Can you help? A month ago DS (2 yrs 8 months) had two weeks break from nursery. He never showed any interest in potty training, never complained or asked for us to change his nappy. He's happy to sit in a filthy nappy. I decided I would use the two weeks to give potty training a go. We bought dinosaur pants, a nice potty, some books for him to look at, a new jigsaw puzzle etc. It also coincided with really hot weather so we couldn't really go out anywhere.
We had a catastrophic start. He had, a week or so before, done a poo on the toilet, we praised him, and as promised I went to get a coin for his money box. He was standing on the step in front of the toilet clapping and decided he wanted to flush the toilet again, so he leaned over, fell off the step and hit his head on the side of the bath and toilet. Lots of tears, didn't want his coin (usually a massive source of pleasure for him!) and refused to go on the toilet again. That's why I got a potty.
The first day went fine. He looked very shocked when he did a wee, so I am assuming he just never noticed when he was filling his nappy! I kept asking him every half and hour or so, he said mostly no, but occasionally yes and went on the potty and did something. No accidents. Then when DH came home he decided to build DD's high chair and DS wanted to help. Of course, we then had a puddle on the floor. (My fault, as I didn't hover over them to keep an eye on him as I was sorting out DD) DH shouted at DS and got really angry with him, called him a filthy little pig, revolting and was stupid for not asking to use the potty etc. DS started to cry, so I took him out and washed him down, and he asked for a nappy again. Gave him one. The next day it took a while to persuade him to wear his pants, but in the end he did. I changed him into a nappy when DH came home. Since then he has refused to go on the potty every time I've asked him. Until last night, when he sat on the potty before bath time and did a poo :)
How should I proceed? When we're at home just keep asking him if he wants pants/nappy? Keep reminding him or asking him if he wants the potty even if he's wearing a nappy? I know he wasn't ready when we tried before, but I suspected he had no idea what he was doing so my idea was really that he noticed he was doing wee/poo. This seems to have worked as now he sometimes asks for a nappy change if its dirty. How to go from here?