Potty Training- will this work?

[PeppaAteMySoul]

I have just started to potty train my 2.5 year old son. The method atm is after every nappy change he sits on the potty and has a story read to him. He then gets a sticker. My DP thinks this is a daft way of doing things as he will only learn to sit on the potty and never actually do anything in it. I think a gentle and slow approach willwork best for him, although I admit I don't know how to make the transition to weeing and pooing in the potty rather than sitting on it. So any advise/ help please?

[TattyDevine]

I don't have any experience of that method but I never went for the softly/gently approach...I just put them in pants on the day I decided to try it (always a weekend, both were started on a Saturday) - by pants I mean knickers not pull ups. And never looked back. Several accidents on the first day, one or two on the 2nd and by the 3rd day they got the hang of it with very few accidents after that. DS was clean and dry in the day by 2 years 3 months and dry at night by 3 (he wore a pullup at night). DD was clean and dry at 2 years 3 months and dry at night a week later. Ages relevant only to illustrate at what age I used this method by the way (in case people wanting to try the cold turkey into pants think a rising 2 is too young - they are not necessarily, it just depends a bit on the child).

[MrsBartlettforthewin]

With my DD I used to put her on first thing in the morning, she would often wake with a dryish nappy and clearly weed within the first 10-20 min of being up, so we were likely to catch that wee in the potty iyswim. This was followed with lots of praise for weeing in the potty. Then after that every 2 hours whatever we were doing we would sit her on it for about 10 minutes or until she went, whichever came first.

But this wasn't until she had shown signs that she was ready to start training, she would often tell use when she had filled her nappy that sort of thing. Pooing in the potty took a lot longer to get sorted.

[Farandole]

Agree with Tatty. Have you read the MN potty training boot camp page? Worked a charm on my two and they PT quite early (around 2 or shortly thereafter). Chocolate buttons for a wee/poo also worked. And a big reward for one full week of dry nights. We made, literally, a huge song and dance (known in our house as the Bamboo song - don't ask) when DS did something on the potty, which he absolutely loved. There are also fun books - I remember one about a pirate's potty, and one about the fact that 'even firefighters go to the toilet'.

I'm no psychologist but I would think associating the reward with wee/poo (as opposed to just sitting there) would be more effective.

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

The only way he will learn, is to make mistakes.

By being put in pants. By feeling wet.

Yes, getting him used to the potty is good.

If he does anything in the potty, then show him and tell him.

The other thing that might work is

Give him a big drink. Then every 10 minutes put him on the potty. Until he has had 2 or 3 wees.

[MrsBartlettforthewin]

oh and once we started she was in pants not pull ups, other than a night nappy, as it helped her learn what it felt like. She was about 2 when we started.

[Notso]

I don't know. It didn't for DC4. With the other three we did the same as Tatty although it was repeated several times as it was obvious they were not ready at the initial ages.
DC3 and 4 are close in age and from about 16 months DC4 copied his brother and sat on the potty at regular then had his nappy put back on. My idea was if he ever did anything we would build on that however in over a year he did nothing more than a fart when on the potty.
So we did the cold turkey pants method again.