Starting to train my almost 3 yo son tomorrow, any advice?

amother

Mistyrose

Thu, Nov 03 2016, 9:10 pm

Topic says it all. He was very speech delayed so only starting now, as he can bh communicate much better. I will keep off all pants and underwear but how often do I bring him to the toilet? Any other advice for a first timer? Thanks!!

amother

Emerald

Thu, Nov 03 2016, 9:35 pm

My number one advice is patience. Yes you can train your DS to use the toilet in a matter of days, but there will inevitably be accidents. be patient. You do not want him to feel anxious or worried because "mommy will get upset if I have an accident". This will only prolong the training by creating negative associations.

Second advice is reward. I bought my DS tiny toy dinosaurs that I bought in a big pack. He was rewarded one whenever he did #1. I gave him a bigger treat when he did #2. Some people give candy (I.e. one jelly bean for #1 and a lolly for #2).

Third, bring with you a change of clothes wherever you go. Keep spare pants/underwear/socks in your stroller, glove compartments, etc.

Finally, I recall making my DS cleaning up his own urine off the floor at the time when I knew he was able to go the bathroom but chose not to. If you get to this point, when you know he could go but chooses not to, then you can calmly tell him to clean it up. Obviously he will not be happy about this, so next time around he would much prefer to go to the potty.

Good luck!!

Edited to add that I personally did not take DS to the bathroom a set amount of times in the first few days. Instead, I constantly asked him if he needed to go. Not sure which is better to do, but I just did what worked for me.