Disciplining My Toddler

[DaveDQ]

I have 3 boys all 3 and under. My oldest is just about to be fully potty trained. He now knows that when he feels it, he needs to tell his Daddy or Mommy.

However, if he is playing or deeply involved in something, he'll take the chance and go in his pants. He doesn't do the number 2 in his pants, but he'll occassionally do the number 1.

Anyway, yesterday he comes home from pre-school and goes to the bathroom, no problem. All is well. Later that afternoon he's running around playing Ninja Turtles. He decides to go in his pants.

You guys, what happens next is one of the hardest things I've ever faced. I tell him, "Elijah, you can not play Ninja Turtles until after your nap tomorrow. You were told to go pee pee in the potty, and you went in your pants instead." The look on his face was complete sorrow. It wasn't a tantrum or fit. It was like I hurt his soul. He just looked at his swords and said, "I'm so sorry Daddy." The hardest thing for me is to right there carry out what I just told him (no Ninja Turtles). Today, I have no problem being consistent, and he knows better to even ask, but at that moment, when I see him take it so serious...It's just tough.

We'll see how this helps in getting him potty trained.

[Shaver]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

Everyone's parenting style and experience and opinions are different.

Personally, with my kids, I never attached punishment to potty-training. In fact, I never attached punishment to anything that I needed them to learn to exist (e.g. potty training, reading, math, eating, etc...)

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

Could always rub his nose in his wet undies. My parents trained their dog that way.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

Everyone's parenting style and experience and opinions are different.

Personally, with my kids, I never attached punishment to potty-training. In fact, I never attached punishment to anything that I needed them to learn to exist (e.g. potty training, reading, math, eating, etc...)

That's a good point. My reasoning was that he understands now that a boy is to use a toilet when he has to go.

However, I believe he is now being disobedient. There's going to be accidents, especially overnight incidents, but during the day, he knows better. He just saw going to the bathroom as an inconvenience or interuption in him playing Turtles. That's why I was specific in punishing him with that.

I do agree though that I will never punish him for not doing what he is not capable of doing.

[forensicd]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

I am having same problem now. I have a 3 year old that is potty training, and never goes no 2 in his pants, but does no 1 from time to time, but has been getting better. My son does not play with action figures, but only sports stuff, like golf, basketball, football and soccer. What i have done is if he does have an accident, and he knows he is not supposed to, he has a timeout for about 5 minutes were he will sit on the steps outside wher we are playing. He just gets so excited and doesnt want to stop playing and I think he forgets. That being said, he has now gone 4 days without and accident, so something must be working.

[chippered]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

I feel your pain man. My son just turned six, and he still waits till the last minute sometimes to go to the bathroom. I think its just a mismanagement of time or something. Or he's afraid he's gonna miss something.

I'll offer this tip for potty training though. We bought our son underwear with characters on them. His favorites if possible. Spongebob was a biggie. When he went in his pants we asked him if he thought Spongebob appreciated it and he kinda took it to heart. It really made him try not to go in his pants, if he could take the time to think about it.

Theres no perfect advice for this kind of thing. It'll happen when he's ready, have patience.

[skitch]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

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[Bizzy Da Kid]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

When I potty trained my 2 sons, whenever one had an accident, he was to sit on the toliet for a couple of hours, no more than 2. They would hear all the fun going on with the other kids and get upset, it often ended up with one of them falling asleep on the toliet.

This way he got real acquainted with it. Never had many problems after that. Also a lil teasing from the other brothers and sisters always helped.

Beats pissing in the bed though, now that is a problem!!!

[Sully]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

Everyone's parenting style and experience and opinions are different.

Personally, with my kids, I never attached punishment to potty-training. In fact, I never attached punishment to anything that I needed them to learn to exist (e.g. potty training, reading, math, eating, etc...)

I agree with Clay. This is a learning experience for them, and it's not something they're going to learn overnight. There's going to be some accidents along the way, roll with them.

[Sully]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

When I potty trained my 2 sons, whenever one had an accident, he was to sit on the toliet for a couple of hours, no more than 2. They would hear all the fun going on with the other kids and get upset, it often ended up with one of them falling asleep on the toliet.

This way he got real acquainted with it. Never had many problems after that. Also a lil teasing from the other brothers and sisters always helped.

Beats pissing in the bed though, now that is a problem!!!

A couple hours?!?!

[MassNole]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

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I feel your pain man. My son just turned six, and he still waits till the last minute sometimes to go to the bathroom. I think its just a mismanagement of time or something. Or he's afraid he's gonna miss something.

I'll offer this tip for potty training though. We bought our son underwear with characters on them. His favorites if possible. Spongebob was a biggie. When he went in his pants we asked him if he thought Spongebob appreciated it and he kinda took it to heart. It really made him try not to go in his pants, if he could take the time to think about it.

Theres no perfect advice for this kind of thing. It'll happen when he's ready, have patience.

Wow that is awesome advice that I hope I remember when my wife and I have a family.

[Bizzy Da Kid]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

A couple hours?!?!

Different strokes for different folks. Beats the yelling and long talks to them.

They are not listening after 5 minutes. So to get the attention and full attention, I would always say, "The toilet is calling!!" But the toilet sitting thing didnt last long, lesson learned ASAP.

Different but effective.

[MassNole]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

Different strokes for different folks. Beats the yelling and long talks to them.

They are not listening after 5 minutes. So to get the attention and full attention, I would always say, "The toilet is calling!!" But the toilet sitting thing didnt last long, lesson learned ASAP.

Different but effective.

Speaking from a legal perspective, that is borderline child abuse.

[chippered]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

Different strokes for different folks. Beats the yelling and long talks to them.

They are not listening after 5 minutes. So to get the attention and full attention, I would always say, "The toilet is calling!!" But the toilet sitting thing didnt last long, lesson learned ASAP.

Different but effective.

Speaking from a legal perspective, that is borderline child abuse.

Those kids will have hemeroids by the time their 10.

[Double Eights]

Re: Disciplining My Toddler

I'll offer this tip for potty training though. We bought our son underwear with characters on them. His favorites if possible. Spongebob was a biggie. When he went in his pants we asked him if he thought Spongebob appreciated it and he kinda took it to heart. It really made him try not to go in his pants, if he could take the time to think about it.

I do not have kids now, but when I do, I will use this method. It sounds like it would work really well.