Still wet after 2 months. Give up?

[NutwoodWanderer]

DD is 2 1/2 and we started 2 months ago. She had shown a lot of interest and even asked to go in the middle of the supermarket and waited till got to the loo and did it on big toilet. So we thought this must mean she is ready.

Did the Gina Ford 'in a week' method (yeah right) and camped on potty for 3 days and knickers, no pull ups. She was very obliging - did lots of stories games etc. For 1.5 days, no wees in potty, but a couple of 'dots' which we celebrated with stickers etc and prizes. Then after 1.5 days, she got it and did all nearly all wees (small) in potty and needed a wee as soon as finished last one so we were chained to toilet. (Lack of ability to hold in?) Then she was a potty junkie and just liked the attention, so we gradually reduced the books to nothing and seemed OK.

A couple of OK days with just a couple of accidents, but then got progressively worse and she wouldn't sit down even if it had been ages and we knew she needed on. She got very stubborn or angry if we said 'do you want to go?' or 'let's go' or 'time to go' etc and sometimes upset. So we didn't push her and then of course weed in pants.

Often she does a tiny wee in pants, then says 'I need a wee' then wees the rest in the loo after persuasion. We still praise these as she does do the 'main' wee in the loo, but obviously either doesn't know until she's doing the tiny one or is too stuborn to go.

Sometimes she's fine and will do one without a wee in pants first, but more often than not each wee is preceded by an 'advance wee' in pants. I'm not even worrying about poos, which are invariably always in pants (even though curiously it was the first thing she did in the potty on the first day of potty training! never since.) She's better at nursery, when non-parents suggest she goes to the loo. But with us, it's all stubborn-ness and stress. NB We are being very calm and don't tell her off ever and just say 'never mind/don't worry etc'

We relaunched 2 weeks ago with her choosing new potty, new stickers, new charts etc. Improved for a couple of days, but now back to square 1.

So now, 2 months in, we are getting through about 5 pairs pants every day and, if she's not in a dress, the same number of trousers.

I know people say 'oh you mustn't give up', but she just isn't getting it. Or is sometimes but not with us. If I say 'would you like to wear nappies instead' she says no, she wants to wear knickers. Have had enough now. I'm thinking of going into pull-ups. She can still do a wee/poo in toilet/potty, but at least it will only be when she asks, not when we suggest (though we can still suggest at some key times, just don't need to worry if she refuses). Ay advice? Am I right to think about going 'backwards' into pullups? In 3 weeks going on holiday - a 10 hour drive to North Scotland.

Thanks

[mymumdom]

I don't know what the 'right' advice is but I'd give up for now, pop her into pull ups and try again in September.

[NutwoodWanderer]

Thanks for your advice. I think I will try 'trainer pants' for a while. Not the pull-up nappies, but the ones which are like knickers. I think that's a half way house.

[mosschops30]

I would saymaybe shesnot ready.
Tried a few times with ds1, but he simply wasnt ready.
When we finally did it when he was 3, he cracked it in 3 days and was dry through the night from the off

[shushpenfold]

Give up but do realise that you may not be able to try for 6 months....we did this and after 3 months (when we thought it might be fine) she had hystrionics until 6 months past. Don't regret it for a second though.....she's now 8 and it's a dim and distant memory!