Potty training dc2

[wem]

DD2 is 2.6, and I'm fairly sure she could be potty trained if we wanted to. DD1 was younger, and at a similar stage of development. DD2 is very communicative and would probably understand the explanations, but hasn't shown any interest yet.

We said we'd do it over Easter holidays, as DH has been off and no having to go backwards and forwards to DD1's preschool. But we totally chickened out, because a) we didn't want to spend the time off as a family stuck indoors, and b) DD2 has been going through a stubborn phase and it just felt like adding another thing she could flat out refuse to do.

I feel like maybe I should give it a go next week, having had the family holiday time this week. But I can't imagine staying in for days with them both. It was easier with DD1 and 4-month-old DD2.

Did you delay training DC2 just because life was more complicated the second time round? Should I let DD2 lead and wait until she asks?

[wem]

Ach, you mean I can't get MN to make all my decisions for me? No fair!

[pregnantpause]

I am delaying for DC 2. I think that with persistence she could do it now tbh, but it's cold, I'm having trouble with dd1 and tantrums, I can't add another straw atm. I'm waiting for some milder weather, not sunny, but not take your coat off and put your dressing gown on at home kind of weather.

[wem]

Thanks, it sort of felt like it wasn't fair to keep DD2 in nappies longer than necessary, but it just doesn't feel like a sensible time right now. Warmer weather would be good, even if only to have the garden to play in without a million layers on.

[pregnantpause]

I really thought Easter was the.time as well, bolstered with memories of last years sunshine.but she won't care if she was potty trained at 1,2 or three. In the grand scheme of things potty training a month or two later will not matter- except perhaps that mummy is bit less stressed, and her bare bums a bit warmer.

If she was begging to go in the potty, refusing to wear a nappy, and verbally expressing her disappointment with your delaying her transition to a big girl, I would say it's a little unfair, but even then, you are the grown up and therefore know best

[Crikeyme]

I'm on my second day with DD (bloody hell, is it only day two?!), who is 3 in a month. I too put it off until after a holiday, when I could be home with her every day for a fortnight and her home life would be as settled and routine as possible - then last week my husband unexpectedly had to be away for work all week, which also meant he wouldn't be able to take over while I wasn't around at the weekend.

So we started yesterday and had 8 accidents then (all wet), no successes on the potty; and so far 5 accidents today including one poo in her pants. She just doesn't seem to recognise the signs that she needs a wee.

The reason I want to persevere is that she starts playgroup next week and will begin nursery in September, by which time she definitely needs to have mastered it or won't be accepted. I also feel she's getting very big to not be trained - she's big for her age and it's difficult to find clothes that fit over nappies, vestsuits rather than vests and knickers etc, and however unwarranted, I do feel that other people are quite bemused that she isn't trained yet (and smug about the fact that their kids are). I just wanted to make sure I could take the time to concentrate on her, and now that half that time's been taken away, I'm feeling the pressure to have made a good start by the time she goes to playgroup next week.

[wem]

How's it going Crikeyme? Hopefully playgroup will be supportive and she'll make progress once she's there.

See, dd2 is on the small side so it feels like I've got some time before I start getting those looks.

[Crikeyme]

Hi Wem, thanks for checking up on me! It means a lot! Yep, I'll ask the playgroup leaders what they reckon (I'll be putting her in a nappy for those few hours at least) - she won't be the only kid in training there, I'm sure, and certainly not the first they'll have dealt with.

I think a lot of my frustration is having to definitely get this done and settled by September. As my mum keeps reminding me, when we were kids the discomfort of being in a wet or dirty nappy did a lot of the training for mums (that's why I'm putting her in clothes rather than having her half-naked); and school wasn't official till kids were four so you had more time. I totally understand that nurseries can't constantly be changing nappies for 30 kids, though.

Hope everything's going OK for you.

[Crikeyme]

Just checking in to offer some encouragement - having had a right old rant on Wednesday morning, we had a very successful afternoon. DD has only weed on the potty since then (although she has either poo'd into her pants or saved it for the middle of the night, but does at least wake up and feel uncomfortable enough to demand a change). The only accident has been because I couldn't get down the stairs to her quickly enough!

So I wanted to thank you guys for being a sounding-board, and say hang in there - I honestly thought day 2 would break me, I would never have believed things could turn around so quickly. I hope things move as quickly and encouragingly for you, too!

[wem]

That's great Crikeyme. I remember starting a thread on here after the first day of potty training dd1 because after a miraculous first wee in the potty she had accident after accident and it seemed like she just wasn't ready at all. Most people were very supportive but I got a couple of sniggers for considering giving up on the first day, which I thought was a bit harsh, but realised what they meant when she suddenly had the quick turn around like you say.

So, I will try to remember that when I finally get round to training dd2. It'll probably be the summer break now, as we're going away straight after the half term week and don't want to be spending it cleaning up accidents. Unless dd2 has other ideas and shows interest before then I guess.