Help I think I'm doing this all wrong!

[Cherrybug]

Hi, sorry for long post in advance!

DD is 2.5 and I have been attempting to start potty training but I think I'm doing it all wrong and making it harder. I thought she must be ready as she always tells me when she's done a poo. She knows what the toilet is for, understands instructions and didnt mind sitting on the toilet (though never doing anything).

So, one day I put her in pants and kept putting her on the toilet. She never did anything and when I asked her if she needed a wee (which I did every 15 mins) she said no. When I put her on the toilet she'd say she didnt need one. Then she had an accident straight after. I put her pullups back on after that.

Tried again a couple of times on different days, same again. Then tried again today and now she's more reluctant to sit on the toilet and always says she doesn't need a wee. I asked her if she needed a wee, she said no and promptly wee'd herself. So I've just put her pullups back on.

Am I giving her mixed messages. I know I'm not being very consistant. Should I just keep her in pants all day despite lots of accidents and keep trying? I'm worried she's going to get more and more resistant to going on the toilet if I keep pushing it but at the same time I feel she must be ready.

[essyroo]

No, I don't think you're doing it all wrong. You're just doing what you think best!

Have you tried some sort of reward system to encourage her and help you be consistent? E.g stickers for every time she does something in the potty/toilet. Or, a special 'potty/toilet toy' or book that she gets to play with when she's on the potty/toilet?

If you want to try her straight into pants, you need to be prepared for lots of mopping up and washing to begin with, and maybe spending lots of time distracting while she's siiting on the toilet at regular and frequent intervals. once you've managed to 'catch' something in the potty a few times and she's been rewarded for it she should begin to get the idea.

Try to keep the pressure off though and let her know you're relaxed about it.

I need to keep remembering that one myself! My DD is 2.8 and we've been potty training since the Summer. She started off in pants and was doing really well but then just seemed to go backwards and forget everything she'd learnt so i've ended up going back to pull ups to try and take the pressure off us both. It was much more straght forward with my Son!!

[noor6]

hello my lilone is 2years old and i've started potty training she did it quite happily but after that she stopped and she always tell me that she z pooing but instead of toilet she always do it in her pullup.she is my first child so dont know what to do.I also give her anything she want toy,chocolate etc but now she dont even sit on the toilet.and she start crying nd screams.dont know what to do.plzz give some advice

[essyroo]

Hi noor6!Isn't this potty training thing fun!
Maybe you need to stop for now and try again in a couple of months? 2 is still very young and there's no rush!
I'm at the point where I'm still encouraging my daughter to use the potty or toilet (her choice!), by asking if she needs to go, and giving her a reward if she tells me she needs a wee and does it in the potty, but i'm not insisting on her sitting on the potty and have just backed off a bit.

[Cherrybug]

Thanks Essy. I've decided to go for the pants and mopping up option over Christmas. Thats' because she'll be with me and not out as much at things so I can focus upon it.

I really think she just needs to do something in the toilet once or twice and she'll get it - I guess a couple of days of mopping and distracting on the loo will be the way forward (going to buy a book for her about going to the toilet) and I'll get some stickers in to try the reward thing.