Jaime Pressly Admits Potty Training Is ‘Not Going Very Well’

Roger Karnbad/Celebrity Photo

Every day seems to bring with it a new milestone for 2 ½-year-old Dezi James — son of actress Jaime Pressly — except for a very important one.

“He’s in the process of potty training, which is not going very well,” the former My Name Is Earl star admits. “Boys for some reason don’t like to go on the potty.”

“I thought it was just my son, but it’s not,” Pressly, 32, notes.

“It’s the majority of men. Sorry, little boys. Babies. Although I do think that if men had the opportunity to just go in a diaper and let someone else clean it they would.”

That theory is based on her own experiences with Dezi.

“He looks at his little girlfriend — who is his age and is potty trained completely — and doesn’t understand,” the actress says. “[He asks], ‘Why you don’t let Mommy clean it?’ Like it’s taken some time out of his day.”

“I’m hoping by the time this [interview] comes out he will be fully potty trained,” Pressly says. “Fingers crossed!”

Watch the video below!

Comments

For Jaime:
That is a slight bit young for a little boy….they take longer to feel and identify the urge to go….just relax and don’t hurry him, he’ll figure it out. You can’t hurry nature.

- smmw on March 19th, 2010

Odd, my daughter was hard to potty train, my 2 yr old son loves to go ‘poppy’, lol.

- melissa on March 19th, 2010

Come on! Why do mothers always say that boys are so “hard” to train. I was able to train my son at 25 months. He was completely dry through the night too (and drank a ton of water during the day). Everyone is so quick with the excuse of “boys” are this way or that. Each child is an individual. Train them or don’t, but don’t give those lame excuses.

- No more diapers! on March 19th, 2010

Everyone is different, i know friends that had girls say that they were hard to train, my son was trained at 25 month, threw the nite too.

- lisa on March 19th, 2010

ditto, my ds was trained at 22mo

- laura on March 19th, 2010

They say the best way to do it is put a fruit loop in the middle of the toilet and tell them to aim in the middle of it. Kind of like make it a game

- Britt on March 19th, 2010

I agree, I have 5 kids, 3 of which are boys and they were all trained between 20-22 months. 2 of my boys are twins so I was training them at the same time. My boys trained learned their signals just as quick as my girls. We use Lara Jansen’s 3 day potty training method and they all did just as she said and trained in 3 days, some of my kids were trained by the end of the 2nd day. And the best part is, Lara doesn’t have the parents taking them potty whenever the parent ‘thinks they HAVE to go’ she puts it totally on the child and has them tell the parent. Kids like to have control and like to have their parents think they’re big and they’re proud of them. It works, and it works fast! You just have to be dedicated and have it be full time for those 3 days.

- Anonymous on March 19th, 2010

Seriously!!!! This makes the news???? Who gives a crap! Welcome to being a parent! Suck it up!

- Anonymous on March 19th, 2010

My son got his first potty from Santa (xmas) at 20 months, he’s 23 months now and is completely potty trained. Not hard, just have to make a game out of it and have mini-marshmallows on-hand for a reward!

- MichelleinOC on March 19th, 2010

Potty training is never a fun time. However, when my son was of age, I told my husband that he would have to do it because I was not plumbed right. He took our son everytime he went and very soon my son was doing what his dad did – it worked like a charm. Good luck.

- bear on March 19th, 2010

My son was just over three when we started training. EIGHT MONTHS LATER he’s finally trained. He is a VERY headstrong little boy and it was a power struggle the whole way. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to training. Period.

- LoraBora on March 19th, 2010

Her son is speaking in complete sentences at 2 1/2?

My Son is 2 1/2 also and can at most put 2 words together at a time.

- Jen on March 19th, 2010

I wish people would get a clue. Not every kid is the same and they won’t all be potty trained at the same age. This does not make any mother more or less lazy! Just because your kid went to the potty at 2 by himself does not mean you are a good mom and stop judging the ones who take longer.

- Grow Up on March 19th, 2010

Dear Jaime… My granmother used to say Toss a handfull ( not one) of cheerios or fruit loops in the toilet and tell your boy to GO SINK EM lol what little boy doesnt like a little battle on the high seas of toilet training, with some Pirate ship cereal floating about. Johnney Depp would be proud. He will be potty trained in no time. My granmother is part irish and very wise and funny. This is guaranteed to work.

- lois on March 19th, 2010

Grow Up

I don’t think anyone posted that children have to do certain things at certain ages, nor were they judging those parents whose children talk, walk, or potty train, etc. a little later than “normal”. And who used the word lazy?

- dee on March 19th, 2010

Every kid is different. My son was trained a few weeks shy of turning three and it wasn’t a big problem, but it did take constant effort and you can’t get too upset about it. If I were Jaime, I wouldn’t get too twisted up about it since 2 1/2 isn’t that old.

- Mariel on March 19th, 2010

I also never read anything that was judging or being lazy…I think some people LOOK for trouble. I agree that it helps boys when they have a same sex parent help them in the potty. I read someplace that the reason that boys tend to train later (or harder) was because Mom is usually the trainer and not dad. It said that if dad is willing to take a part in the training (by having son follow into the bathroom) it can go a lot easier and faster.

- Anonymous on March 19th, 2010

Each child is different and does things at different times. Dont worry about it, it will come.

And, yeah her son at 2 1/2 may be talking in full sentences, my son was however my daughter wasnt. Again each child is different and does things at a different pace.

- Amber on March 19th, 2010

You have to teach boys differently, letting them pee outside and aim for bushes helps…also my husband would hold my son’s little wee wee and aim it into the toilet for him so he learned what to do…I had never heard nor even thought of such a thing,lol. Basically it’s just best if a man handles it or at least gives you some advice and boys can be potty trained just as fast as girls:)

- MzCaliAttorney on March 19th, 2010

Its funny because my youngest cousins, Eliza took ages and ages to toilet train (and we all bribed her as we were kids lol), and my cousin Isabella flat out refused (and then started pooing on the grass coz thats where the dog goes!), her parents gave up and decided to wait a while but left the pott there, then one day at my grandmothers she did it herself and was fully potty trained 3 days later! She just wanted to do it herself.
My youngest Jackson was super easy to potty train and had only a few accidents.
THe worst was my brother at night because he was such a sound sleeper he could wet the bed and be wet all night and not even notice!

- bex on March 19th, 2010

My son is 18 months and uses the potty! we just learned this last weekend and he has used it almost everyday!
Every little honey is different, just be positive and have a patience for cleaning up pee pee messes

- Rachel on March 19th, 2010

My son spoke in complete sentences at 19 months…but wasn’t potty trained until he was 3 1/2, when he announced to me one day when I picked him up from day care that “Mommy, today I am potty trained!”

Let him be. He will figure it out! Sounds like he’s working on other developmental milestones (speaking) than potty training!

- A Mom on March 19th, 2010

I don’t see ANYTHING wrong with anything Jaime said. Her son’s articulate observation of his toddler girl friend was a fantastic interview mommy share! How hilarious!

- Mrs. R on March 19th, 2010

He will do just fine. Each child is different. I mean, how many adults do you know that aren’t potty trained (for real, here)? When the child shows signs of interest, you will know! And yes, it can be frustrating because we want to hit those milestones and be proud, but don’t rush them. These days will be a blip on the radar and then we will miss them!
Good luck and enjoy your child- they are precious!

- Molly on March 19th, 2010

Try the potty training dolls from Corolle (http://www.corolle.com/us/catalogue/fiche_pdt.php5?ref=J5867) along with Teri Crane’s book. She’s the Potty Training Pro. The entire process has really helped with my kids and all of my friends swear by it. It just makes it fun instead of intimidating. Plus the dolls (there’s also a girl one, Emma) make the kids feel like they’re not alone and they have a friend to go through it all with.

- Ava on March 19th, 2010

My son is 2 1/2 and speaks in complete sentences. He also has no interest in using the potty. They pick things up in their own time, and each kid will master things before or after other kids the same age.

- S.H.H. on March 19th, 2010

No more diapers….lucky you, but it was very very difficult to potty train my son, as it is for most little boys. You’re the 1 in a million mother who had a fast learning son.

- vanessa on March 19th, 2010

As the posts show parents think its about them and a reflection of their parenting. It’s not about them. This is the first attempt to control their body and if it becomes power struggle, etc. it can affect their self-esteem. At age 2 I put daughter in training pants and let her discover what wet and bm pants felt like. They learn they don’t like it and train themselves. Put rubber pants over training pants to protect everything, overnight, and gently incourage. My daughter trained at almost 3 yrs old. She is now in college, on honor roll and going for her Phd. Just relax about it…you don’t see kids going to high school in diapers. He will train when he is ready, not when you are ready.

- Maureen on March 19th, 2010

Well it’s all in the way the parents train. You do have to be consistent in the training techniques though. All three of my kids (2 boys, 1 girl) were fully potty trained before they were two years old. Each child does learn at their own pace, just be patient it will come together.

- MsBit69 on March 19th, 2010

My son is 4 now, but he was speaking in complete sentences at two, but wasn’t fully potty trained until 3. Of course his vocabulary was limited, but he could very easily express himself and what he wanted like “mommy i’m hungry” or “i had fun at the toy store”, for example. Nothing complex too complex though, lol.

- Lola on March 19th, 2010

My daughters are 3 and still trying to potty train them and my son is 14 months, maybe theyll all do it together. Its definetly not easy at all

- Amber on March 19th, 2010

My daughter is in the process of trying to potty train my grandson, and he’s just not that much interested in it. He wears the big boy pull ups and has his favorite Elmo potty seat on the toilet, but still refuses to get on it. We even d/l the “potty dance” song from Pampers and he still won’t do it. I think it’s something that will come in time and parents have to be patient and go at the childs pace.

- AntsGma on March 19th, 2010

my son is 27mos old. potty training is very difficult for him =(

- brandi on March 19th, 2010

He is too young. Boys need more time. Wait until he is ready and you will have no problems. Why the rush, anyways? Don’t compare yourself to other moms and his peers. If you push him, it will backfire and take even longer. Even a pediatrician will tell you to wait until he is 3, and even then, to read his signals and go with the flow.

- jenr on March 19th, 2010

Works both ways. My son was completely trained – nights too – before 18 months and everyone assumed I was “rushing” him. So not true – would love to take credit but he basically did it on his own. Parents can’t win either way – either too early, too late, etc. Would love to see updated pic of Dezi — been so long!

- brannon on March 19th, 2010

My son is 3 1/2 and has shown no interest in trying to potty train. I’ve tried to teach him a few different times,but I don’t see the need to try to force him. It gets frustrating having other people tell me he needs to be potty trained and it definately gets expensive having to keep buying diapers,but whn he’s ready he’ll do it.

- J on March 19th, 2010

Did I miss something? Everyone on here is acting as if she’s complaining about this. She’s not, she’s just talking and poking fun.

Relax folks

- Jen on March 19th, 2010

It’s not a boy thing. My son was fully potty trained by the time he was 2 years and 3 months. It’s about consistency, consistency. Never making them feel bad about accidents and praising them when they do things right

- Lauren on March 19th, 2010

i’m so sick of moms who say, “i don’t know why people say [fill in the blank], MY baby did this the day after he was born.” if your baby peed in the toilet or slept thru the night or did 100 push-ups, it doesn’t make you mom-of-the-year. all children are different and you have little influence on it.

- blahblah on March 19th, 2010

Like it or not, boys are different than girls. Fact: The average age of a FULLY potty trained boy is 39 months. So despite the few lucky ones who have fully potty trained boys well before that…the rest of us are often in it for the long haul. I’m speaking of my own 40 month old boy who knows hows to use the potty, he just chooses to do it when/if he chooses. And that’s fine with me. As much as I’d love not to have to buy diapers anymore, I’m quite sure that he’s on track according to his schedule. Research proves that putting the pressure on to potty train only backfires in the long run.

- Fiona on March 19th, 2010

Jaime is totally right about boys taking longer to potty train than girls. I know a lot of people will say it takes boys longer than girls and they are just speaking from experience, but there have been many studies done which show that this is true. This is from the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Girls achieve nearly all toilet-training skills earlier than boys, including successful completion.” Got it from their webpage. I always knew my mom and grandma were right.

- melania on March 19th, 2010

I truly cannot believe people have the time in their schedules to make this such a hot topic! I felt the overwhelming need to write just because I cannot believe that people can be so judgmental out there. Like has been said by those wise moms…every child is different and on his or her schedule. some moms with children like my son will feel really badly. He is a great kid who can read at a 2nd grade level and write out full sentences, but is three and a half and has very little if any interest in using the potty. He is just now going pee pee like daddy does, but it took him this long just to want to do that. But on his own he took to reading and writing early…every child has their gifts…embrace them!!

- Kara on March 19th, 2010

Jaime u have got to use the Cheerios in the Potty Game. Works everytime. Kids love to sink those cheerios!!!!
He will be wanting to use that potty all the time

- Hilary on March 19th, 2010

I love all the jerk responses to this. Why are other parents such jerks? Seriously, all babies do stuff at different times, that’s just the way it goes. And for all the moms who had mean things to say, you’re just terrible. I hope someone gave you a hard time when your kids were little and tried to make you feel awful.

Give her some support! Actress or not, she’s still a first time mom!

- CB on March 19th, 2010

seriously it has to be their decision when it is time for them to go and when to be trained. because you can show them and show them but it has to be their decision. so relax it is not that big of a deal and I have kids too.

- mel on March 19th, 2010

As a mom trying to get her almost 3 year old boy to use the potty, it is good to hear all of these stories similar to what I’m going through. Dezi sounds just like my son, who is speaking very well, in complete and sometimes complex sentences and is quite smart in general, but would still sometimes rather poop on the floor than go on the toilet! I guess it’s true, despite what some may say, that when they are ready, they will do it, on thier own time! Try telling that to all of the old school mom’s out there, ( like mine,) though, who had us kids trained at 20 months in 3 days!

- emilyc on March 19th, 2010

The little boy I watch was fully potty trained at 22 months old and speaking full sentences at 18 months. He just turned two a few weeks ago and will say, “I have to pee!” Does that make him a genius? Nope just makes him a boy who just happens to be learning things at a faster pace then some other kids.
All children are different and will do things at different rates and no one child is more special bc of the things they can do or say!!

- JMO on March 19th, 2010

My daughter was about three years old before she was fully potty trained and she still had bed wetting issues for a few months after that, even if I took her to potty right before bed. Whereas I was potty trained at a year old. As soon as I could walk, I started using the potty. I also talked earlier than my daughter did and I was a quieter child than my daughter was. Every kid is different and it is true boys have a harder time. It’s common fact, you can look it up. I can’t believe some women… they’ll get on people about the oddest things just to make themselves feel superior! I wish Jaime good luck with the potty training though and I hope she won’t be too hard on herself, especially if she has to listen to any asinine comments like some of the women have left here! Parenting, especially for the first time, is full of insecurity and fears as it is without the help from a bunch of old bitter mothers.

- Elizabeth on March 20th, 2010

I’m going to jump on the “every child is different and that is OK” bandwagon. My daughter could read at three but completely refused to use the potty. She is very independent and it was totally a case of “won’t” not “can’t”. My brother even tried to bribe her with the promise of a puppy but no deal. She was five before I stopped carrying the “emergency panties” in my purse

- Danielle on March 20th, 2010

my husband is 62 and he’s still not trained. I’ve tried the cheerios thing for aiming, I’ve tried star stickers, I’ve tried trips to Chuck E. Cheese. Nothing has worked. I’m ready to give up.

- mary hall on March 20th, 2010

I have three kids, all teenagers now; none still in diapers I NEVER potty trained my children. I set the potty out when they were two and they used it when they were ready. I don’t even remember their exact ages, it didn’t matter. But I do remember they were all using the potty before they were three.

- Angela Alexander on March 20th, 2010

Well, I did not find it so easy to train my son. But I realized that the easiest way for him was not to stand at all but to sit (just like a girl would). Nights were not so easy but god bless the pull-up! Anyway, my son sat on the toilet until he was tall enough to reach while standing.

- Sherine on March 20th, 2010

for a boy or a girl it is easy. humans are like dogs they don’t like to mess their homes. my mother told me to put my son in a long T shirt and nothing else. he might make a mess once or twice but with positive reenforcements he will realize he can’t potty himself anymore and then they will use the toilet like big boys and girl. I didn’t believe until I tried it and my son only had one accident. after that he was trained.

- jackie on March 20th, 2010

All children are different. I never “potty trained” any of my children, they were encouraged and shown and trained themselves WHEN they were ready.

- Jane on March 20th, 2010

All kids are different and I don’t think gender matters in this case. I am starting to potty train my son and so far he’s easier than my daughter was. And to ‘jen’ all kids are different with language development as well. Do you find it hard to believe that her son is speaking in complete sentences? Mine has been speaking complete sentences since before he was 2.

- anon on March 20th, 2010

Both my boys learned at 30 months. When Dad went to the bathroom, I sent them in too to imitate what Dad was doing on their own little potty. It was a snap, took only one month and soon they were going alone.

- A on March 20th, 2010

I tried to potty train my daughter when she was 18 months and she had no interest so I didn’t push it. At 2, her daycare started having her go to the bathroom with the bigger kids and she started telling me when she had to go. Of course there were a few accidents but it was like she was potty trained over night without me really having to do anything. Bottom line, every kid is different and you can’t push it or yell at them every time they have an accident because then they will be afraid of it.

- Krystle on March 20th, 2010

Mary Hall – good one!! LOL

Now if only we could teach all men to aim properly!!

- JMO on March 20th, 2010

As a teacher of young children I have potty trained dozens of kids and I can honestly say that there are NO set ages and NO set rules and NO technique that is going to work with every child. You just work at it, try different techniques and when the time is right it will happen.

They say boys on AVERAGE take longer than girls and maybe there is some truth to that because the majority of my girls were in underwear faster than the boys at the same age but some girls were slower to catch on and some boys were faster!

- Karm on March 20th, 2010

If he’s not ready, don’t push it. My oldest daughter didn’t potty train until she was 3, my youngest is 2 1/2 and still not potty trained. I was told by my pediatrician that it can do a lot of damage if you push too much, emotionally. I saw it first hand with my little brother who is nearly 9 years younger than me. Just don’t push, let him guide you when he’s interested and ready.

- Cookie on March 20th, 2010

my son will be 3 in June. he had absolutely no desire to pee on the “big potty” or a training potty. In January, he started telling me he had to pee, so I’d put him on the “big potty”. I told him he could sit or stand. He has been potty trained since January, no accidents at all!!! And stays dry all nite, every nite. Every child is different, but they will let you know exactly when the right time is for them. Good luck, you will be successful, even though at times, you think they will go to college in diapers lol!!

- carrie on March 20th, 2010

I was potty trained in a week at two years old and my mom thought that was amazing. However, my little cousin who is ten years younger than I am started toilet training at twenty months and was potty trained before his second birthday, no accidents! I’ve found with my kids that yes the boys do generally wait longer to start but they master it right away whereas the girls started sooner but took longer. Just my observations. Good luck Jaime on Dezi. It’s a tough time.

- Luna on March 20th, 2010

My son is another one who, while was speaking in sentences before his 2nd birthday, simply had no interest in using the potty. Two months after his 3rd birthday, he finally decided he was ready. It wasn’t that I was lazy and didn’t want to deal with it…I just decided to pick and choose my battles. Like now: He’s almost 13, and I can’t stand his hair because it’s getting long and shaggy looking. But his dad and I feel that things like behavior and grades are more important, so we don’t fight him on his hair.

- CTBmom on March 21st, 2010

Every baby does things at their own pace, well done to the parents who had their sons potty trained by 22 months, you can go collect your medals and trophies now.

Some boys are harder to train. That’s not people being lazy…that’s actual fact. There might be a few exceptions to the rule…but generally boys are a bit harder.

- Naomi on March 21st, 2010

Uh, maybe the potty training isn’t going well because Jami left his father and married another man fairly recently? Might be a little much for a 2 1/2 year old. Besides, it’s totally normal for a boy to not train closer to 3. Every kid is different.

- Caroline on March 22nd, 2010