Is this a bad thing?

[Mumswang]

DS is not quite 2, he has been displaying and interest in wees and poos, announcing when he's done one, announcing he's about to do one in the bath, then proudly producing and so on.

I had no intention of potty training yet as a) I thought he is too young b) I was going to wait until he asked for pants like all the other boys () c) we're moving house in a couple of weeks and d) we're having another baby in 6 weeks so figured that that would be enough change and upheaval for the time being (and i'm really lazy

Anyway after he'd announced then done a wee on his bedroom floor after his bath every day for a week I bought a potty. He now likes to sit on it, just after getting out of the bath and he does a wee and for the last few days has done a poo.

I thought this was great but had no intention of beginning 'potty training' per se, just letting him get used to the idea of using the potty, when it was convenient (for me)

But now The Book (SWSNBN), the MIL and my DP are saying this half hearted approach is a bad idea and we either reed to do it properly (too much hassle) or not at all (but he likes his potty)

Any thoughts?

[girlywhirly]

You can keep going with the potty and nappies for a while, especially as he is so young, and you will all be going through big changes as a family. The thing is, how much warning does he give you that he needs a wee/poo, and can he hold on until you get him on the potty? If he wees or poos just seconds after he says, he isn't ready for the full on, no nappies training. There is a lot to be said for a laid back approach to start with, especially with the risk of regression.

If he asks to use the potty and is happy to do so, and you have the nappies as back up, you are not stressed about accidents all the time (which is actually what stresses parents most, cleaning up mess, extra laundry, difficult to clean carpets and upholstery etc.) You could try using disposable pull-ups as they are easier to get up and down, or washable training pants (which don't have much absorbency) or cloth pocket style nappies for toddlers where you can add as much absorbency as you need, but they still pull down and up like pull-ups (expensive and need laundering, but could be used as night nappies when DS is trained, and used by your second child too when needed.)

This interest in the potty could go either way, he will train himself because he's well motivated to do so, or he will lose interest temporarily as he goes through the terrible twos. I'd continue to support DS while he is interested.

[Mumswang]

Thanks for your reply.

He gives almost no warning at all, i don't think he could hold it in until we got him to a potty

ok it sounds from what you say that the softly softly approach won't do any harm, which is what concerned me, the 'mixed messages' he's apaprently getting although i'm not sure that the messages are mixed

if he wants to sit on his potty he can, if he loses interest (actually i think this is very likely) i'll forget about it until he is older

thank you