My Two Year Old Won't Leave His Diaper On....

Updated on June 03, 2008
T.S. asks from Grove City, OH
26 answers

I have a little 2 year old boy who thinks it is incredably helarious when he takes his diaper off. He doesn't talk yet so I don't think potty training is an option. What the heck am I suppose to do? I have to wash everything several times a day. It is getting very very old!! I have even tried using that clear packing tape all the way around the top, and some how this smart little terd gets out of it STILL!! I try so hard not to laugh cause he thinks it is so funny....

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So What Happened?

Thank you everyone for your wonderful advice! I am glad to know I am not the only one with a hippy baby, lol. I am getting into the attic to get his winter cloths out and see if there are any sleepers in there that still fit him and I will cut them up for the summer. I will also try pull-ups during the day and see if he can get potty trained. I am not worried about him not talking yet, his sister didn't talk until she was about 26 months and she hasn't stopped since, she is now 8 LoL!!! I will keep you guys updated as to how my wonderful genius hippy 2 year old son does with his potty training. That'll be fun, lol. =)

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A.S.

answers from Canton on

Maybe you should go ahead and potty train him. I had my daughter trained by the time she was two. He might be sending you a signal that he is ready to become a big boy now.

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S.P.

answers from Indianapolis on

If you put him in a onesie and overalls with no snaps on the bottom, he should have a real challenge to get out of his diaper.

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A.L.

answers from Indianapolis on

At that phase, you have to stop rewarding him with laughing. the next thing you can do is find some of the onsies that are more difficult to get out of...especially around nap time.

good luck

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M.B.

answers from Lima on

Tape his clothes instead of the diaper. Go through the crotch & over the shoulders. Not TOO tight though. Do you believe in spanking?

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J.S.

answers from Terre Haute on

Hi T., first off I gotta say, I LOVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR!!! LOL.
My 2 year old daughter does that when she's wanting to potty in her potty. We always tell her that we gotta go potty so she can get the concept. She has a very good vocabulary due to the fact that we all talk to each other. I guess you can say informants...lol. She'll tell me, "MAaawwmyyy..I got to potty!" Or she'll go hide in a corner (still in diapers too), and look around the corner and say, "Mom, I poop." So I know its time for me to suggest her to go potty in her toilet. But she still won't poop in the toilet. She will hide in the corner and that's when we know she's having the number 2. My oldest daughter surprisingly sat on the potty to do all that all on her own. The best thing is is that my 2 older ones make going to the bathroom a big deal especially in public...LOL..they will let us know that they have to go and so than she has to go too. Even though she's in a diaper its nice to know that she's willing to use the toilet as well. She will take her diaper off and we'll set it aside. We do offer underware for her to wear, but she says not ready for them. So we always ask and give her options that way we know exactly what she wants and needs at the moment. So I would say if your son is taking his diaper off ask him, "Are you wanting to go pee pee in the potty?" And show him what you mean. Sooner or later he'll get the concept. Good Luck.

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K.P.

answers from Columbus on

Have you tried to put on some pj's backwards. If you have to, cut the feet out so they will fit on backward. Then he will not be able to reach the zipper. And, so what if he has to wear pj's during the day. It is a lot better than cleaning up everything all day long. I wish you good luck.

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S.F.

answers from Fort Wayne on

You could try putting him in clothes he can't easily get off like overalls. They snap at the top on the shoulder and many children find a hard time getting them off.

You might also just try to start potty training. Tell him big boys wear big boy underwear and go to the potty. Put him on the potty every 20minutes after a meal and every hour during the day (or between housework tasks!).

On the upside, summer is here and you won't have to worry about frostbite on his bum. ;-)

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M.P.

answers from Indianapolis on

I say try potty training. Even if he can't talk, he can undersand what you are saying. Do you have the heavy training pants? They sell them at Walmart, will he where pants? or does he just like being naked?
I have raised 3 kids and have 2 grandbabies, one is almost two and I am working on getting him potty trained.

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L.D.

answers from Fort Wayne on

My girlfriend had the same problem. She used the thick duct tape and her daughter could not get that off. It worked! Hope it works for you..L.

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M.F.

answers from Cincinnati on

Not that this is good parenting or a sound solution, but several people I know have had the same issue with their boys around this age and they have defaulted to duct tape. It probably holds better than the clear packing tape. It worked long enough to stop their sons from trying to take the diaper off anymore.

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P.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

Thank goodness I only experienced this with my DS (now 26) for a couple of days. He was looking for a reaction, I think more than anything else and believe me, the first few times he did it he got all he was looking for!!! Then I just told him it was nasty and put it back on. I used cloth diapers most of the time so I put the pins in backwards and ruined a couple pair of plastic pants because I put the pins in so they were pinned to the diaper!!! That way he couldn't pull off the plastic pants and still leave wet mess on the carpet etc.!
While he isn't talking yet he understands a lot of what you are telling him and what you are saying. Just repeat it is nasty, a bad thing to do, and use the word "No" a lot. Let him know you aren't happy with this and (hard as it is) you have to sit down with the rest of the family and convince them to follow your lead with the "nasty, bad thing to do, and no" and not laugh at him.
He really isn't to young to understand the time out practice. If you don't want to leave your diaper/pants on then when you take them off and I have to put them back on you go to your play pen, crib, whatever for 5 minutes every time you take them off. He won't like that very much and will get the message. No pants I can't play and follow mommy/family members around and get to do what they are doing.
I would suggest going to pull-ups but they are just easier to get off and I don't think it will solve your problem!!!
Since both of children were toilet trained by 19 months old I don't think it is to early to potty train. I realize this is not the practice with most mother's today, but I am older.
I love to cook and constantly make too much food for the two of us. How far from Danville do you live? Maybe I could find a way to help you out with that!!! LOL.
P. R

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C.R.

answers from Toledo on

My first is only 13 months so I can only tell you what has worked for my girlfriend with this exact situation. She really did potty train her daughter around this time. She just kinda tried it to see if it was a sign that she was ready and it worked! Her daughter started taking her diaper off and was kinda able to dress herself (a little). Hope this helps. Whatever makes our lives a little easier I'm all for! :)

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S.D.

answers from Indianapolis on

Potty training has nothing to do with talking, in most countries around the world, people start potty training when the baby can sit on the potty around 6-9 months. So, if you want to start, just get a book on potty training babies and toddlers and go for it!
Put him in onesies all the time, it's harder to get the diaper off if your shirt is snapped at the crotch!
Switch to cloth diapers that snap, they are harder to get off. My son gets velcro but doesn't get the snaps yet.
Good Luck:)

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M.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

hi i have two stippers. we do the duck tape and the only way they keep it on is to wrap around 3-4 times and the start and finish have to be in the back. if this does not work. put there sleeper on back wards the kind that zip up. during the day use saftey pins the small ones so they cannot get them open and put on the sides. does he talk at all? just wandering. my four year old is deaf and has some other issues and we have a lot of issues with him taking his diaper off. but my two year old that is not deaf talks alot. i do have a friend of a friend who said her two year old only says a couple of words and all three of her kids where like that.

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R.H.

answers from Cleveland on

ALL two year olds do this!!! You can put his pj's on with the zipper in the back.

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L.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

Hi T.,

Even though you son isn't talking yet it sounds like he is ready for potty training. My son did the same thing prior to him being train. Maybe the next time he take his diaper off just sit him on the pot and see how he reacts.

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A.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

You sound like me with the cooking, LOL. Your son may not be able to talk, but when he takes off his diaper, you could just place him on the potty and have him see what it feels like. I have a son and never did figure out if it was best to have him sit or stand. I think he sat for a long time and then stood up to pee when he was comfortable.
By teaching your son what happens when the diaper comes off, maybe he'll get it. Plus with summer coming and hopefully it'll get warm at some point, the diaper is hot and some kids shed it then just because of the heat. Good luck! I know it is funny.

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W.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

One of my boys did that too. I had to put his diaper on backwards AND tape it! I think I may have used duct tape - he couldn't get out of it. Also, be sure the diaper is snug - if too loose he can suck in his belly and wiggle out of it. Good luck, I know how frustrating that can be.

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S.S.

answers from Cleveland on

T.,
I have two two year olds, and they started taking their diaper off right before they turned two. We had to resort to putting onsies on them again, and they wear one every day, and i figure they will until they are potty trained. We had two instances of poop on the crib/walls and that was it. It is hard to find 24 month onsies, but luckily mine are small enough to still wear them. I've also heard that duct tape works, or putting the diaper on backwards, although I've never tried either solution. I've also heard of putting one peice pajamas on backwards so that they can't undo the zipper or buttons. The joys of having two year olds... :-)

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D.L.

answers from Columbus on

i have twins girls, almost 1.5yrs one of them does the same and i started sitting her on the toilet and she went the very first time and has every time i sit her on about 7 times now randomly(i'm not ready for that though). so don't get stuck on a milestone or age to start. aside from that if your going to be at home i would try putting short overalls on him hard to get those buttons loose or something that you could reverse and zip up in the back, GOOD LUCK!

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S.T.

answers from Youngstown on

lol it is time for the potty that what happed to me when i was baby sitting if they can move ther head to say yes and no get that potty out and ask often he will go sooner or later

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B.L.

answers from Youngstown on

My youngest daughter used to love taking her diaper off, so we had to do the tape thing...we'd make sure the edges of the tape were in the very center back where she couldn't get ahold of a corner to pull it off.

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D.T.

answers from Indianapolis on

First off, a 2 year old should have a decent vocabulary. If he doesn't, get him checked out right away! Second, this is a pretty common problem that lots of kids do. Many parents have success with duct tape and/or diaper on backwards. Also use clothes like a onsie that snap in the crotch. Or, maybe try a pull-up type because maybe he'll just like it better and leave it alone.

However, you can potty train your 2 year old. If he's that determined to not wear a diaper, then just potty train him. Kids don't need to talk to potty train - you can teach him the sign language for potty related words. Most babies/toddlers these days know a few signs (more and eat seems to be the most popular) so adding the few for potty training won't be any extra work.

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C.S.

answers from Youngstown on

I took old sleepers that were too small and cute the feet off of them and turd them around so the zipper was in the back this was they couldn't get them off. in the summer just cut the arms and legs off so it's cooler...M little one is Houdini I swear but this seemed to work with her! Good Luck!

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M.R.

answers from Columbus on

Duct tape and the diaper on backwards worked for us, but if he is so smart, maybe he is smart enough to potty train even if he can't speak?

By age two he should have words. Kids with delays can be very smart, so don't mistake his intellegence as being enough if he is not making the developmental milestones on time.

Discuss this with your pediatrician right away and get a referral if he is truly not speaking at all, and by all means, put him on the potty and see if he can do it!

M.

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S.M.

answers from Dayton on

My youngest did this when he was this age. Only thing that worked was duct tape. He would get out of the tub every night, get a fresh diaper, then stand and twirl while we taped him all the way around. Needed scissors to get it off him in the morning, but no more messes!

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