    we know that he can do this cause for a month or two it looked like he was going to be all set but then he backslid and we do not know why  there was no big changes or even small changes of any kind     my son will get VERY....

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Virgene, I have faced a similar situation before. A preschool accepted my son but it required him to be fully potty-trained and he was not even half way there yet. He peed and pood even though we took him to the restroom every 20-30 minutes. He would tell us he peed and pood right after he did. I praised, bribed with food (his favorite), gave kisses, stickers, toys, read books when he's sitting, spanked, screamed... Then, I understood that he's not ready and it definitely scared him when I spanked or screamed out of frustration. I just kept trying and I learnt that he likes being clean. He wanted to be changed if he peed or pood on his pants. The first time that he pood in the toilet, I gave him a big hug, kisses and many many praises. He was so happy and he wanted more, then he started telling us when he needed to go. Of course, there were still accidents but he was then out of diaper at daytime in 3 weeks, not even for daytime nap. He's 3 going to be 4 and we are on the process of potty-training for night-time. 5 days out of 7, he wakes up with a dry diaper.For your son, maybe he just wants your attention and be your baby forever. Since a wet pant or a soiled pant would make you come to him immediately and definitely you can have 1-on-1 time for him, he may want to just keep his diaper on. Have you asked the teachers about any change in the school? Or, have you talked to your son to understand? It happened to my friend's son when the parents divorced (I don't think that it's your case). For kids, they are so sensitive to just a tiny change. Have you tried to give him underwears with his favorite characters on? I bought my son some Thomas the Train underpants and told him that Thomas did not want to get wet. Once he wet his underpant, I told him that Thomas has to leave because he needed a bath and my son could not see him for a while. It upset my son and he really wanted his Thomas. Also, I or my husband will take him to the toilet and stay with him for the whole process talking to him, letting him know that we would be there when he needs us. Now, he sometimes asks us to leave him alone as he's a big boy and he does not need us to be there to see him poo.Don't be upset and discouraged. Your son can be fully potty-trained one day and he will definitely doing better and better. He just needs some more time. Try to find out the reason and solve the problem together with him. You and your son are companion for that challenge. Good Luck!

By Maggie on Tuesday