Potty training... err, how?

[tethersend]

I haven't got a clue. DD is 2.2yrs and I think it's time.

Where do I start?

Any top tips?

Look at the toddler section on here. I found it to have lots of useful stuff. It has a checklist of sorts, suggestions and some funny bits too. I tried PT with DD who was 2 before xmas and gave up after a couple of days because despite physically being ready, she just wasn't interested. Now 27 months, she told me yesterday that she wanted to wear big girl pants and use the potty! no accidents and no stress now that she has decided she is ready. I also bought a princess polly book from Amazon which is quite good. I also read Gina Ford potty training in a week, which is ok, bit unrealistic for some and most of the advice is on her or for free. The huggies potty training site also has some useful bits look here. HTH a bit. Good luck!

Christ knows. I have done three of them but still not a clue "how". Incontinent little sods, all three of them. Still peeing their pants at 7, they were. Most people seem more competent at training theirs.

I used a reward chart (my big star chart from encourageandpraise.co.uk). I sat my son down and explained it all that if he did a wee/poo in the potty he would get a smiley face sticker, if he had a whole dry day he'd get a star sticker and 10 stickers would get him a reward. We also sat him on the potty in front of the tele for a few days so he would have 20 ins at a time on there. I also got a book called Baby's Potty which we read every night for a few days before we started. The first 4 days were hideous...he didn't do one wee/poo on the potty and I was losing the will to live but day 4 he cracked it and from day 10 we have never had another accident. It's not going to be your most fun week but if you try the above hopefully it won't be too bad! Good luck!

'Duchesse'... you made me laugh out loud!! x

We took ds out and he chose a few packs of big boys pants and we bought one of these and basically explained that when he felt the need to wee or poo he should try to make it to the toilet but that he'd probably have a few accidents as he wouldn't be used to the feeling but that was ok. He got the hang of it pretty quickly. Don't stress out about it or they pick up on your stress. And always say how proud you are when they actually make it. The toddler section here has lots of advice too.

We're on day one today - so far no wees in potty at all and 8 wet pairs of pants (how do they wee so much?)
DS1 was similar and he'd cracked it to in a week or so, but i still took several pairs of trousers out every time we went out.

This thread has made me laugh so much!

My DD is also 2.2, but i have enough to deal with with all the tantrums that I'm not even thinking about potty training for a while!

Good Luck though!

Before you start, think about buying a potty, explain what it is for and just leave in a room. Ours stayed in our bedroom for some reason - um nice! DS got curious about what it was and started sitting on it, sometimes naked, sometimes dressed.
then he just started using it, then more and more and one day said he wanted to wear pants so we went for it. I remember thinking he would never "get" it but they do quickly.
Also toddlers need to build up their bladders so dont ask all the time if they need a wee, this can lead to loads of little wees and bad bladder control in the future. Also nothing seems to annoy them more than being asked for some reason!
Good luck :)

I wouldn't worry about 'training' them as knowing when they want to wee is actually a physical thing that developes at different times in different children. It's like training them to walk they will do it when they are physically ready. I went with the flow (pardon the pun) with my DD. Left a potty in the room...didn't even get her to sit on it. She just said one day that she wanted big girl knickers on. Dead easy...no millions of soggy knicks to wash either

sharon, that works if it works. If you have children like mine they still seem unready at 4. I'm not going to be sending them to school still in nappies (3 out the 4 have summer birthdays) so waiting for them to be ready just ain't going to do it.

We had a potty lying around for months but although DD1 was fascinated with other people going to the toilet she would never perform on potty or toilet herself.

When she was 2.6 over Easter we went cold turkey with some pants she had chosen herself. I was pregnant and wanted to at least try a few months before DD2 arrived. We had about 12 pairs of wet trousers before she got it. She was dry by Easter Monday with just a few accidents after. She does not like to go when told or reminded so had to learn to recognise the signs herself.

Poos were another matter mind you.

imo not that it counts for much as i'm no expert if they are really ready there is not much "training" required just the opportunity i.e a potty and praise when done correctly.