Gina Ford's 'Potty Training in a week'

[LadyP]

Has anyone used this book and has it actually worked in a week?

Tx

I have one of each and they both performed pretty quickly on the potty/toilet, but DS likes to hang about afterwards for no apparent reason.

I'm all for the "Wait until older, do it in a summer day approach", but I didn't actually do it. Just knew our kids were ready sooner, during inconvenient cold winter months. Quite nice, as DD has just go the idea and she's only just 2. It took a few months of accidents, but it's lovely that she's all done now, so early, almost dry at night, too!

My dd was in nappies until she was 3. I simply asked her if she wanted to the tilet one day and she said yes. That was it! I went straight to the toilet (bought one of those little children seats)and I plan to avoid the potty this time around too. I prefer changing a nappy quickly rather than doing the whole potty-cleaning thing. My ds who is 26 months is definatly not ready. He has actually got a potty, but wears it on his head...

Gina Ford's potty training in a week.Our results; 23 month old boy after two lots of one week intensive training will now go and use the pottys in the toilet & bathroom without promting.This only works if he has a bare bum!Any ideas on getting the child to wear pants & trousers would be greatly appreciated!I have tried getting him to choose the pants he would like to wear,he seems keen sometimes but then gets frustrated when he can't put them on himself & he does not want me to help him as he wants his independence.

Gina Ford's potty training in a week.Our results; 23 month old boy after two lots of one week intensive training will now go and use the pottys in the toilet & bathroom without promting.This only works if he has a bare bum!Any ideas on getting the child to wear pants & trousers would be greatly appreciated!I have tried getting him to choose the pants he would like to wear,he seems keen sometimes but then gets frustrated when he can't put them on himself & he does not want me to help him as he wants his independence.

Well, first morning of potty training here (using the GF potty book as a guideline rather than a law book).

So far he's had three accidents and nothing in the potty. If he could just get one wee in then I could do the song and dance praise routine, but no luck despite frequent potty trips. Also, a usually amenable ds is starting to get pretty fed up with sitting on the potty despite lots of stories and attention.

Feeling a bit disheartened (although being very careful not to show ds of course!) Is this a normal course of events - GF seems to think that you'd expect more ticks in the "potty" column than the "accident" column by the end of the first day. Does this mean ds is just not ready?

Going to try and persevere until at least the end of the weekend I think, then if no progress made, switch back to nappies for a month or so.

YAY! One pee in a potty...

ds now in nappy and pyjamas ready for bed, thank God! Tally for the day: Accidents 9 Potty 7. Not a bad tally I suppose. Got to do loads of washing before tomorrow (so glad we have a tumble drier!) I also wish that I wasn't pregnant so I could pour myself a huge glass of red wine right now...

Georgina, hows it going?

2nd day was 6 accidents and 4 pottys, today no potty and 1 accident. Can't decide if it's getting better or not!

He seems to tell me that he needs a wee while he's in the process rather than just before, and he's started rebelling at sitting regularly. At this stage I'm supposed to be just reminding him the potty is there and not forcing the issue. Tomorrow I'm supposed to stop reminding! I just can't see he's ready for that.

I don't know. Feeling a bit disheartened to be honest. I know it's early days but wondering if I should persevere or give up for a while...

we've got a different problem - ds loves wearing his big boy pants, but refuses to wear trousers over the top! (which is a pain, as it would absorb more of the accidents rather than my poor carpet!)

Yes, I do think I should persevere... it does seem to be a start, just not as good a start as I'd secretly hoped, I think! I just need to keep sane in the meantime. I really feel that we're not at a stage yet where I'd feel confident going out, so I feel really trapped at home.

I need to get a cushion with a waterproof layer or something that she suggests to put in the carseat/pushchair to make accidents easier to deal with while out, but can't seem to find anyone that sells them. Anyone got any advice?

Georgina

Try a Pampers Care Mat or you can get a "Piddle pad" from GLTC catalogue or similar. I've decided to wait with dd but reward any successes with a sticker to decorate her potty !

I feel like a complete heel today. We were doing the "4 stickers then a treat after tea" approach. Well, ds has done 1 major wee in the potty and 1 tiny wee but had 3 accidents (in fact even the major wee was preceded by an accident - required a change of clothes, but most in the potty). BUT ... there's a good 3 hours between each wee now, which I think is real progress in bladder control (hell, that's better than I'm managing at the moment ).

So, I'm part wishing that I could just give him the treat anyway because I think he is still making progress, but at the same time don't want to lessen the impact of a treat. Argh. Think I'll award double sticker points tomorrow for any completely in the potty (i.e. no changes of pants) achieved so that he can still earn his treat.

Oh, Georgina! You're bringing back all my memories of the horror of potty training- especially the delight of sodden, smelly carpets! Sounds like you and your ds are doing so well though- definitely agree with tilting the balance infavour of treats as well. Good luck for tomorrow.

ssssssssssscccccccccccccrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Okay, feel better now.

I am going insane. We've had more accidents this morning than we had yesterday and his bladder control seems worse. I'm feeling completely trapped in the house because I just can't predict when he's going to need to go.

must not give in to nappy longing, must not give in to nappy longing

cry

It's just that for the last few days at least I could see improvement. Feel we've gone backwards today.

Someone tell me they do get to the point where they realise in time?

He's started the "potty dance" - holding himself but completely denying he needs to go. Don't know whether to just insist when he's dancing about or just let him make the mistake and realise he's got to go earlier.

Definitely done worse today. I think having the trousers on as well as the pants has meant that he's "forgotten" he's not wearing a nappy and needs to go wee (and/or he's not allowing enough time to remove the trousers). I guess it's something he's got to learn (plus it's less cleanup as the trousers soak up the wee) so I'm a bit loathe to go back to the just pants bit again. Am I doing the right thing?

Also, he's "supposed" to be signalling himself he needs to go, but he's not really allowing enough time to remove trousers/pants. I'm thinking I should go back to regularly sitting him on the potty and then gradually extending the time of the reminders, rather than expect him to get this sussed in a week... he is making progress (well, apart from today) so I think he is "ready" as such, but just needs to take this a bit more slowly.

He's just recently wet himself while eating dinner. Poor mite - this will be the 8th change of clothes today and he's refusing point blank to let me change him. Am I being hopeful that he'll eventually find it uncomfortable and ask to be changed, or am I living on cloud cuckoo land?!

Please someone tell my mum that 15 months is too soon for dd!!!

Dear handlemecarefully's mum,

15 months is too soon for your granddaughter!

Yours sincerely,
Very frazzled potty training mother.

xxx

GeorginaA I remember well that feeling of total frustration!! My DD2 started with no sucess on day one, to mainly sucess by day 4 - 5. The weekend arrived and I was then in charge and we seemed to go backwards to one wee in the potty! By the Monday she was 1/2 and 1/2, which was a real regression, then from teh Wednesday onwards it seemed to be sussed. In total it took about 2 weeks. However 8 months later we still have the odd little accident, maybe once a fortnight or so!

All I can say is that I sympathise, but I spent every day telling myself it wasn't as bad as dd1 who took a YEAR!!! Yes she was known as Poppy Pooey Pants as a poo in teh knickers was a gift to all!!

lol Crunchie

I have to say buying a book on potty training in a week does give you rather high expectations that your child may or may not be able to meet. The advice in the book is very good, but the title makes you feel very disheartened at times - it would have been better if she'd done it in stages and said "and when they can do x most times then do y".

That said, ds is much better today at letting me know he needs to go AND showing signs that he knows a little while before hand (by clutching himself) - so even though he's having an accident every time still most of the contents reaches the potty! Certainly big improvement from the start on Saturday.

Handlemecarefully, my MIL said that at when she had her first baby the midwife held him over a potty and said 'you never know your luck....'
(This was the late 50s.)
This was told by way of 'advice' and in a why-are-you-leaving-it-so-late voice.(and DD1 wasn't quite 2 then....)

A long while later and DD1 is now nearly 3 and although big girl pants are very pretty, she is not persuaded they are more convenient than nappies.

She is now at playgroup (everyone said that seeing other children going to the loo would inspire her. It hasn't yet!) and only one of two or so others to bring a 'change' bag.

My sister said that when hers were 3 she just hid the nappies and let them get on with it (d and s)

Did I say it was going better? I lied... first poo in pants cleanup ... UGH