My daughter is now 27 months old and quite interested in the potty. Videos, books, loves her panties( to play with).  She tells me the minute she goes...etc.  Lately she has been taking her diaper off and all her clothes for that matter at nap time.  We have a video monitor so I can watch this.  Usually she takes it off right after she poops.  I cant knowing leave a poopy diaper on the floor and a dirty baby to walk around her room diaperless during naptime so I go and put on a new diaper and tell her poo poo goes in the potty.  Last week it got so bad...up to 6 stripping sessions during a naptime that I decided to try to potty train her. The result was she flipped out! She loved being naked around the house and did not mind her potty every 15 minutes-30 minutes but when she had to go she flipped out and would not sit down on the potty.  She screamed for a diaper. SO basically I have a kid who wants to go diaperless up until that feeling hits.  To me, this is unfair. It means I get all the worry of potty training(no diapers, pee all over) with none of the benefits (no diapers on my target bill).  Not sure what to do. Today I decided to just hold her on the potty when I knew she was going.  She cried big time and I just kept giving her positive reinforcement, explaining it was no big deal, following up with M&Ms etc.   But I fear she is just trying to hold it now to avoid actually peeing on the potty. I dont want to continue to be mean or make this a negative situation but it certainly is a tricky one.

This is a difficult situation. She is so close, but so far. I agree she is showing many signs she is ready to potty train, but I strongly recommend you back off. Potty training is so hard because it has to come from the child - such that she has to want to sit on the potty and prove she is a “big girl”.

You can continue to ask her if she wants to go, but do not force her to sit on the potty. For now, I would recommend you only very rarely ask if she wants to go to the potty (maybe once a day). However, when you change her diapers I would say,”I have to change your diapers now, but when you are a big girl you will go the potty”.

As far as the naps/naked time goes it is up to you. Its not wrong to follow your naked toddler around everywhere worrying they are going to pee, but it is high maintenance. I’ve known parents to duck tape on diapers (hard to change) and to put the diapers on backwards (eventually she will figure it out) to keep diapers on. I’d recommend you put her in onesies or overalls where she cannot take off her diaper.

When you are in the thick of potty training, it often seems you are so close but it will never happen. Eventually, she will be potty trained. Don’t let it strain your relationship with your daughter. Be patient and be positive. Good luck.

Updated July 2010 by
Dr. Gordon, Windermere Pediatrician