DD 21months has decided she wants to use the potty - help/advice

[MamaBear17]

I bought a potty a few months ago when because it was half price ad therefore a bargain. My intention was to put it away until the summer. I am a teacher and thought that the 6 week holiday would be the best time to potty train DD as we can focus completely on it and it would co-inside with her second birthday. I showed DD the potty and she sat on it fully clothed a few times but that was about it. However, today I asked her if she wanted to come with mummy to the toilet because I needed to go. We got to the bathroom and she said 'DD like go on a toilet' so, to try and keep her entertained so that I could wee uninterrupted, I bought her potty into the bathroom. DD then took her trousers off and demanded I removed her nappy. She then proceeded sit on the potty, get off, sit down again etc. Then she did a wee on the potty. On my next bathroom visit she has done the same, so has now wee'd twice on the potty and stayed dry in between. I am completely unprepared and do not know what I am doing. My instinct is to let her use the potty since she has instigated it. However, I do not want to get it wrong so any advice as to what to do next or how to potty train would be greatly appreciated!

DD2 did just this at 21 months. We were on holiday, and she refused to put on a nappy. I thought, well, what's the worse that can happen. She had two accidents, one because we were in the car longer than I'd expected, and one (very messy) at the top of Clovelly. She never had another accident. Some children just 'get it' without any effort. Sounds like your DD might be one of them. Buy some nice knickers, and let her get on with it.

DD1 did exactly the same, I had planned to try and 'train' her the Easter after she turned 2, but during half term (a week before she turned 2 & the only day we had anything planned) she announced no nappy, big girl pants please mummy.

That was that, we had our day out with frequent toilet trips. She has had 2 accidents that I can remember and was dry day and night within three weeks!!

Go with her

DS3 did pretty much the same at the same age - he had a sore bottom so I left his nappy off, and left the potty handy - we'd been reading about using the potty. I suggested he might like to use it and he did - and then refused to wear a nappy in the day - we had a few accidents but he was reliably dry within a week or so and that was that - we did keep him in nappies at night for a while longer as he was a heavy 7-7 sleeper. In fact he was my earliest in the day latest at night.

Well it would be harsh to make her stay in nappies if she's ready, so just go for it! My dd1 announced that she would be wearing knickers not nappies when she was 22 months. She was dry day & night straight away. With ds however I had to do full on boot camp when he turned three- I know which I preferred!

Don't worry about not knowing what to do / getting it wrong and just follow her lead. Sounds like she might have cracked it on her own anyway!

My dtds are almost 21mo and dtd1 keeps taking her nappy off and sitting on the potty, i'm so not ready! I'm thinking of going with it but use pull ups. Dd1 went straight to knickers but I only had 1DC so different rules this time!

Princess, it sounds like you will only have one using the potty, so not as bad as you may think!

DD1 was like this at the same age. Older friend said "you're a baby, you wear nappies". Dd1 was out of them within 24 hours and almost never had an accident.

DD did the same at 17 months and DS is 20 months and has been using the potty for a few weeks. I just put them in knickers/pants, put the potty somewhere visible and followed their lead. Sometimes I would remind them if it'd been a while and they were busy but otherwise, they were fine from the beginning.