Toddler started to say when he has pooed - but no interest in the potty

[dodi1978]

Hi,

DS2 (2.3) has just started telling me when he has done a poo (pointing to bottom and saying 'stinky' or 'poo poo'). Sometimes there is no poo, but I guess he also says it when he has done a big wee.

Sounds like a good time to start potty training as he seems to be aware of things happening. However, he is showing no interest whatsoever in actually sitting on the potty. I could probably bribe him with a tablet, but from experience I know that he would take the whole hand when given a finger and be difficult to convince to get off it - I need to get to work in time though!

I know it's early days, so I am happy to leave serious potty training for a bit longer. DS2 is completely different to DS1 who never ever told me he'd done anything, and only the world's biggest supply of surprise eggs finally convinced him to poo on the potty / toilet at 3 years 2 months....

Anyway, any suggestions on how to proceed?

[bellinisurge]

How about an open nappy on the potty?

[JamieOliversChickenNugget]

Same here.
I see him straining or saying he's pooing, whip off his nappy and sit him on the toilet. He hates the sensation of sitting to poo, but is proud of himself afterwards. I think it's a case of making them sit every time they show signs of pooing, to the point it becomes a habit. I'm getting annoyed at having to change very wet nappies, because his wees are bigger, and wiping poo. He's getting too old for it imo, but he's my third, and I'm sick of babies lol.
I want a toilet trained, fully sleeping at night child, and think pushing it is the only way to go. Just sit him down until he's finished then make a fuss.

[Thistledew]

We started putting DS on the potty just before bath time each night from the age of about 18 months. He would do a wee as soon as he was in the bath so we took advantage and encouraged him to do it in the potty instead. We got him to sit for as long as it took to sing one nursery rhyme- one with hand actions is good as it kept him engaged and he got massive praise if the wee happened to go in the potty but no pressure to use it. He was then quite used to sitting on the potty and weeing long before we started training. In the month or so before we properly started training I would encourage him to sit on the potty at least one other time a day such as first thing in the morning or when I used the loo. He trained quite quickly when he was 2.3 as sitting on the potty for a wee was not a new thing.

[Jackshouse]

I strongly recommend the Oh crap book.

[dodi1978]

Thanks for all your replies!
The issue with DS2, the most stubborn toddler in England is - there is now way of putting him on the potty if he doesn't want to - even his beloved tabled / my phone and Peppa Pig didn't entice him.
We've actually got other things to worry about now - we've just transferred him to a cot and he is using his newfound freedom to constantly turn up at our room... so potty training has stepped down in priority.... and he is still quite young anyway. I'll definitely look at the 'Oh crap' book!

[bellinisurge]

Don't know what your performance abilities are but if you make the time on the toilet the time when Mum/Dad is guaranteed to sing silly songs, that helps - prescribe wine for yourself later. Also blowing bubbles when sat onthe loo, real or imaginary, gets the right muscles moving for a poo. My dd would blow an imaginary bubble so huge it would encompass me so that you couldn't hear me talk scream . And then when it popped ... what a laugh.
God help me

[Silkei]

I put my DS on the loo every time he was obviously straining. It’s just a case of making your child do what they’re told. If you can’t make them sit on the loo you have very little chance of them obeying your other instructions either.