Any advice on how to proceed with potty training DD2 (23mo)?

[mintymellons]

I have two DDs. The older one is six and was potty trained at about 25 months. It was all pretty easy and seems like a long time ago!

For a while now, DD2 has been announcing when she's doing a poo, so a few weeks ago we decided to get the potty out of the loft with the aim of gradually introducing her to it (as per a lot of the advice). She was very taken with it at first and would happily sit on it for ages with a book or toy. We've been trying to get her sitting on it at regular times (after breakfast, after nap, before bed). We've managed to catch a few poos in it anyway. I sort of had it in mind that I might try and do full on training next week when DD1's back at school, but the thing is that DD2 seems to have lost interest in the whole thing! She still says when she's doing a poo, in fact she says "poo, potty" and points to the potty or even fetches it, but now more or less refuses to sit on it and can get quite tearful. I have no idea why.

I'm pretty sure that we could have some success as the signs are def there, but not sure how to circumnavigate the sudden potty refusal and obv she would need to spend some reasonable amounts of time sitting on there!

Does anyone have any thoughts?

[girlywhirly]

I don't think you will get anywhere with a child who is so unwilling to even sit on the potty. I'd leave the potty out but not make a big fuss.

You could try getting DD2 to sit on the potty with nappy on to poo, when she gets used to this, loosen the nappy so that it's just lining the potty, working towards no nappy at all.

[DamselInDisarray]

She might be more willing to sit on the potty if she's not wearing nappies at all.

[mintymellons]

Thanks.

Yes, I obviously don't want to make a fuss about it and she WILL sit on the potty sometimes, but is generally much less interested than she was initially. There's no great rush, but equally it seems daft holding her back if she may be ready. I suppose I could just give it a go next week as planned and if it doesn't work, then leave it a month or two and try again.