Potty training for 5 day with no success... shall I continue

[Phoebe321]

My daughter is 2 years and 11 months and I have started to potty train her. I have tried at different times throughout this year but with no success, after about three days I give up as she was clearly not getting it. As she is now approaching 3 I thought i would give it a go over the Christmas holidays before she returns to nursery on 8th January. We are now on day 5 and we have had no successes at all. As it is Christmas I told her that the our 'Elf on a Shelt" has taken the Nappies back to the North Pole and now she has to wear big girl pants and use the toilet. She was okay with that. I am taking her to the toilet every hour, nothing, then an accident 5 minutes later, I have used all the techniques, sticker charts, singing on the loo, toys by the loo to play with, lots of praise when she sits on loo, ignoring accidents and not getting stressed. nothing is working, I know she fully understands what she needs to do but I think she is being stubborn, I read on internet yesterday that someone had more success when the child did not wear pants so I tried that this morning and she throws a tantrum when i suggest not to wear any ( I think she is seeing the pants as a substitute nappy) . We are now at the point where she screams and cries if i suggest/take her towards the loo. She has a really stubborn personality and knows her own mind and just wants to do what she wants to do. If I had had one or two successes then I may think its worth carrying on but to have nothing I am at a loss as to what to do. Its not like I am a novice at this, I have 2 other daughters so I know all the techniquies etc, but I am in unknown territory at the moment. Any advice would be really helpful.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

I would back off a bit, you don't need to take her to the loo every hour. Watch her like a hawk and look for the sign that she's about to wee and then suggest the loo. 'I can see you need a wee. The potty is right there for when you need to go.' And then walk away. Try and give her control.

If she starts to wee, tell her to hold it and lift to the toilet, every time. She needs to link the feeling of needing to wee with actually weeing.

The 'Oh Crap' book is a really good read. (It's also a quick read and you don't need to read the whole thing ) Good luck!

[Alphvet]

No leave it another month or so. Trained both mine at 3. So easy as they were ready. Leave it

[Phoebe321]

Thank you for the advice, teaandbiscuitsforme I will have a read of the book. As it’s Christmas with a lot going on I’ve decided to leave it didnt think it was fair for her to feel stressed at this time where she should be having fun.

[whatsittoyou]

I feel your pain I had the same experience when I started with my dd2 last month. We just stopped and will try again in spring.
I remember with my dd1 she was trained for a couple of months and then went totally backwards at Christmas with all the excitement and change of routine etc. Maybe it would be better to wait a couple of months and then start again over a weekend.

[CJCreggsGoldfish]

I'd definitely give her a break from it. My DS turned 3 at the beginning of November. I'd tried throughout the year with no success, and then gave it another go after his birthday...he hated it and cried for his nappy. I began to panic thinking he'd never get there. We gave it another go last week...he's now potty trained day and night! I can't believe how easy it's been, he's only had one accident that whole week and that's when he was tired and watching the iPad.

It really was a case of just waiting until he was ready.

[Ijustlovefood]

Maybe retry in a month.

[Rainatnight]

When you say on the loo, do you mean the main loo? Might she be a bit afraid of it? Have you tried a potty instead?

[MyBreadIsEggy]

MY dd is 2yr 8mnth and is similar. If she has no nappy or no pants on she will use the potty, but she’s not reliable in telling anyone she needs to go, and uses pants as a substitute nappy. So when we go out, I take her little fold out potty/toilet seat - which she will use at home, but as soon as I mention using the toilet or potty, she freaks out.
I don’t know what to do really.
I feel your pain

[CazY777]

My DD turned 3 a month ago. She's been using the potty at home since the summer but only when she didn't have bottoms on. Whenever I tried knickers or just trousers inside or outside the house she would just have accidents all the time despite being asked if she needed to go every half hour or so. What's worked for us is her moving up to the 3 and 4 year old room at nursery, where all the other children are out of nappies. She instantly got it, has only had a couple of accidents, now says when she needs the toilet, can pull her trousers down, can hold on when we're out and is also dry quite often at night. It's been quite a revelation after months of wondering if she'll ever get it! So, maybe you need to just wait a bit longer.