(DS23 month's nickname is "Professor Lucas" because if you ask him, he is an expert on EVERYTHING)

Lucas has decided he's had enough of these stupid diapers and he's not going to use them any more. So we've provided him with a viable alternative (aka the potty) but he's still not convinced thats the way he wants to go...

Right now I have a small child running around my upstairs naked except for his slippers - which is very entertaining but I fear for my carpets!!

So far he seems to understand the concept of the potty but just can't 'go' while sitting on it. He also did this last Wednesday, spent an entire day naked, held it in ALL day, until his dad came home & he forgot what he was doing and peed EVERYWHERE (okay - it was just DOWN my stairs... but that was not fun to clean up!).

Any suggestions?

Of course I've tried, reading & singing with him on the potty when I think he had to go; but the moment when he's about to Go he just sort of panics, leaps off the potty & runs away then holds it in again.

I'd love to stick his diaper back on but I'm not into chasing him around the house with him, then tackling him just to have him take it off again in 30 seconds. If he does poop on my floor I will consider duct tape...

Forgot to add: one of the problems is that he likes to go when he's by himself. So if he's got a diaper on he will go sit quietly in the corner by himself to do it. I'm completely torn between staying beside him on the potty (which he seems to like & causes him to actually stay there) and sitting in the next room sort of peaking around the corner and hoping.

We've done EC with DD from a young age so our approach is a little different but here's some ways we got her used to the potty. She's not completely potty trained now but does normally almost always go when we take her (although, I'm pretty lazy about taking her some days, so I think it's pretty much my fault that she's not fully potty trained).

First off, we started at times when she had to pee (and wasn't awake enough to protest). So right after naps and in the morning the second she wakes up from bed. Sometimes even in the middle of the night if she wakes up too. Once she did it once she was pretty good about doing it again and now pees every time she wakes up.

One thing my parents did for me was buy me one of those peeing dolls so that I saw her go to the potty every time and apparently I got upset because my doll could do it and I couldn't so I potty trained myself in that way.

Also, do you take him when you go to the bathroom? That seems to also help DD, she seems more motivated then. It sucks not to have any privacy but I figure it's a small price to pay not to have to change extra diapers!

Oh, and about poop. We just really watched for DD's poop face in the beginning and would catch her in the act and run her to the potty. It's hard to stop once you've already started! Eventually she got the idea and would start asking to go when she had to poop.

If he goes to a corner to do it, that's a sign that he is conscious of his needs and able to control them. It may be just that the sensation of going on the potty is so different that it makes him uncomfortable. I'd definitely offer privacy. I'd also try putting a diaper in the potty. He can sit on it and have the experience of going on the potty without the weird feeling.

It sounds like you're doing a great job.

I take him with me every time I got the bathroom (and always have - he's a monkey I don't trust him alone for a second!!) Daddy has even shown him how the big-boys go - I had to run in & grab Lucas' hands on that one - lol! The peeing-doll is a good idea, hmm....


Lucas doesn't have a poop face, but he does have a poop-rip-all-my-clothes-off-first. Since he's refusing to get dressed today (I sure it has to do with him wanting to use the potty) I'm not going to be able to tell.

He is still running back & forth to the potty, just nothing is happening

no5 - LOL I tried to put the diaper on the potty this morning to emphasize what we're trying to do - man did he get mad at me!!! Apparently that is not only not where diapers go but he doesn't want the diaper anywhere near him...

Well, in that case, I'd say give the kid some time & space and he'll figure it out sooner or later. Good luck with your carpet.

Ok, how big a 23 month old is he?

We also EC, so we're also comming from a slightly different place, and DS is half as old, however, I hold DS to pee.

The way I do it is to hold DS reclined against my chest (with his back to me), and one hand under each of his thighs, his knees and hips flexed. (either facing the toilet, or you can actually sit on the back of the seat, which I do when I'm tired or DS is really wiggly, the caveat is you don't wanna miss like that). I *think* I could do it with an average sized two year old (that's c. 35lbs, right?)... but I also don't own a stroller.

Anyway, if he was comfortable enough to go a few times that way, you could hold him more and more on the toilet until he's ok with using it by himself.

If he's too heavy to try it, I'd try suggesting doing it "big boy" style over the potty, and just make sure the potty is in a... good... location. Such as... the... bathtub...

He does sound like he's thoroughly ready. Maybe just talk it through with him, and see if he has a plan? (he also sounds thoroughly cute, just for the record :))

Oh, and yeah, the after-waking pee is definitely the surest catch. If he's not napping, you get a decent chance again after a meal, not as sure a catch, but better than random guessing. Mostly.

Good luck!

What about a ping pong ball in the toilet. They're too light to flush. Draw a face on it and see if he likes the idea of trying to hit it when he pee's. Also good at making their aim straight and true!

He's pretty light (25lbs! He's a skinny-winny!), I bet I could put my hands under his thigh. I'm a little scared though... lol. I think he'd like that & we'll try tomorrow.

He's the sort of little guy who doesn't like to use "little guy" stuff. This grandparents were shocked at 10 months when I'd put away all the "baby spoons" so he could have an adult one - because he refused to use the baby spoons!! I bet if I held him on the 'big boy' toilet we may well have more luck.

He already loves to flush the toilet & will tell the contents "See you Later, Got to Go!" (at which point I die laughing; every time...)


He eventually gave up today & brought me his diaper & a pair of pants. Poor little man, he wants to go so bad but just can't seem to get it right :\.

The ping-pong ball is a good idea - but we already had an incident a few months ago of attempting to flush a tennis ball & almost ruining our plumbing system... . I don't think I want to encourage that any more!

Lucas fills my life with entertainment if nothing else .

Thanks for the support guys, we've been potty training on & off since 13 months, just trying to find a way to work together to make it work .

You probably tried this, but what about running water? On a few occiaions I have poured a small amount of water between legs to help get it started.

On aim - I haven't heard of ping pong balls, but I hear cheerios float well and are good targets.

As for losing diapers vs. cleaning messes, have you considered regular underwear with a thin waterproof diaper cover over top?

- Just a few ideas. Good Luck.

We have a water bottle beside the toilet, since we have different "parts" I've used it to try to explain to him what to do

The diaper-cover over his boxers is a good idea!

I tried a cloth-diaper insert in his potty this morning & he actually liked that! But didn't have to go... . He's having a nap now (-phew!- it's been a crazy morning!) we're going to try as soon as he wakes up .

Thanks for all the great suggestions guys! He had a good long nap today (for once) and then we sat on the potty and JACKPOT!!

I think it was putting the cloth-diaper insert over his potty that did it, or maybe he just had to go bad enough.

He started off with just a trickle then stopped so I gave him a slice of pizza & told him how good he was - then he sat back down... he had to PEE!!! I think the chocolate ice cream & milk has solidified that the potty is where we go!