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Original poster

How old was your child when they mastered potty training? Boy or girl?

165 replies

OHforDUCKScake · 27/05/2014 14:53

Im in potty training hell and Im wondering if I should just quit for a few more months.

Started off great, now (day 4) hes having accidents and holding on to his poo.

He is 3 years 8 days old.

OP posts:
meg76uk · 27/05/2014 16:12

2.5, a boy. Took two weeks to be dry, he only pooed himself once (we probably shamed him out of that with our horrified reaction...but he never did it again). He was waking dry for a while on his own so I could probably have started soonerhe was definitely ready. Bribed with Fireman Sam sticker reward chart and M&Ms for the first few weeks. He goes to nursery 2 days and they were brilliantso regimented about putting him on the potty every 40 minutes that he really built up confidence in himself.

Likeaninjanow · 27/05/2014 16:13

Both boys at 2.5. Buying character pants they liked really helped. No one wants to wee on Fireman Sam Grin

nostress · 27/05/2014 16:14

DS1 was totally toilet trained by 23 months including over night. I never pushed it he really hated wearing nappies. DS2 was 25months. I think they both genetically have big bladders though as they hardly ever go for wees!

meg76uk · 27/05/2014 16:14

Also, cold turkey on the nappies. No exceptions for car rides, going out, etc. He had pull-ups for a bit but we called them night-time pants so as not to confuse him. I have friends who swapped between pants and nappies for convenience sake, and at least for them it definitely just confused the kids.

Original poster
OHforDUCKScake · 27/05/2014 16:22

I see there seems to be absolutely no correlation between time and sex.

I always thought girls did it faster, no idea why I thought that though.
Im going to stick with it until its been 7 days.

OP posts:
NellysKnickers · 27/05/2014 16:23

Ds1 was 2.5, ds2 3.5, both dry at night then aswell as day.

NellysKnickers · 27/05/2014 16:23

Ds1 was 2.5, ds2 3.5, both dry at night then aswell as day.

NellysKnickers · 27/05/2014 16:26

Meant to say, a couple of accidents each but as each time, they had decided it was time for pants, they tried so hard. We did have an accident yesterdsy but ds2 had eaten a punnet of strawberries so Im not surprised he couldn't get to the loo in time!

Lioninthesun · 27/05/2014 16:30

DD 2.5 - we moved and did the dummy removal and into a big single in the same month Shock

Lioninthesun · 27/05/2014 16:30

*bing single bed that was meant to be!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 27/05/2014 16:37

3.5 for DS (day, a few months more for night), 2.5 for DD (day and night). We waited for them to be giving clear indications they were ready.

They're 10 and 8 now so details are a bit vague but seem to remember it was fairly problem free for both, took a few days perhaps. DS did have a couple of accidents but that was mainly down to me forgetting to make him go before leaving the house. We did go cold turkey on day time nappies, even for a 300 mile car journey a few weeks out of nappies. but kept pullups at night for a few more weeks/months (DS needed them, DD didn't).

TokenGirl1 · 27/05/2014 16:40

3.2 boy still in nappies at night aged 4.2. Always loved using the potty, probably could have trained him earlier but I put it off for as long as poss because of experience with dd. Trained in a week.
3.7 months girl. 10 accidents a day for the first week of training at 3.4 years. Now 5.6 and been dry at night for a couple of months. Took three months to train her (had to because she was starting school nursery). Really reluctant to sit on potty (still have to make her use the toilet). She had problems with constipation and up until 6 months ago only pooed in night time nappy. She has since been diagnosed with a physical problem which probably contributed to late potty training and constipation.

It was hell potty training dd and a joy potty training ds.

Georgina1975 · 27/05/2014 16:41

DD about 22 months dry day/night - I can remember 1 accident at night and 2 day times. I do not remember actually potty training though. I think we did pretty much what meg76uk says. Took a while to convince DD to stop using the potty and move to the toilet for pooing. That was really more about her liking to poo while watching the TV though...can't blame her to be fair.

Jollyphonics · 27/05/2014 16:50

I don't believe in potty training until the child is totally ready for it. Both my boys were about 3 I think. I waited till the summer when they would be nappy-less in the garden and would pee in the hedge. They both mastered it completely in a few days with no accidents at all. I couldn't bear to out myself through the constant washing of formal potty training!

buttercrumble · 27/05/2014 16:59

3 dd's all age 3 and they got it in about 24 hours. I'm sure it's because they were ready and I wasn't pushy and trying too early.

AmysTiara · 27/05/2014 17:07

Ds1 was just 2.

Ds2 was 2yrs 10 months.

KatyS86 · 27/05/2014 17:09

DS 2.8, was the start of half term and the week before we talked about it a bit and brought a potty, pants and a book. Had 2 accidents on day 1 but none since. Used choc buttons and stickers as bribes :).

BlingBubbles · 27/05/2014 17:10

My DD was 2.5.years old, took us about 4 days and she totally mastered it, another week and she was dry at night. She was even waking at night to go to the toilet. She was very ready though as she use to tell me from about 18months when her nappy was dirty etc.

Musicaltheatremum · 27/05/2014 17:17

DD 3years. No accidents, perfect with wees and poos from day 1
DS. About 3. "Damp patches" for months, poos a bit of a problem as he found the whole thing a joke. (Now 21 and 18 and I assume ok)

Boobz · 27/05/2014 17:36

DD1 23 months
DD2 22 months
DS 21 months

Both girls out of nappies by 2.5 in the night... DS1 is 2.2 and I think we will start trying to get rip of night nappy next month.

Fitzers · 27/05/2014 17:49

DS trained at 2.5, 90% of the kids where I live (abroad, not the UK) are trained by this age as the state provides places in playschool type environments attached to primary schools. However, in most schools the kids have to be trained, or almost trained, to start. It was much sooner than I think I would have trained him if I was still in the UK but it went well.

TheScience · 27/05/2014 17:52

DS1 - started aged 2years 1 month and he got wees in a week. Was dry at night too within a month or so maybe. Poos were a bit trickier but I'd say he was fairly reliable for both, day and night, by 2 years 4 months.

ilovemywestie · 27/05/2014 17:56

DD 2.6 and dry day and night within a few weeks. DS dry during the day by 3 but during the night much longer. I think we finally stopped using night time pull ups by the time he was was 6.

mewkins · 27/05/2014 17:59

Dd was 2.10 when reliably in pants and not having accidents. Was just short of 3 when she got over her poo phobia. At the same time she was dry at night (we put her in pull ups but she would always wake for a wee).

JuniperTisane · 27/05/2014 18:10

DS1 failed to potty train at 2.10, 3, and 3.2. He managed it on the 4th go at 3.4. He took eight days and the first five were horrendous but I had had enough and determined to push on through regardless.