Advice for Almost Toilet-Trained DD3

[nova mama]

I would really appreciate your advice on toilet training my three-year-old dd. She doesn't have much of a problem holding it. We might be out of the house for hours and she won't have an accident. But as soon as I remind her to use the bathroom, she starts panicking and she can't get her pants off fast enough. Or onto to the seat fast enough. She'll cry, jump around (for long enough to have gotten onto the toilet), and eventually just pee where she's standing. I probably clean the bathroom floor once a day. It happens even if she remembers on her own to pee. Then once she realizes it, she can't hold it anymore. If she's wearing a pull-up, she'll panic as if she's forgotten she can pee into it. Or she'll hold her pee just long enough to get the pull-up off partially, but not long enough to get all the way onto the toilet. (BTW, I try to use pull-ups only for nights and long trips.) I guess taking her pants off for her would help. But she even has accidents when I help her. Any suggestions on helping my dd hold it from the bathroom door to the toilet? Thanks!!!

[stripe]

Have her wear easy-to-get-on-and-off things. Don't wear underwear if possible. Leave the toilet lid open. Get rid of bathroom rugs (easier clean up). She'll get the hang of it eventually. Maybe play practice runs.

 

And most importantly -- issue your "reminders" to use the bathroom right outside the bathroom, not, say, at the other end of the house.

[*********]

I had this same exact problem with my ds who just turned 3. We are toilet training, too, and doing well. However, if it had been a while since he went, and I said 'do you have to go potty?', he'd all of a sudden realize that yes, he indeed did have to go potty. And then he'd go while he or I were taking off his pants. It seemed like once I brought it too his attention, he had to go so bad he couldn't hold it. Even if he didn't really have to go that bad (based on the amount of output, if ykwim).

 

So what I've started doing is, when I know it's time for him to try, I'll say 'come here!', not saying why, or else I would just go to where he is. Then I make sure we're very close to the bathroom (pretty easy, since the family room, kitchen, and his bedroom are all within a few steps of the bathroom). Then, I remove his pants and underwear as quick as I can, then say, excitedly, 'time to go potty!'. and he runs and sits on the potty. It's working quite well. I also found the trick was to wear undies and pants that are very easy to get off.

[AuntieM]

We went through this transition a few months ago. I set my mental clock and would just go to where she was and take her to the bathroom. I stayed with her, but let her handle the procedure on her own as much as she could.

 

Ditto the easy to take off clothes. I think it's tougher in the winter!

 

I also explained to her that she would get "that feeling" and should go as soon as she felt it. We called it "knocking on the door" to get out. Funny girl that she is, she even started telling me whether the knock was at the front door or the back door! Making it fun got her to pay closer attention to the urge to go, before it reached the bathroom-dash stage.

 

Take heart, this is just a stage, before you know it your dd will be doing it all on her own. Then you will wonder where your baby went :001_rolleyes:

[nova mama]

Just got back from a panic-free visit to the bathroom. I just her picked up, continuing the conversation we'd been having, and walked her to the bathroom. She starting peeing as soon as I put her on the toilet. Then I left her alone to finish. No pee on the floor. Thanks everyone!!!

Edited December 9, 2008 by nova mama
Too many "hers"

[nova mama]

 

Then you will wonder where your baby went :001_rolleyes:

Isn't that the truth?