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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think having a naked toddler is part of potty training

32 replies

biddysmama · 13/07/2011 15:32

dds decided she wants to use the potty...... and not wear any clothes...

my mother was horrified when she came round uninvited Grin

OP posts:
Angel786 · 13/07/2011 15:33

No harm done as long as she is warm enough?

AuntiePickleBottom · 13/07/2011 15:35

imo the best time of the year to potty train is in the summer, playing out the garden.....any accident then go on the grass :)

PuppyMonkey · 13/07/2011 15:35

Mine always kept their clothes on. Keeping pants on helped teach them about feeling uncomfortable, so they wantid to do a wee in a potty instead.

cookcleanerchaufferetc · 13/07/2011 15:35

That was a perk of potty training kids in summer ..... Naked so generally they would not get cold whilst peeing in the potty - or garden!

SortingHardHat · 13/07/2011 15:40

IMO YABU but thats because I toilet trained mine without the need for them to be naked but I do appreciate it's not the same for everyone.

Tillyminto · 13/07/2011 15:44

Some kids just love being in the buff for no reason. My son was at his happiest without a stitch on in the garden but a pair of wellies and a sunhat (plenty of photos for any future stag-party :-))

If it helps with the potty training, why not?

PaperView · 13/07/2011 15:56

Well it has never been part of potty training any of mine but i completely understand.

fatlazymummy · 13/07/2011 15:57

It's not really a part of potty training IMO, as it's quite possible to learn to do this while wearing clothes. However it's your house and your child, so it's up to you and not your Mum.

cantspel · 13/07/2011 16:00

To me potty training includes learning to deal with underwear, pushing it down far enough so you dont pee down the back of your pants and then being able to pull them up again without leaving the skirt tucked in so no potty training doesn't involve being naked but each to their own.

DogsBestFriend · 13/07/2011 16:02

I didn't have naked children running around nor did I potty train my DC, I taught them to use the loo instead, which for me was far more sensible, practical and less troublesome. Similarly you should do what suits you and take no notice of your mum's disapproving looks.

LadyThumb · 13/07/2011 16:04

When younger I used to be a Mother's Helper at a very nice lady's house - and the call "LadyThumb, Ruthie's had a motion in the garden" will haunt me forever!! Cue me poo-picking with the special spade and bucket!

Having said that, I think it is fine to potty train naked - saves all the mess that might otherwise ensue!

Driftwood999 · 13/07/2011 16:05

Peeing in the garden yuk What does that teach a child?

Original poster
biddysmama · 13/07/2011 16:07

shes only 27 months and i didnt think she was ready yet but she does so im just going with the flow so to speak Grin

OP posts:
DogsBestFriend · 13/07/2011 16:08

Driftwood, so you too have visions of DC cocking legs against pergolas and barking at the neighbours then? :o

I never did get that, "It's okay to pee in the garden" thing! (Then again, to be fair, I've never got the potty thing either, horrible, dirty and pointless things IMHO).

greenbananas · 13/07/2011 16:09

Don't let anyone judge you! - do what you believe best for your child.

I agree with cantspel that children must learn to deal with underwear/clothes eventually, but I also think that having them run around half-naked in the summer is a really good idea, and saves a lot of hassle when they are learning to use the potty or loo.

Tillyminto, I bet your son looked lovely in just wellies and a sun hat Grin

Whogivesa · 13/07/2011 16:14

YANBU maybe its not for everyone but whatever works for you and yours. You don't want potty training to become a battle or an issue. I always thought kids loved to be naked....or is that just my exhibitionists?!!Wink

maypole1 · 13/07/2011 16:24

I think thats just old people my dd came down in boxers at Christmas last year I thought hid granddad was gonna have a fit.

We are a bit more relaxed about nudeness his parents are in their 70s

My son loved running round but naked nothing wrong with that

Mollymax · 13/07/2011 16:24

My youngest daughter spends half the summer in the garden. Naked. What is the big deal.

spookshowangel · 13/07/2011 16:26

i dont really get what it has to do with potty trainning, the best bit for my kids was the buying of the new pants and how grown up the felt wearing them but i guess it different for everyone.

HeadfirstForHalos · 13/07/2011 16:36

I was telling a "friend" about how I was planning to potty train ds over the summer holidays (ds is 3 1/2 , has speech problems and is starting nursery in Sept-eek!), and how I was worried as he was quite late and needs to do it by September.

She told me not to worry, that summer is the ideal time to potty train etc (i agree) then went on to say I could even make it more fun by letting him water the plants and aim it in the grid, and how her boys had loved doing that Shock I smiled politely made my excuses and backed away slowly....

YANBU, there's nothing wrong with naked toddlers whether they're potty training or not. Just don't let her pee in the grid Grin

Driftwood999 · 13/07/2011 16:47

DogsBestFriend - a much loved friend used to allow her boys to pee in the garden. You did not have to actually see it, to believe it, especially if you sat near the drain. I think she forgot to sluice it down with a bucket of something. Why not provide a bucket to pee in, in the garden, if you do not want children going through the house? Bigger and more obvious than a potty. Also more fun if you take into consideration the communal aspect. Good enough for our ancestors Grin OP, nothing wrong with little children going around naked in warm weather, and if that coincides with potty training, then great! Just bear in mind that for most part of the year, we have to cope with clothes.

Georgimama · 13/07/2011 16:51

Ds loves being naked but I always kept pants on when toilet training to teach him that contending with pants are a normal part of the process. Obviously trousers are too but he had more accidents than he has trousers (awaits chorus of "he obviously wasn't ready" - he was. He was also damned lazy).

Peachy · 13/07/2011 16:52

there appears to be a naked pottry training toddler standing on my shoulders atm so nope, YANBU

IME start with naked kids, move to new fancy pants then lastly pants and trousers, far easier.

No ppeing in garden here though' its pottry training not dahlia training!

thestringpeople · 13/07/2011 16:53

Its not essential, ds wore clothes but if you find it easier with them being naked I can't see a problem with that.

yoshiLunk · 13/07/2011 16:55

Great that she's willing to start learning, and certainly nothing wrong with naked toddlers running around the garden in the summer.

You may not want her to develop too much of an association with naked = potty training though, as once she's got the training you'll then have to teach her all over again to deal with clothes, - so it could be unsettling and she may well regress.

btw IMO I never agreed that chasing them round with a potty and being lucky enough to catch a wee in it counts as potty training, - which was my sister's method Grin No, - this is your toddler training you !

Having said that my two boys were trained straight to the loo, never used the potty and, didn't have to be naked, - so it's really a case of each to their own Wink