I keep putting off potty training - help!

We put off potty training for a long time, as we just didn't have the energy (moving home when DS was 2, and then building works).
Decided to start training a month after he turned 3 - the whole process took about 3-4 days, and he rarely has accidents a few weeks in. We were really dreading it as he is generally very strong willed, but it was piss easy. He was more than ready!
My friends who trained around 2yrs old had a much harder time.

For what purpose? Don't hand plant me, I've had three kids and there is a time when they become ready. Ready to learn the skill and control their bladder and bowels.

Not necessarily, my son's friend will only have turned 4 a week before starting.

Honestly in most cases I don't see how 2.5 is considered too young to start if most children from previous generations were taught at that age or earlier?

We did potty training at just before 2 and it was so much easier than we expected - I can genuinely say in all honesty if we'd waited until 3 t would have been a nightmare because my son was so much more stubborn and set his ways by then!

I also don't see how now people say if they're not basically taking themselves to the toilet with no issues after half a day then they're "not ready" to learn? It's like saying they're not ready to walk unless they just get up and start confidently striding around. They just need help, guidance, encouragement and support. Same with learning any new skill.

There’s no such thing as “ready” 🤦‍♀️ It’s a skill that can be taught.

Don't make it a big conversation or a choice/negotiation just keep it simple.

Nappy off, in the house naked, "we do poo and wee on the potty"

Put her on if she clearly needs to go. Watch for her cues. "Ok after you've put that block on top of the tower, it's potty time" If she won't sit for long on it read a story or let her watch a short episode. Let her put stickers on the potty maybe? Big praise for using it. No fuss about accidents.

Just run around bottomless at home for the weekend, and let the nursery know your DC started potty training.

I was nervous about potty training but it was nowhere near as bad as thought it was going to be.

My second DD decided she wasn't going to wear nappies anymore the day she got sent home from nursery with chicken pox, whilst I was trying to work at time. I will admit that was a bit much 😆

Good luck!

Ridiculous. Mine have all been over 3 and no issues and no regular accidents. Definitely worth waiting if a child isn't ready.

I've potty trained each of my children at 3-3.5years. All picked it up quickly without fuss.

I think your child isn't ready yet.

You need to read Oh Crap, and fast.

At 2yrs 4mos you’re not out of time yet, but you’ve only got a couple of months left in the ideal window of 20-30 months.

After 30 months they have too much willpower and stubbornness to just accept it as what we do now.

”Readiness” is a misnomer and an outdated concept. Don’t leave it too late!

Following!
DS is 2 and a half and we've just started properly trying yesterday. He's been used to the potty for a few months and managed both wees and poos. Yesterday he managed 3 poos and 4 wees in the potty. 2 of the wees he started on the floor and he finished off on the potty (i'd put pants on him so i think i need to not do that yet!). He's not much of a drinker so going to really encourage drinking more today too.

First I'd check that the potty is comfortable. Some of the smaller ones really aren't that great. We've got this one (added bonus that it's super easy to empty) and it's less cramped and more supportive DIVCHI Steady Potty with Non-Slip... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B8JBPCB8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

If that's all fine then I'd change your language. Rather than asking if he needs a wee or saying shall we go to the potty, go for "we will do xyz once you've had a wee in the potty". Initially for him you might need to go for "tried to have a wee" if he's totally resistant. And then xyz doesn't happen until he's tried. If he says no then that's fine, just remind him that you won't go to the park/watch TV/play in the garden until he's tried/had a wee. Make sure the thing you suggest is something you can wait on - don't say it if you're going to have to do it anyway. Needs to be calm and no pressure - just matter of fact. Then periodically say to let you know when he's ready to try so that you can do xyz after.

Can I ask what to do when the child refuses to use the potty? My DS is 26 months. We had a go at 24 months but had to stop as he had worms on day 2. Now I regularly suggest potty but this is 90% of the time met with no. When we tried before, if we picked him up mid wee to put on potty, he kicked and screamed and obviously then wee went everywhere and none in the potty.

The 'readiness' thing is nonsense, people just use it as an excuse to leave training till later.

My DD trained at 23 months and DS at 26 months.

I agree with above posters that say they really 'get it' on around day 3 or 4.

Give the girl a chance! It's a new skill. And she was managing some success.

The key is being able to reach her and the potty at the same time. This means following with the potty for each activity you're doing e.g. drawing or cars or whatever. It's bloody labour intensive for you, but easy for her. You can't get distracted or look at your phone - all attention on her. Then lift straight on the potty at the first trickle.

Edited for typo

My daughter was at nursery 4 days a week. She potty trained fairly easily at 2 years and 8 months or so, largely after watching other slightly older kids at nursery using the potty and potty training there.

We had talked about it with her, had potties around the house, asked if she wanted to try no nappies a couple of times just over different weekends and when she said yes, would encourage her to go to the potty when she needed to but she tended to have an accident then ask to go back into nappies and we didn't make a big deal out of it and went with her preference.

It happened to work for us, although all kids are different. One day mid week, she just said she didn't want nappies anymore, and just didn't have an accident so didn't ask to go back into nappies.

2 days is nothing, starts to click around day 3/4.

We tried at the weekend but after 2 days of bare bum and telling her to sit on her toilet when she started weeing we've kind of given up for now. She had no cues and didn't seem to know when she was going (26m).

She did manage 1-2 poos and half a wee on the toilet in the 2 days and yesterday told me she needed a wee before she did one. But a few times she was peeing every 10-20 minutes all over the floor, didnt last long enough to make it to the potty right near her.

Might try her in pants as she doesn't like being wet (from water) so we will see!

The equivalent is someone saying shall we go in an aeroplane? Yes! Ok just let me know when you're ready to land it.

She doesn't have the skills yet to know when she needs a wee or a poo but she can learn. You can't expect her to just know, of course she panics at that. Bare bottom initially just so you can link "you are weeing" with the action. That helps her pinpoint what's going on and what she can do about it.

She's absolutely old enough. My little boy was out of nappies at 20 months.

She’s not ready yet. Maybe get her used to the potty (my MIL apparently had potty books for them to just sit on and read to get familiarity) but tbh she’s still fairly young so I wouldn’t really push it if she’s not ready

Plus it's undignified for them. Imagine walking around all day carrying a bag of your own piss

In my experience they get really bloody stubborn between age 2.5 and 3.5 and its actually harder if you leave it til then.

You didn't bother?

How lazy.

It's not young at all! Many children are trained at 2 including my DD.

Compared to previous generations, training is getting later and later because of this whole 'ready' rubbish.

As I said above, no kid will be 'ready,' they can be more willing at an older age but toilet training is taught much like eating, getting dressed, manners etc.

2 years old is fine to start training. As is 3.

My son goes to a preschool where he has to be potty training and he’s a late July birthday so he has to be trained at 3… He’ll have been trained a year when he starts.

Also seen the “boys train later” no they don’t. Mine trained at 2 years 2 months and 2 years 4 months.

Most children in the UK start school at 4.

School nursery from 3.

It's much better to be done and dusted by then.