We’re stuck. Stuck in potty land with nothing to show for it. Austin has officially revolted against the potty at home and school. Last week, he even refused to set foot in the bathroom during school. Needless to say, we’ve taken a few steps – or, ridiculously large leaps – backward.
What we are dealing with is downright defiance, and, to be honest, I’m lost. I have no clue what to do.
We’ve tried several suggested methods. We’ve tried to force it, and we’ve tried to be relaxed about it. We made a potty chart with stickers and prizes. We still bribe with M&Ms and bite-sized candy bars. He has big boy undies and several potty options to sit on. He runs around butt naked daily. We cheer and praise and have only stopped short of throwing him a potty parade… which is not totally out of the question. Who has the number for a reputable Grand Marshall?
Our latest trial came off the recommendation of a couple friends: the Potty Watch. You set it to play a song every 30, 60 or 90 minutes. When it plays, Austin is supposed to sit on the potty. We set it for every 30 minutes to start. Even after bedtime, I could still hear the tune mocking me in my head.
He was fairly excited about his new watch, but he didn’t want to wear it. So, I did. You won’t find that trend in InStyle magazine. It didn’t take long or many public outings before he decided he no longer wanted to share. Thank goodness. He began wearing it everywhere, and, at first, wanted to sit on the potty when it played the song. Several successes later, he dumped the watch.
Suddenly, I found him trying to silence the watch every time it sounded. Or, as soon as it went off, he would quickly pee in his pants and let me know he no longer needed to sit on the potty. Fantastic. We still sat him on the potty after those stunts, but it usually resulted in flailing legs, tears and being sent to his room. And, then back to the potty and repeat.
I’m beginning to think Austin and Everett will be potty trained at the same time. Remember when I mentioned paying someone a million dollars to potty train this kid? Yeah. That’s starting to sound like a realistic plan. Donations can be accepted through PayPal to help fund Austin’s potty training 😉
Or, we’ll just plan to purchase diapers for life. I suppose there’s always Depends.
a beautiful mess 
Funny you wrote of this time in your life, I wrote a post on this a while back you may like to look at and see if any of the tips can help you : Potty training is so not easy and does take time so stick with it and best of luck 🙂 xoxo
Ugh! We are in the same spot! Since Wednesday he our almost FULLY potty trained almost three year old boy has refused to go in the potty throughout the day (only when he had just woken up and I walk him over to it but he is too groggy to refuse) and has been boycotting naps and now clothes!! The temperature dropped today so I was able to get him into a t- shirt ( I am in a sweatshirt and jeans!)
Boys are the slowest at this!!
What I have learned is just leave him alone no rewards at all. And wait till he starts it own his own. If not soon, then start back. If they can get the parents trained on yea, rewards, kids work it!! When I work at preschool we always go and sit before we eat, after we eat, when we get up from nap, when we come in from out side, after snack. (the same time, all day long, every day, many times, go to the potty and wash hands) When they are at home on the weekend we have to start all over again on Mondays. Parents get busy doing and not going at the same times of the day, every day. We have also made them sit on the pot till they go. Which means at preschool they do not get to go outside until they do it in the potty. I had one boy that stayed there crying for 15 minutes or more. But he could not get off till he did #2 after lunch. Once he learned we meant what we said he got it done and stopped that. But it did take awhile. Leave him in his underwear and let him feel it on his body and take changes of cloths all the time with you and send with him.
The more you want him to and carry on, the more he does not want to do it in the potty. NOW who is training who, mom!! It is hard!! I thought that my A would never get it, all the time. But he did.
They also get to playing and then well gotta go and it is to late. Take away one thing they like to do till they learn or they get to do something they want to do after he does it for a week or what ever time period set for no in the pants accidents. That is what I have learned. Hang in there!!
Nancy