PT - lack of interest

[abmoyer]

Our youngest will be 3 at the end of June and isn’t too interested at home in going on the potty. At preschool he does fine because a few of the other kids in his class use the potty. I think we’ll try some kind of incentive to see if that increases his interest but I don’t want to force it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[zeotwoski]

I recommend you make a decision--either switch to the potty or stay in diapers. Either is totally fine at that age. I do think it is difficult emotionally for a child to have to constantly make the decision "do you want to try the potty?". I think that's far more pressure than just picking one route and sticking to it.

*I say this for most typically developing children only. In this case, the child appears to be ready given the willingness at preschool.

P.S. I really do think it's fine to stay in diapers or ditch them completely at this age. With my own children I've done it at 3, over 3, between 2.5 and 3, and at just 2. It all works.

[amichka]

I agree, we are in the middle of potty training our second and our first was enthusiastic about it while our second couldn't care less. I got tired of the diapers and introduced the idea of undies at age 2y 10 months and he just agreed - if we had pushed the first I think it would have been a disaster and if we hadn't nudged the second I am pretty sure we would be in diapers until over 3. And that's fine, I am just sick of diapers... and he seems to be managing just fine and is very proud of himself. Some kids just can't do the instigating it at that age.

[tallanvor]

I agree that you should decide on one or the other and stick to it. If you switch to undies and after a couple weeks he's not getting it, he might not truly ready.