Calling potty training pros!!

[Onceuponatimethen]

Hi all

My ds is 3.1 and has been interested in training for ages. We’ve had a few attempts but not very successfully.

Tried again today - bottoms off and naked from waist down then drink, then after twenty minutes prompted!

He popped on potty and did tiny wee. Huge applause from all then we went down loo, hands washed, chocolate button awarded.

Then five minutes later huge wee all over floor.

Is this normal? Without prompting he seems to have no sense of needing to go - but he’s getting old for potty training.

Any ideas - just persevere?

[Onceuponatimethen]

Ok kept nappy off and now he’s run to potty and done another tiny wee. So maybe keep trying?

[Millybingbong]

Give him a chance. He sounds totally ready tor me.

You need to give him a few days

[Nan0second]

Consider reading oh crap potty training. Will really help both of you

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

I agree with Nano, definitely read Oh Crap!

Knowing that he needs to go isn't a sign of being ready for potty training IMO, teaching that is kind of what it's about. So keep going! Personally I'd go no nappy unless he's asleep; prompt but don't phrase it as a question and try not to hover too much.

On my daughters first day she did loads of mini wees - but why would ever have needed to hold it and release it before? Nappy caught it all! Your DS will get the hang of a big release soon.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

*why would she have needed to hold her wee before

[Onceuponatimethen]

That’s so reassuring - thanks guys!!

Good point that it isn’t a sign of readiness.

I will go for it now then and try again tomorrow.

What is oh crap - a book? Can’t find it but will look again the morning.

[Onceuponatimethen]

Found it and bought it!!

I will keep going tomorrow - fingers crossed!!!

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

Good luck! The book is a quick read. Bit over the top American but the content is very good!

[happymumof4crazykids]

Don't go back to nappies now you have started it will be confusing and take longer. Just keep at it! Stay at home for a few days and hopefully you will see a massive improvement. Ime the first 3 days are a nightmare then after that he will have it!

[Onceuponatimethen]

I can stay at home this morning but not this afternoon, so will try again this morning.

Then tomorrow morning he has preschool and goes there in nappies. All other kids there are dry and he’s the youngest

I think I should wait until he can get to the potty before suggesting he goes without a nappy at preschool? They aren’t really set up to potty train but there is one potty in the toilet there - long way to go though!

Will try again tomorrow afternoon too.

[Onceuponatimethen]

Love the idea that he will hopefully start to get it in three days!

Thanks so much all for the advice

[Sparky888]

If you can, keep him off childcare, until he has really got it at home in the first week. It can avoid him just reverting whilst at childcare!

[LambMadras]

Anytime you put a nappy back on him you will confuse him. (Apart from bedtime). Just go for it in pants and within a couple of days he will get it.
We had accidents the first day with my DS1. Then he was dry fully within 2 days. Just be confident and consistent and he will start to understand.

[Keepingupwiththejonesys]

With all mine I've had them wear nothing at home for the first week but then pull ups when we needed to go out. After that first week I've gone for it and nothing at home or out. I've explained that the pull up is knickers, not a nappy and it worked well for us. I don't think pull ups are good for the actual training at home but they are great for that first week when out. Dd2 was day and night time trained all at the same time age 21 months but dd1 was day time trained at 2 but not consistently dry at night until 2 years 6 months so wore a pull up to bed as I didn't like to use a proper nappy at all after removing them.

Just keep taking DC to the toilet, remind them to go themselves. After about 3 days I bought loads of cheap knickers and had then wear them in the house. A lot of children don't like to wet them and I found it sped up the process. Good luck!

[TheClitterati]

I did exactly what you are doing - twice.

It worked very well. Once weeing was sorted I just gave chocolate button for poop.

Keep going. Be patient. No big deal about mistakes, much happiness over success.

I figured out I needed to sit mine about every 1.5 hours. Easy to lose track of time so use timer on phone.

Dd2 didn't like potty and went pretty much straight to using the loo. She wanted to be like everyone else.

[Keepingupwiththejonesys]

My dd2 was the same clitterati, was quite offended if I ever suggested the potty!

And yes, huge praise over all wees and poops on the toilet but almost ignore accidents. I'd just clean it up and at the most say 'oh well, you'll get to the toilet next time' or 'just remember weewee goes in the potty/toilet'

[pancakebread]

I made the mistake of sending my 3 year old in nappies when toilet training at home, nursery said they preferred the no nappies.

[IfYouDontImagineNothingHappens]

You need a good run of time at home to support him. You can't just nappy on and off. Unless his childcare will assist you in training?

[Onceuponatimethen]

I have potty training for boys which suggests potty training sessions of as short as a couple of hours until there is some evidence they are getting the hang of it. So I thought best to keep nappies at preschool for next week until he’s better able to control? He’s only done a few days at preschool so still settling in and I think he will get v upset if he has accidents there.

I wouldn’t have planned to try again this weekend but he asked to sit on the potty so I went with it

[Onceuponatimethen]

Ideally I would like to have three days just to focus on him getting it but we have older dc who have to be places and school runs/parties/I have work/preschool run - older dc more potty trained themselves quickly and it was summer so just a long weekend in the garden. I have no experience of this situation.

[Onceuponatimethen]

Just talking to dh and he pointed out ds doesn’t have preschool at the end of next week as he’s still doing settling in so that would be a good time to really go for it.

Then if we can get him going on the potty for five days and have him more or less getting the idea we can ask the preschool what they prefer the following Monday and if he can come to preschool in pants then?

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

Op, read Oh Crap - she does a chapter on mixing training with daycare that's worth a read.

But personally I wouldn't do pants. Commando in loose joggers for a couple of weeks.

[Onceuponatimethen]

I’ve got oh crap coming on amazon prime so i will! Thank you! I know I’ve torally messed this up because you aren’t supposed to train at stressful times like starting preschool but he asked so I didn’t think I should say no!!

I like the commando idea - less to pull down!!

[Onceuponatimethen]

No nappy on from when he got up this morning, then we had to go out just now so I popped a nappy back on.

He didn’t do a wee for two hours, then I was reminding him to try. He tried and nothing happened. Two minutes later a small puddle on the floor as he sprinted to potty where he did a tiny wee - made a big fuss of him and said he had done really well. Gave a chocolate button.

Five minutes after nappy on an enormous wee in the nappy.

I presume all this is normal

[GlitterBurps]

Stickers worked for us and a reward chart. 1 sticker for a wee on the potty or toilet and 2 for a poo. When he got 10 points/ stickers he got a prize. Either a small pack of smarties or a Thomas train.

I went on EBay and got about 10 for £5.

Keep him in pants so that if they have an accident they can feel what it’s like.