Ashton is Finally Potty Trained!

October 6, 2008

Phew! It was such a relieved to me that Ashton is potty trained….FINALLY I spent quite some time figuring out how to potty train boys when he refuses to poop in the potty. I read and experiment with various methods as Ashton is kinda stubborn. I have noted down various successful methods that I have used so that it could provide you the easy way out.

1. Have an orientation program! - Introduce your boy to the potty or toilet seat by having him sit on it for a little while at a fix time. It’s okay whether you manage to catch a poop or not. It’s just to accustom him to sitting on the potty or the toilet seat. But note that if he is still having the phobia of the potty and refuse to make any progress, take a break from the routine as it will deter the training if you force the routine on him.

2. Watch a video - As I mentioned in my previous post, introduce cartoons which teach potty training. I allow my son to watch the potty training video on youtube when he sits on the potty and explain to him that he got to wait for poo poo and wee wee to come out.

3. Distract his attention from the potty - Instead of giving rewards, I divert his attention away from the potty. I let him hold on to his favorite toy (Thomas, the tank engine) while he sits on the potty and try to talk to him on things that interest him while he sits. He usually gets so excited that he forgets that he is sitting on the potty.

4. Use lots of encourage words - Encourage him and tell him how proud you are of him when he succeeds. Whenever Ashton successfully poo on the potty. The whole family including his younger sister, Ashlyn claps for him.

5. Devote your full attention - Whenever you potty train your boy, devote your full attention. My husband normally brings my daughter away when I potty train Ashton.

6. Give lots of fruits - Make sure that he does not constipate. Sitting on the potty for too long, having hard stools will put them off potty training.

This is what I did when I potty train Ashton. I have always being relenting and giving him diapers when he cried and refused to sit on the potty even though he already know how to tell me that he needs to go. I always have the mentality that one day he will outgrow his phobia but I waited for a few months with no avail.

I can see that he feels so happy and good to be free of diapers. Ashton was so happy when I ask him to say bye bye to his poo poo and allow him to flush the toilet. I guess its a relieve to him too, overcoming the phobia and feeling like a big boy.

My take: If you are having boys who have phobia of the potty and refused to be toilet trained. You have to be firm (not giving diapers despite crying and tantrum throwing) but loving and keep on giving encouragement for them to progress further. You just need to succeed in getting them to poop in the potty for once or twice and they will outgrow the phobia.

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Category Posted in My Parenting Journal, Potty Training

5 Responses to “Ashton is Finally Potty Trained!”

Rosabel said:

October 6th, 2008 at 9:09 am

My mom used potty orientation program to train all children under her care as she was a babysitter before. When I read about it, the memory just came right back…
elaine said:

October 7th, 2008 at 4:49 pm

Hi Rosabel,

Sometimes I do feel that the older generations are really experts in potty training. We have to read, trial and error with different methods but at their times with limited info and internet, yet they are still coping so well.
Cheryl said:

October 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 pm

When my boy was younger (<1.5yr), I told him to expect a ‘fish’ in the bowl after he sat on the toilet seat. He wasn’t toilet trained then but I quickly took off his diaper when the poop was coming and sat him on the toilet seat. When I toilet train him later, it’s much easier as he was expecting to see the ‘fish’ once he poops. He’s kinda thrilled to see the poop!!!
Hurray, Ashton Is Finally Toilet Trained at Poh Heng said:

October 29th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

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Karen said:

November 5th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

Hi Elaine, great tips you have got here. I have similar problem with my son Jason too. He will pee on potty but not poo. I have eventually potty trained him and have a blog on potty training. Welcome to visit.