Help!

My son is three and a half. He is a very smart little kid - he can already read! (And not just sight words, he can actually sounds out words with short vowel sounds.) But this potty training thing is just not working. Shortly after he turned two he understood the concept, and he would have entire days where he would stay dry, and then be wet the whole next day. That was understandable at two years old; no problem. But it has been almost a year and a half, and he hasn't improved! I don't know why. He can hold his bladder - and he WILL - as long as he can. He just won't TELL us when he needs to pee. I will ask him if he needs to go, and he'll say, "Not yet," but then he'll pee in his pull-up 2 minutes later. He just does not want to stop playing. He doesn't dread going to the bathroom, he doesn't throw fits. He just simply doesn't care when he gets wet. He would probably sit in a soaking wet diaper all day and not care. Of course, I pay attention to the amount of liquids he consumes, and I tell him when it's time to go to the bathroom, but he will never tell ME. And because he doesn't care about getting wet, he doesn't exhibit any signs that he has to go (like a potty dance).

Sometimes when we put him in underwear, he does and good job, but other times, it is a disaster. He can literally sit in a puddle of pee and not care.

He's fairly independent, he can pull down his pants and pull-up by himself, he can move his stool to the toilet and climb up by himself, he'll flush, he'll wash and dry his hands by himself... and he enjoys being able to do these things. We also give praise, and rewards for staying dry, like stamps, stickers, etc. We also let him have a hot wheels car if he can stay dry for an entire day. That helps a bit.

So, in short, he will hold his bladder, I just need him to stop what he's doing to TELL me, and then he can go right back to playing.

I understand that all kids learn at different paces, but if anyone has any advice (other than waiting it out), I would appreciate it.

Thanks!



(Side note - He does not have a problem pooping in the potty. He has been doing that without a problem since he was 2.)