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Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

Potty training

A few questions now we've started...

5 replies

ElphabaTheGreen · 22/12/2014 13:38

DS1 is 2yrs 7months. I started potty training in earnest yesterday (knickers only, no nappy except at night) because he can consistently squeeze out a wee when willing to be put on the toilet; there have been a few occasions where he's asked to get out and wee in the toilet when he's been in the bath; when I got a potty, he ripped his trousers and nappy off and immediately did a huge poo in it as soon as he got in from nursery on three consecutive days; but mainly because he's going into epic, screaming, kicking nappy refusal which, when I'm also managing his four month old brother, is just about tipping me over the edge into insanity.

We've had lots of accidents yesterday and today, which I guess is to be expected. I'm looking for tips really and reassurance (or corrections!)

  • he never really says when he wants to go. About the only way I can get him on the potty or toilet is with bribery, at which point he will always wee/poo/both. Is this OK? I'm mainly using stickers (which he's lining up on his chest like an Army general's pips - he's not enthusiastic about a chart. He'd rather wear them and say, 'That one's for wee, that one's wee, that one's poo...' etc)
  • how long should I carry on for before deciding he's not ready, if it doesn't happen?
  • DH got cross with him yesterday when he wet himself five minutes after being asked if he needed the potty. I had words and told DH he must never get cross and just act casually about it while explaining that DS1 needs to use the potty when he needs a wee/poo. Am I right about this?
  • I prompt him every 10 to 20 minutes about the potty being nearby if he needs to wee/poo. He always denies needing to go if I ask him. Do I keep reminding/asking or just stick with appropriately-spaced bribery and/or reminders to use the potty when I have to clean up a mess?


Thanks in advance! Sorry about the long post Blush
OP posts:
TarkaTheOtter · 22/12/2014 13:47

We've been potty trying for a few weeks. Our progression was:
Within a day or two went from lots of little wees to obviously holding as going over an hour between them. After two or three days minimal accidents BUT we are doing all the promoting. If I didn't make her sit on the toilet regularly we would be mostly giving accidents. At this stage we can go about life normally. After two weeks or so she seems much more aware if accidents and can wee on demand. Still not asking to go to the potty but will come easily if she actually needs to when we ask and is reluctant to come if she doesn't need one so I feel like we are making progress.

I would increase the intervals and only ask every hour as a next step. At 2.7 (similar age to my dd) I'd keep going for a few weeks if you can stomach it.

TarkaTheOtter · 22/12/2014 13:48

Sorry, promoting should be prompting in my post above.

ElphabaTheGreen · 22/12/2014 14:06

Yep - fair enough. Thanks for that Smile He's going to be home with me for the next two weeks, after which he'll be back at nursery in the new year and they can take over I wasn't sure if I should even keep trying it for two weeks, though, so that's helpful.

He already goes an hour or two between wees, and you can usually set your watch by his poo, fortunately (except for today when we've had a couple of lovely mishaps Hmm)

What do you do about going out? Do you still stay nappy-free - should I buy a travel potty? Or do you put a nappy on?

OP posts:
TarkaTheOtter · 22/12/2014 14:26

We stay nappy free when out because dd will just wee in the nappy without even commenting on it so I think it sets her back.
We also have a very fancy travel potty but dd "doesn't like it" Hmm so we cart the regular potty round with us. We have a baby too so we can just hang the extra bag off the pushchair. Some places have toddler toilets which she will sit on but she won't sit on a regular toilet. That's my next hurdle to address. Dd doesn't tend to have accidents when out so long as we take her to use potty every so often. I think she makes a greater effort to hold it.

Dd, ummm, "knows her own mind" which has made potty training particularly delightful Grin. This is our third attempt. Looking back I wish I had persevered before because I think dd just needed more non-nappy time to actually get it and I gave up too soon.

weebairn · 29/12/2014 12:57

Hi, I have just started potty training my eldest, she is 2 yrs 3 months.

I think it is going well but I have no idea what I'm doing really. We've had 3 days nappy free in the house and she is successfully using the potty (I don't need to prompt her, though I mention it regularly - she will just say "potty now" and go use it)

What next? Pants? Do you wear nappies out? What about nap time?

I also have a 3 month old it would be great to only have one in nappies soon!!

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