I keep putting off potty training - help!

[ChiccaD]

Dear clever MNs. Please tell me how you went about potty training your children.

I keep putting it off and at this rate we will be in primary school before we are out of nappies.

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

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Place marking as I have a 2 and 7 month old and she's still in nappies.

I had a new baby when she was 2.3 months so I held off til baby was settled in the family at 2.5 months but DD refused to sit on the potty so I gave up.

We're going on holiday in a couple of weeks so I'm putting it off til we're back but she'll be almost 2.9 months by then.

She's got great vocabulary but I'm not so sure about her understanding, there's a possibility of ND.

I would start rewarding just for sitting on the potty and make it a game. Maybe park actual potty training but just start talking about it all etc.

My eldest did this when I first tried after he turned 2, I parked it but kept asking “nappies or pants” every morning. When I had a ten day old he said “pants” and that was that. He was happy as it had been his choice.

Just bite the bullet. If you’re getting signs they’re ready you just have to do it. Book a block of time and just do it. DD is 2 and 3 months and is potty trained to the point that yesterday at nursery she took herself off for a poo and wiped her own bum etc! Her cousin wasn’t potty trained until the summer before he started school. No one can tell, it has no knock on effect so don’t worry about it. But definitely needs doing before school. Personally I can remember my pre-school years and didn’t want my kids to be able to remember being in nappies. But that’s a personal quirk.

Give it a go. The weather is perfect for it.
In all likelihood you'll have rapid progress. Read some books about I together so your child knows what to expect and feels positive about the experience. Then nappies off! Yes, there will be accidents. I put the potty on a towel as we had a lot of "nearly there" accidents.

If they don't get it, that's ok too. One of my 3 was sloooooooow. We had progress right from day 1, but he was still having accidents at 3.5 (possible ASD, often won't use an unfamiliar toilet and won't do a "just in case" before going somewhere). It's really not a big deal - you carry a change of clothes.

‘Readiness’ is rubbish really, beyond physically being able to handle the logistics of basic toileting and barring any disabilities or neurodivergencies.

If they are old enough to sing a nursery rhyme then they can learn to go potty!

We used the Oh Crap method with both our twins. Worked brilliantly and quickly. Go for it and put all the worry behind you!

I agree! Wish we'd done the same - felt like we did it twice - potty 1st then toilet! 🤦‍♀️

If you feel they're ready, just go for it - commit the time & slog through it - don't faff about & do it half heartedly- you have to really stick to it. Now's the time - nice weather - out in the garden, with as few layers as possible.

It doesn’t matter how many kids you’ve had. You don’t need to wait for them to be “ready”. Readiness is a misnomer.

Thanks everyone for all the replies. These are really helpful. Going to get the oh crap book and Friday night nappies are off. We don’t have a garden, just a tiny balcony so get the cleaning products ready.

I think we see what this weekend looks like and decide what to do (wait a bit longer or push through) from there.

Won’t be taking time off work for that as yet. Nursery is quite supportive but expect them to be decently able. Bank holiday weekend in August might be the next go and then see if still not working about time off work

Explain then why it can take weeks/months for some children, but just days for others?

100% this

@Viewfrommyhouse probably the method used, personality, lots of reasons

Yet my son was 32 months and we had it done in 3 days....

And loads of people train in three days almost a year earlier.

Do they? Source?

Many on this very thread. I have two children trained pretty well by day 3/4 - one at 2 years 4 months and one at 2 years 5 months.

Look at the history of training and how the age rocketed when pampers brought out disposables.

But that's your kids. Do you really think all children develop at the same rate?

@Viewfrommyhouse why is it hard for you to say that children can and regularly do train before 3.5.

3.5 is too old assuming NT. Children should be given their dignity!

Too old? How are you measuring that?