Potty Training Techniques

United States
April 2, 2007 3:58pm CST
I just recently got my son potty trained, literally a week ago, after trying so many different techniques to even get him interested in the potty to begin with. He will be turning three at the end of the month. The technique that finally worked for him? I let him run around the house in nothing but a t-shirt. No diaper, no pants. Amazingly, he didn't pee or poop anywhere except for on the potty, and ever since that day he has worn his big boy underwear, with but a very few accidents to speak of. He's shown great bladder control and has been dry overnight every night since then. What techniques have (or have not) worked for getting your child(ren) potty trained?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@Michele21 (3093)
• United States
2 Apr 07
Mt son just turned two a month ago and has no interest in the potty!! He has his own chair in the bathroom but he doesn't ever use it, he has sat on it maybe 3 times...I ask him if he wants to go potty and he says "No"....so I am trying not to rush him...I would love to get it over with though!! And I definetily don't want to be changing his diaper for another year =( I just hope he will show some interest soon, I don't push him though, I just ask him every now and then. I have heard that letting them go naked works great I am just afraid of him peeing and pooping everywhere...that would be so gross!!! I will try it when he is more interested though...thanks for your story =)
@Myrrdin (3599)
• Canada
3 Apr 07
Well one method I have heard of for boys is the target practice, it turns the potty into a game, it is only for peeing, but it gets them started. Basically you throw a fruit loop or cherrio into the toilet and tell him to try to aim his pee to hit it. It's great fun for the boys and it gets them used to the idea of the potty.
• United States
3 Apr 07
I did try once with the target practice (with cheerios) with my son, but I don't think he was quite ready for that. He got mad at me after I flushed the cheerios down the toilet!! lol. But I may try this technique again once he's ready to begin standing up to pee, and using the regular toilet. :o)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I did try once with the target practice (with cheerios) with my son, but I don't think he was quite ready for that. He got mad at me after I flushed the cheerios down the toilet!! lol. But I may try this technique again once he's ready to begin standing up to pee, and using the regular toilet. :o)
@Myrrdin (3599)
• Canada
2 Apr 07
Honestly I got lucky, I didn't have to do anything, we put out a training potty for my daughter and told her what it was for and let her sit on it, and one day she just said she had to go potty, and from that day forward she used it. Sure there have been some accidents, and even a serious relapse for a while, but it is usually stress related or she was distracted with something else.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Apr 07
Wow, apart from the understandable accidents and relapse, that must have been great for you!
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Apr 07
Mine just turned two and is not very interested in potty training. He knows what it's for and would occasionally use it. I would love for him to be diaper-free but it doesn't look like it's happening any time soon. I think I'm going to try your method. Wait till summer and let him run around with nothing on.