How to Potty Train a Child Who Refuses to Sit on the Potty

According to Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D., FAAP, potty training can only happen "when a toddler is ready, and you can't rush it." It is also important to be ready as a parent. You must have the time and energy to encourage your child daily for up to three months, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. AAP suggests that while it is important to encourage your toddler to use the potty, it will only make things more difficult if you force your child to sit on it. Instead, make the idea of using the potty fun for your child and he will make the choice to sit on it.

Things You'll Need

  • Potty chair or trainer seat

Instructions

    • 1

      Read books about using the potty to your toddler. This helps attach positive memories to toilet use and gets your child curious about this new part of life. Some favorites are "Everyone Poops" by Taro Gomi and "Once Upon a Potty" by Alona Frankel, which comes in both a boys and girls edition. The vibrant illustrations in these books may help them view going potty as a safe and interesting experience.

    • 2

      Talk to your child after reading to him. Ask, "Where do Mommy and Daddy go potty?" Explain that even though he goes potty in a diaper, someday he will go potty in the toilet just like Mommy and Daddy.

    • 3

      Purchase a potty chair (or potty training seat) and training pants with your toddler. According to Lisa Julian of ParentingToddlers.com, if you include your toddler in the process, it makes the experience more exciting. Remember to keep your child's comfort in mind when choosing a potty chair style. Try to get your child's input on the type of chair or training pants that she likes. If your child is completely uninterested in this process, you may want to continue reading books and introducing the concept before trying again.

    • 4

      Let your toddler play with the potty chair. Leave it in a play area, or somewhere that your child can access so that he becomes more familiar with it and how it is used. Provide opportunities for supervised independent play with the potty, but also take the time to explain how it is used to your child.

    • 5

      Dress your toddler in training pants. According to Dr. Edward R. Christophersen, Ph.D., ABPP, training pants are easier for the child to take on and off, but are more absorbent than underwear. Talk to your child about how she feels about wearing training pants. Ask, "Do you feel like a big girl now that you are wearing training pants?"

    • 6

      Encourage your toddler to practice. Some children respond well to charting their success with stickers or prizes. Charts can be made by drawing a grid on a piece of paper. Keep it somewhere visible in the house. Celebrate each successful use of the potty by adding a sticker to the chart for that day and giving the child a small prize or candy. Congratulate your toddler on how big he is with every success.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • 8 #InTheTrenches Parenting Moments from Real Moms and Dads
      These true in-the-trenches moments prove parents are troopers for navigating through situations that would make a Judd Apatow movie look clean. Our readers told stories of poop throwing, public puking, and even worse kid disasters on Fac
    • When should you potty train your kid?
      Theres no one-size-fits-all answer to when to potty train your kid. It depends on a variety of factors:Your Childs Readiness:* Physical: Can they stay dry for at least 2 hours? Do they have regular bowel movements? Do they show interest in the potty
    • Toilet Training and the Older Child
      “My husband likes to tease me by calling my parenting style the ‘lazy parent’s method’ for raising a child,” writes one mother. “I like to just wait for my son to move on to the next stage of development and then follow his lead. He toilet-trained hi