The Naked Potty Training Tactic Does Not Work

As I sit here writing, my pants-less child is running around the house. We’re potty training, using the method that everyone seems to say is best – pants free. I would just be sitting here appreciating how adorable his little butt is if it wasn’t for the fact that I am pretty confident he is just going to be demanding a diaper soon.

Diaper! 

Diaper!

It always ends with that demand. Hours of him getting on and off the potty and faking me out with a couple of exclamations of yay! I did it! always end with the same motion. He stands up, points towards his room where the diapers are (like a dictator, I might add) and screams, Diaper!

Babycenter made it seem so easy:

Get up with your child as soon as he wakes up. For the rest of the day, have him go naked below the waist.

You and your partner spend the day taking turns watching your child for signs that he needs to pee or poop. When he starts to go, whisk him to the nearest potty.

Throughout the day, have everyone eat salty snacks or foods with high water content and drink a lot of liquids so they have to pee often.

Any time you or your partner needs to use the bathroom, take your child in with you. Demonstrate how you pull down your pants and underwear, sit on the potty, pee or poop into it, wipe yourself, pull up your pants and underwear, flush the toilet, and wash your hands.

Celebrate your child’s success any time he gets a “hit” on the potty meaning that some amount of pee or poop, even a few drops, goes into the potty rather than on the floor. When this happens, do your potty dance. You can also give praise, high-fives, and so on.

After ten to 12 hits, Fellom says, kids usually get it and start to use the potty independently.

Ten to 12 hits? It’s never going to happen here. He exhibits signs that he needs to potty, but when we “whisk” him to the potty he gets pissed off. He doesn’t want to sit on the potty – ever.

We’re going on three weeks of this. My house is a toddler nudist colony. Babycenter said this would be done in three days. What gives?

Any tips, people? Did this tactic actually work for any of you?

(photo: Szasz-Fabian Ilka Erika/ Shutterstock)