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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask when your children were potty trained?

206 replies

Chickensoupandbread · 08/07/2023 17:35

Starting to stress a bit and I know you shouldn’t but can’t even make the smallest steps as my toddler won’t even sit on the potty, just refuses to. 2 ys 8 months, and most other children we know are either trained or well on the way!

OP posts:
HousyHousy · 08/07/2023 18:01

I tried with my DS at 2.5 but he wasn't ready so I left it and tried again just after this 3rd birthday. It's been 3 weeks now and he's taken to it really quickly this time. Can count on one hand the amount of 'accidents' he's had, and those were very early on. He doesn't wear nappies at all now. Has a potty training pad on his bed, just in case.

Soubriquet · 08/07/2023 18:03

Dd was potty trained at 3.5. She was fully dry within a week, and was out of night nappies a year later.

Ds took longer. He was around 4 and didn’t get rid of night nappies till he was 6.

Every child is different

megletthesecond · 08/07/2023 18:04

DS 3.2
DD 3.4
Both done over Xmas break when I was off work and didn't have to dash off anywhere. But they were in pull ups for months before, used a potty and toilet trainer seat. The Xmas break was the official "going into pants" stage. Literally just a handful of accidents then back to nursery with none. Really easy way of doing it in the end.

GlitteryUnicornSparkles · 08/07/2023 18:04

My eldest is autistic and wasn’t trained until around age 5.

My younger son was around 2 1/2.

donkir · 08/07/2023 18:05

Both boys at 2.5 but they both decided themselves by waking up one morning and didn't want a nappy on.
Best advice wait until they're ready.

PeachesOnTheBeaches · 08/07/2023 18:05

2 years and 3 months.

GG1986 · 08/07/2023 18:05

Tried with dd at 2 years 5 months and didn't get on well, so stopped and tried again when she was 2 years 10 months and cracked it straight away and dry at night by 3 years 3 months. I've heard it's harder with boys? Might be worth waiting and trying again in a few months time?

Soubriquet · 08/07/2023 18:06

My best advice is, wait until the summer when it’s warm, let them walk around naked and don’t leave the house for a few days.

First day with dd she kept having accidents. No big deal. Second day she was much better. By day 3, she had pretty much cracked it

EmeraldFox · 08/07/2023 18:06

Independent except for bum wiping at two and a half, fully independent at two and 10 months.

fishonabicycle · 08/07/2023 18:06

2 years and 8 months - I put it off until Xmas and I had time off work, as a friend had told me how traumatic it was - literally took a day - bought him some Thomas the tank pants and done! A couple of accidents, but no hassles.

TheFairyCaravan · 08/07/2023 18:06

22mths for DS1. It was just after DS2’s second birthday, but that was the done thing back then, and neither of them had accidents.

Ladyoftheknight · 08/07/2023 18:07

1st- 3 year 2 months
2nd- 3 years (decided on her birthday to use the toilet and never had an accident since!
3rd- 2 years- she had her sisters to copy which I think helped, I didn't even try with her so that probably helped too!
4th is nearly 18 months and uses makaton to sign when she needs the potty. still in nappies but probably uses potty 2/5 times so not far off!
5th DD is 5 months old so I'll update in a couple of years

SausageMonkey2 · 08/07/2023 18:08

@EmeraldFox how do you get them to learn to wipe their bums at that age? Mine were 22m and bang on 2y. Self initiated (read nappy strike) and never looked back but the bum wiping for the 2yo is still a work in progress.

Himawarigirl · 08/07/2023 18:08

DD was 2 Yr 5 months, DS1 was 3.5ish and DS2 just turned 2. Used the oh crap method with the third and would recommend it.

Original poster
Chickensoupandbread · 08/07/2023 18:08

Walking around naked doesn’t seem to work, though, as he just wees and poos on the floor! I haven’t read the Oh Crap method but again not sure he’d respond well to having the potty under him.

I am not exactly worried re his age but it’s more the fact he won’t engage with it at all that has me a bit worried because it seems like he could but won’t!

OP posts:
DoesItHaveKosovo · 08/07/2023 18:10

3.5. Tried at 2.5 and he wasn’t remotely ready despite showing signs from 2ish - wouldn’t entertain either the potty or the toilet. Left it until about 3.3 before trying again & he cracked wees almost immediately.

slapmyarseandcallmemary · 08/07/2023 18:11

1st child (boy) 2 years 6 months
2nd child (girl) 2 years 3 months
3rd child is still a baby (15 months) so not tried with her yet. They all do it in their own time.

Bananaspliff · 08/07/2023 18:12

DD was almost 3 when she was dry during the day and 4.5 before she was dry overnight. No SEN just too lazy to get out of bed.
DS was trained both day and night at 2 yrs 9 months.

In my experience there’s no point until the child is ready, it just becomes frustrating.
Mind both cracked it within three days once they were ready.

EmeraldFox · 08/07/2023 18:12

SausageMonkey2 · 08/07/2023 18:08

@EmeraldFox how do you get them to learn to wipe their bums at that age? Mine were 22m and bang on 2y. Self initiated (read nappy strike) and never looked back but the bum wiping for the 2yo is still a work in progress.

He wanted to do it himself, I helped afterwards until he got the hang of it. He was quite a slim two year old, like a tiny five year old rather than a toddler, not sure if that made it easier.

Tumbler2121 · 08/07/2023 18:12

Don't sit child on the potty. Explain what it is, perhaps invite them to sit on potty when you're in the toilet.

When you decide to toilet train stay in smallish area with child, take nappy off and keep an eye on them, when they fidget or start to go put them straight on potty. Can work within the day.

My first daughter was out of nappies by two, younger daughter had been taking them off herself since a year old and so was fully out of them by 20 months, her choice not mine!

HollyBookBlue · 08/07/2023 18:12

13 months. It was the summer and I let her run around the garden with nothing on the bottom half all day for a week or so

Original poster
Chickensoupandbread · 08/07/2023 18:12

He really won’t sit on the potty, @Tumbler2121 - worried I’ve arsed up somehow.

OP posts:
recklessgran · 08/07/2023 18:14

I've got 5 DD's and apart from the eldest [Genetic syndrome and complex needs] they were all pretty reliable during the day by 2yrs 3 months but it was the thing then to start before they were 2 otherwise you were really frowned upon by your health visitor, baby clinic and peers. This meant you still got the odd accident for some months and nightime dryness came 6 months or so later. I think, like all child rearing trends the "fashions" change all the time. I think it's harder now due to most parents needing to work - we just stayed in with the toddler and potty and no nicks for a few days and really just concentrated on the potty training with smarties or jellytots to reward performance. I'm really showing my age now and know that such a system these days would be met with collective horror!!!! It worked for us though.

Original poster
Chickensoupandbread · 08/07/2023 18:14

How does letting them run round with nothing on make a difference … sorry for stupid question? Don’t they just pee everywhere? That’s what mine does anyway!

OP posts:
VivaVivaa · 08/07/2023 18:14

DS was out of nappies in the day by about 26 months (still not dry at night now). I feel lucky that he was ready quite early - I think he would be a total nightmare to train now at 3. He was a lot more receptive to suggestion at 2, now he would just scream NO at me 🙃 second the suggestion of the Oh Crap book. But equally don’t forget there really is no medal for training early.