POTTY TRAINING

[ANSHUL]

I AM A MOTHER OF 20 MONTH OLD TWINS (BOY AND A GIRL)
I HAVE STARTED THEIR POTTY TRAINING BUT THEY R NOT READY TO PASS URINE OR STOOL IN THE POTTY. THEY ONLY DO IT IN THEIR DIAPERS.
I EVEN TAKE THEM TO THE TOILET EVERY HALF AN HOUR BUT STILL IT DOESNT WORK
PLZ ADVISE WHAT SHOULD I DO?

[Tammy]

What psychological factors may contribute to an eight year-old not being completely potty trained? I have to make up a developmental hx of a child in this situation, and I have no idea besides that it either has to do with an autisic child or maybe one that has been neglected, please give guidance.:}

[dougie]

i have twin boys of two and a half who are in the process of being trained,i would suggest sitting them on the potty at regular intervals and encouraging them to urinate even with clothes on as this would get them into the habit of realising the connection with the potty and urinating,eventually you could remove the nappy after a time and they probably wouldn't even notice!

[trasi]

My daughter just turned four.  We've been potty training for 2 and a 1/2 years, mostly at her initiative.  She is generally very independant and determined, but we just can't seem to get this potty training down.  
She does very well for a while (several weeks without accidents), then seems to change her mind and get lazy.  In her 'accidents weeks' she wets 1-5 times a day.  (She rarely has BM accidents - yes I count my blessings!)  It most often happens at home, when she's playing, coloring, eating, watching TV etc, when she doesn't want to stop what she's doing.  She'll stay wet without even telling me, until she gets too uncomfortable or finishes what she's doing.
We're overall extremely positive and encouraging about it, but over the last few months I'm getting too frustrated, to the point where I want to discipline her for wetting (against my doctor's advice).
We are continually trying to figure out incentives and motivators, but she just as quickly changes her mind what is important to her.  How long (it's been almost a year with no diapers) must she need additional incentives to keep dry?  Shouldn't just being dry be reason enough by now?  I know one day she'll be successful and I'll forget most of this, but right now it seems ridiculous!
In the meantime, my son is approaching his third birthday, and I'm hesitant to start the mess with him while still enduring it with her!!
HELP!  Any thoughts, hints or advice out there?
~trasi~

[anit]

I have a 2 year old that complains of leg pain? during play and at night time

[Julie M.]

I have 2 1/2 year old boy twins who are not yet trained.  I have learned that boys typically train around 3 and girls around 2 1/2.  Don't push them - wait until they can TALK.  They will eventually start to tell you they went, then eventually that they are going, then eventually that they need to go.  That is a good time to start training.  

Don't feel pressured to have your kids trained.  With twins, it is easier to have them in diapers - I KNOW!

Julie

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Anshul,

It's too early - give them time.

[Melanie Cartwright]

Not to worry! I am the mother of a four year old year old son and I thought he would never potty train. He finally decided to only after discovering Tarzan underwear in a Disney catalog at the age of three and a half.

The key (I think) is that they have to want to potty train. An excellent book is "Once Upon a Potty". It is in print for boys and one for girls. I read it to my son every night before bed and got him used to the idea that "pee pee and poo poo" go in the toilet. Another suggestion made to me by my pediatrician was to buy a childs potty chair and place it near their toys or in the place that they play most often. They will get used to seeing it every day then you can encourage them to sit on it and get comfortable with it.

I also used many of the ideas in the book "Potty training in a day". I had no delusions that potty training could take place in a day but some of the methods they suggest do help to get a child to understand what it is they should do when its time to go potty.

Lastly, don't lose hope. Some children potty train later than others. I was so worried when he continued to soil his pants and really worried he would be in diapers the day he started kindergarden. Now that he's potty trained( he still wears a pull up at bed time but goes to the bathroom by himself through out the day...sometimes even annnounces "I will go potty in the toilet") I think back and wonder why I was so worried about it.
If someone is telling you they have to be trained before a certain age.. ignore them. Kids are not time lines, they do things at their own pace!!!!!

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!