potty training

[hyattchan]

my daugher is going to is going to be three next week, and im at my whits end with this potty training thing. i almost had her potty trained right before she turned two but had trouble going to the potty chair at her dads house (dads been in and out of her life so i think it was more of a comfort thing) she had maybe one or two accedents at my house a week then suddenly stoped going at my house to. i asked her dad if there had been any major changes at his house trying to find a reason for her resession. and didnt find out till months later that his form of potty training was making her drink 2 bottles of gatoraid and sticking her on the potty chair for over an hour till she went, and putting her in time out for having accedents! she was tramatized by the time i found this out and would throw a fit anytime i even got tried to get her near the toilet. well she no longer goes to her fathers and we finally have her to the point were she isnt scared anymore. but me and my husband have tried everything... sceduled potty breaks, rewards, having her her go naked around the house, positive reenforcement, and i dont know what else to do. im pregnate again and only 2wks away from my due date and desparate to come to a solution and tackiling the potty training thing. she know how to go, she has proved that she knows when she has to go. but i cant understand why she still isnt going (all day. she has about 3 "accedents" every day) does anyone have any ideas to what i should do? or am i doomed to pullups and cleaning pee off the couches forever?

[snagglepuss1]

Maybe I'm extremely lucky but I started potty training all 3 of my children at 2 1/2 (my dd had shown interest at 18 months but never really got too far with the potty then) I waited til the weather was fairly good (nothing worse than a little one wet in the freezing cold) and then set about potty training. It took 1 week and lots of accidents on floors for each of my children to be dry in the day. The odd accident occured afterwards now and again but the hardest part was over. Frustrating as it was at times, they always seemed to time weeing on the floor as dinner was cooking lol, I tried my best to keep cool and praised them like mad when they went wee or poo on the potty, also did star sticker chart for each time they did a wee/poo and a few chocolate buttons too each time as an incentive to go on it.
Again I was super lucky with my boys of a night, as soon as they were dry of a day they were at night too, which I never expected, who says boys are slower hey! My daughter took a little longer, she was 4 1/2 before dry at night. But she was my first and my knowledge was not as good then with when to stop drinks before bed etc...
Hope some of this helps?

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I think what Joy said is spot on.  After all this little girl has been through she needs time.  I love the idea of the "little party"  I'm currently potty training my 2 1/2 yo boy.  The other day he peed in the potty, I made such a big-to-do about it that I couldn't get him to STOP sitting on the potty every 2 minutes LOL.  He doesn't like stickers but he LOVES the praise...the clapping, hugging, high-fiving, etc.  Just keep working with her, be consistent and most of all be understanding and give her time.  Twice I have had two kids in diapers and it's not that bad!

[superchoc]

im porry training my daughter at the minute. if you try your little girl with potty every 30mins or so and keep asking if she has to go. would she understand that santa could be watching and will get her something very special for christmas this year if shes good with the potty? i find it more difficult with my girl being closer to 3, than she was at 18months. i would even take her to the bathroom when you are going so she can do 'pee pee's like mummy' maybe? i find if i leave cleo in her pants she almost forgets, probably the habit of going in nappies/dipers shes forgot herself. a lot of people do the potty training at 2/3 years so try not put too much pressure on yourself, it is difficult. maybe take her out so she can pick 'special underwear' with her favourite character on them, making her feel grown up and help her understand what is happening? she will get there. its understandable how shes gotten scared but soon she will forget about it and be back on  track

[JoyRenee]

I also want to add that consistency is key. Start off by offering her a choice of diaper or panties. Once she starts choosing panties stop giving her a choice; it will automatically be panties. The potty chair should always be available and welcoming and in a place where she can easily get to it (if it is upstairs and she is downstairs she'll have more accidents, for instance; so keep one on each floor or keep it on the floor she is at).

When she does go on the potty have a little party! Since, dance, praise her! I gave my oldest daughter stickers when she went like a big girl. If she has an accident refer to what I wrote above in my other comment - act like it's no big deal, clean it up and move on so she's not embarrassed which can further hinder her desire to use the potty. She's learning how to control muscles she's never or very rarely used before.

Good luck! She'll get it. Just give her time and be consistent.

[JoyRenee]

Unfortunately you just have to give her time. I had to tell myself, "They won't be in diapers when they're 10!" Don't push it; just keep her potty chair available. Let her choose a diaper or panties in the morning. One day she'll choose panties over the diaper, I promise!

My second daughter didn't potty train until a few months after her third birthday. She was terrified to go.

Also having accidents is NORMAL and should be dealt with delicately. Don't make a big fuss about it, don't embarrass her or make her feel stupid or like she's annoying. Just clean it up and sing out, "It's OKAY! We ALL make mistakes, sweetie!" Then move on to a fun activity. You won't be cleaning up pee off the floors and couch forever. ;-)