Somebody call the Guiness people.

I think we're going to hit a world record. A year ago--A WHOLE YEAR AGO--our girls asked--ASKED, mind you--to try the potty. Are we out of diapers yet? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Of course not.

I'm ready to pull out my hair. DH would be pulling out his hair already if he had any left. We have tried everything minus just making them go bare-bottomed, but we just moved into a new house and put down new carpet, and I can only put up with so much before I totally crack. They'll be 3 at the end of December, and I *know* it's not the end of the world that they're still in diapers at this age, and I *know* they probably won't go to high school in diapers. Probably. It's just so frustrating because Mari doesn't even want to try, and Ruby only wants to try after she's been sitting in a dirty diaper for an hour or more.

They showed signs of potty readyness at 11-12 months, but everyone around me said, "No, that's too young." I should have gone with my gut and started trying then, before it became the battle of wills that it just naturally is with two almost-threes. I'm not looking for answers, because I doubt there are any. I just needed to vent. Sorry.

 

I think we're going to hit a world record. A year ago--A WHOLE YEAR AGO--our girls asked--ASKED, mind you--to try the potty. Are we out of diapers yet? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Of course not.

I'm ready to pull out my hair. DH would be pulling out his hair already if he had any left. We have tried everything minus just making them go bare-bottomed, but we just moved into a new house and put down new carpet, and I can only put up with so much before I totally crack. They'll be 3 at the end of December, and I *know* it's not the end of the world that they're still in diapers at this age, and I *know* they probably won't go to high school in diapers. Probably. It's just so frustrating because Mari doesn't even want to try, and Ruby only wants to try after she's been sitting in a dirty diaper for an hour or more.

They showed signs of potty readyness at 11-12 months, but everyone around me said, "No, that's too young." I should have gone with my gut and started trying then, before it became the battle of wills that it just naturally is with two almost-threes. I'm not looking for answers, because I doubt there are any. I just needed to vent. Sorry.

 

I am sorry we are not there yet so i dont have advice I always tell myself when i am having a hard time to relax because i will miss this one day.

 

Being as they are still somewhat young, I would just give it a break for a month or so. If they ask, fine, but otherwise just do diapers. By taking away the pressure on you and them, they will probably surprise you, by asking to go. Removing the battle, should make the more likely to want to go. Good luck.

 

Ally just trained in June at 3 years and 7 months. She was trained in one day though, so that totally made it worth it to me to wait till she was older. Jack isn't anywhere near being ready, but he has autism, so I'm not stressing over him being in diapers.

 

I second the idea of calling it quits for a month or two. My DD didn't train until she was a month shy of 3, she was ready and trained in a day. Don't ask them if they want to go potty, just keep them in diapers all day. If they ask to go, great, if not don't stress it. I am a really strong believer that they will train when they want and it won't be a day before then.

 

I agree with Sharon and Jill. Go back to diapers and take the pressure off. I had to do that with my daughter who is now 4 1/2. We tried it again 4 months later and she trained in 2 days. It was totally worth the wait to not have the hassle. I have trained quite a few now and it is just so much easier to wait until they are a little older. Good luck.

 

OMG DID I WRITE THIS POST?????????? my girls are 3years 9months and yes they are still in diapers. I have also tried pretty much everything. we have been trying for almost a year also. we also just moved into a new house also, so I do know that this is a major reason they have regressed a bit. before we moved they were both going on the potty at least once a day each (pee only and for daycare and daddy only) but once we got here it stopped completely. we have their names on paper stuck to the wall of the bathroom and a whole book of stickers (my girls are crazy for stickers) but Anya only has two stickers and Bradi still has none. if we ask them if they want stickers they will say yes, but if we ask them to sit on the potty they say nope!!!

 

A bit of a hijack here, but different advise for older kids. My friend had the same problem with her son who was over three. What worked for them was to create a bathroom "schedule". Like the went at each mealtime and the middle of the afternoon, and bedtime. Initially, he got a sticker just for sitting. But since an older child can understand a schedule chart, you can make it something they just do at each time. No arguement, they just follow the schedule. It really worked for him.

Good luck!

 

Sorry I don't have any advice, but wanted to send you some hugs!

 

Thanks, all, for your replies. A bit of a clarification that didn't make it into the vent part: The year-plus hasn't been non-stop. We put the potties away every month or so when they weren't making any progress or were making only regress (eg Ruby trained for two days then gave up after one accident in spite of no parent freaking out about it).

Also, we aren't the ones asking them to try the potty. They're the ones asking *us.* Well, Mari had been, but then she decided to whine "I don't waaant to try the pooooootyyyyyyyyyyy!" for 15 minutes every time Ruby asks to try. It's gotten to the point where I say to Mari, "Nobody's asking you to go on the potty. If you need to whine, go do it somewhere else." And then Ruby tries but never makes it. Either she asks after she's already gone, or she asks, sits for half an hour or more, and then goes immediately after her diaper's back on. I've tried letting them hold diapers while trying. I've tried "celebrating successes" with stickers, stamps, M&Ms (that worked for two days) and the reward of hand-washing (well, that's every time). No dice. I'm just really, really worn out to begin with, and having to put a full stop on everything while one tries the potty for such a large chunk of time but with nothing to show for it at the end of the day... I'm hitting my limit. I wish I could just say, "The potties are taking a break until next month. Even if you want to try, you'll have to wait until next month when you might be more ready." I don't want to stop their interest in the potty, however uncoordinated it may be, but I also can't take much more of this lack of progress.

I'm so discouraged by so much in my life right now, and this is not helping. I just wish something would work out to be *helpful* rather than making my life more difficult for once. I just wish *I* could get something right for once.

 

ah babe, you're not getting anything wrong. These little buggers are put here to reveal all our weaknesses and play on them. If you can make it through this, you can make it through anything! Hang in there!

 

We are still in potty limbo. We had them sit on there for hours, and they will #1 and have #2'd. But I can't figure out how to get them to comprehend how to tell me when they need to do that. I'm lost in the potty world and don't know what my next move will be.

 

My 2 did not get trained until about 3 1/2 months or a bit older. Honestly what I did was start out by sitting them on the little potty. I even would sit them in front of the tv on it during the Once Upon A Potty DVD. We would go pantless around the house ( we had hardwood floors so pee on the floor was no big deal). We moved onto the seat that goes on the big toilet which they liked much better. I got a travel one as well to take with us when we went to the store to stay consistent. Zoe honestly picked it up in one day and has never looked back having the occasional accident. Allison regressed a little and was pooping in her pants again but recently started going in the potty again.

They will be 4 in Jan. Best of luck to you

 

I can totally relate. The boys were telling me at 20 months that they were ready to go pee, but I was told (specifically by Brody's EI teachers) that it was too early and that I shouldn't be pushing it.

Well, I didn't push at all.

Boyd's real close to "getting" it, but Brody has totally quit. We've retired his Thomas undies and will bring them back out when he's ready. I'm okay with his stand (with him being delayed, I think it's his only thing he can control).

I know it's probably just another idea, but it may be worth a try. The boys didn't get into stickers and I'm not willing to reward anything with candy, (my rewards are still stuck on my hips )
We give the boys "quarters" (they even come in a brown color ) for everytime they pee on the potty. That was doing great until I had an idea to give them 2 quarters for telling mommy that they had to go. That was HUGE. And I think that's what worked for Boyd. He knows that he gets 2 quarters to put into his piggy bank after we're done in the bathroom.

Anyway. Good luck!

 

My girls went pee in the potty before they were two years old and it's only been in the last MONTH that they have fully potty trained (at more then 3 1/2)!!!!!!! JUSSSSSST in tume for our new baby's arrival (which was our ultimate goal). Don't stress about it, when it comes ut's an "all at once" understanding. Try reading some books from your library for tips and encouragment. It helped me a lot.

 

Ahhh...I can relate too! My oldest was trained at 2 years, 5 months - no accidents. The twins....3 years old and it was a BATTLE. However, what I did is I had a "pee-pee" party, which included a cake, baloons and a present. Hannah peed first and we had a pee-pee party. Ava wanted a party too so she went about 2 weeks later and we had a pee-pee party. Then, we told them we would have a "poo-poo" party too. They didn't care. I guess one party was enough! So, the pooped in their diapers for another two months until I told them there were no more diapers at the store. They freaked out, helf there poop for about 3 days and then finally went when they realized that they were NOT getting a diaper. They were so proud they did it that I did indeed have a poo-poo party (more for me than for them!).

Good luck!