How I potty trained my disagreeable 3 year old

I started potty training Edward the first day of February 2012. 

I followed all the advice.

He picked out new underwear.

We sat on the potty for practice a few times before our designated potty training day.

On said day, I brought in books and the iPad. 

We sat in the bathroom from 7 am until 12. 

5 painful hours.

He didn't pee. 

Finally, I decided to break for lunch.

Then Edward proclaimed, "I need to go potty!"

We ran to the potty and he did it!

After that, we didn't have too many accidents. 

A few wet nights, but mostly he was potty trained.

I figured I wouldn't push "pooping" on the potty that day.

I think that was my first mistake.

A few days went by and Edward didn't poop.

I began to worry.

He begged for a diaper. 

I gave in. 

He pooped in the diaper.

Over the next 6 months, Edward pooped a few times on the potty.

Then in July I had a major freak out.

Edward continued to poop in his underwear and refused to poop on the potty.

I was so frustrated. 

Many people said, "give it time" or "he will figure it out".

He wasn't figuring it out and time wasn't working either.

Edward was just plain stubborn.

I backed off the pooping problem for a few months and began to focus on Nolen.

Edward would come to me and say he needed to poop.

I put a pull-up on him, he pooped, I changed him. 

Some where along the way, Edward decided he was going to poop on the potty when he turned 4.

I had a hard time believe that.

So in January I began baby steps.

 

Step 1: Edward could poop in the pull-up as long as he pooped in the bathroom.

This was pretty tough at first but I stuck to my guns and made him poop in the bathroom.  We did this step for 2 weeks.

 

Step 2: Edward could poop in the pull-up as long as his pants were off and he was in the bathroom.

I would almost say this was the hardest step.  Edward fought me on this for days.  He cried and threw tantrums and pretty much stopped pooping.  He refused.  After a week, he gave in and pooped with his pants off.  We did this steps for 2 weeks. 

 

Step 3:  Edward could poop in the pull-up as long as his pants were off, he was in the bathroom, AND he was sitting on the potty.  This was not as hard as the pants off.  I thought this would be the toughest step.  As this step approached I told Edward he was going to have to sit on the potty in a few days.  So I think he was more ready. We did this step for 2 weeks.

 

Step 4: Cut a hole in the pull-up.  I told Edward WAY ahead of time that I was going to cut a hole in his pull-up, so he knew but I don't think he knew what that actually meant.  Edward tentatively climbed on the potty and pooped.  It went right in to the toilet.  He cried.  We did this step for two weeks, however, Edward still with held a few days, but then adjusted to the idea that he still had his pull-up on and he could poop. 

 

Step 5: Poop on the potty unassisted.  This happened by chance.  We decided to take the boys to Disney Land and I forgot pull-ups!  So Edward really had no choice.  He did fight it the first night at Grandma's house but I think he had to go REAL bad.  Then at Disney Land, Grandma said he couldn't get in the bath with his cousin unless he pooped.  Guess what?  He did! AND he did it really fast. 

 

We haven't had any issues since we got home from Disney Land.  I know the steps seem tedious but I was a desperate mother.  I wanted my son potty trained before he turned 4.  YEAH! I did it! Or rather, Edward did it.  I should also mention that Edward has a pooping schedule.  This worked for me so much better than asking him all day if he needed to poop.  At 7:00 in the evening, no matter what, Edward had to poop.  I waited HOURS.  Some nights he didn't go to bed until 9:00 because he was with holding. 

 

This is how I convinced my disagreeable 3 year old (now 4 year old) to poop on the potty.  Good luck if you are having some of the same issues.