Order of things!

[cathlaugh]

Hi everyone. We are going on hols in July and I am off work for a couple of wks now for Easter. On the holiday DD who is 2.5 at the mo will be in a single bed. I need to do the following:

1. Move her to big bed(we have cot bed, but should I just put her straight to a single one?)
2. Get rid of dummy at night/nap time
3. Change to proper toothbrush
4. Potty train

Am feeling overwhelmed and don't want DD to feel the same! Where is the best place to start- have never done any of these before. :-(

Thanks everyone

Hi Cath. I haven't got any experience of these things either (my ds is under 2 still), but a couple of questions spring to mind.

• Is the only reason for moving to a big bed the holiday? If so, can you not take a travel cot and postpone the transition to a big bed?

• why do you need to get rid of the dummy right now? I would think that trying to do this at the same time or close after moving to a big bed could be really unsettling.

• I'm not sure what moving to a "proper" toothbrush means. What are you using with her now?

• potty training. The general consensus seems to be to do this when she is showing signs of being ready, and is easier in warmer months when you can let them run around with nothing on the bottom half to make it easier.

I would just try and limit how much change you implement at once, and start with the things that have to happen. Anything that's optional can wait until the major changes have settled down.

whats a proper toothbrush?
you could do that tomorrow, thats one off your list
potty training only attempt if she is showing signs of being ready, she doesn't have to be potty trained by the holiday- plenty of people take children on holiday in nappies
moving in to her big bed you can do anytime, and yes it is better just to move her into a single bed
giving up the dummy will be the hardest- it is best to just do it and ride out the storm
you could probably do all your list in the next 2 weeks if she is ready to potty train

Don't do all of those at the same time!

Toothbrush not a bigger, but the other three are big. Choose one for this Easter.

I'm confused as to why any of those things need to be done urgently.

1. just bung her in the cot bed
2. I would hold off on this one til after holiday
3. what is a proper toothbrush? What are you using now?
4. as you are off from work an attempt at potty training isn't a bad idea but if she's not ready out her back in nappies until after the holiday.

I worry that you will overwhelm your child by doing all of that at once and that you will end up failing with all or some.

Is she even ready to potty train? You can't do it because you want to but because she is ready.

Start with the toothbrush. That one is easy-ish but be prepared for resistance even with that. Then try the bed thing and wait. Don't try the dummy and potty training at the same time.

Thanks everyone. Should have explained am using a Brushbaby toothbrush- it's up to 3 yrs old. She has just been sucking on it with toothpaste before bedtime.

I wasn't planning to do it all at once- was just wondering what to start with. She is prob ready for potty training as she is trying to take off her nappy herself and is v. Interested in the toilet. My parents r pressurising me re this.

Will prob wait re bed, but just wondering if she is used to cot bed will it be more difficult for her to sleep in single bed on hols? Think travel cot would be too small.

I really don't think it will make any difference with regards to the bed so I wouldn't worry about it. Give potty training a go but it really is no one else's business so let your dd take the lead there.

I'd start by getting her to help choose a new toothbrush, let her see you brushing your teeth and take it slowly.

with the other things here's what I did
bed - we started DS playing on his bed and I asked him if he wanted to sleep there at naptime to start with. we then took the side off the cot and pushed it up against the bed so he could get in it himself whenever he felt like it. once he was happy with this arrangement we moved the cot away but left it in the room so he could still use it if he wanted. we then put the side back on it but left it in the room for a bit. we are going through a bit of a phase after 4/5 months where he gets out of bed or says he doesn't want to go to bed but on the whole it's worked out great - I think this is because there was no pressure on him

can't help with the dummy I'm afraid (we got rid at 5 months when he was teething and didn't want it anyway) but I'm sure there's no hurry - I certainly wouldn't do it at the same time as the move to a bed

as for the potty training...do you need to train? I ask because I decided not to train DS but instead wait until he was ready. from about 2.5 I got him to go for a poo in the bathroom (still in his nappy but in the right room) and we tried pants every now and then. it took him quite a while to get over his fear of pooing outside his nappy but he's been dry and in pants for 2 weeks now (at 3.2) apart from naps and bedtime, I've totally gone at his pace with just a little push in the right direction from time to time. I just asked him each day "pants or nappy today?" and in the end I just said "I think you're ready for pants at home now, what do you think? shall we give it a go?" I honestly wouldn't pay any attention to what anyone else thinks you should do, only you know your DC (and I knew mine wouldn't be trained and I couldn't be bothered either!) and they're all ready in their own time.

if it were me I'd mention these things to her one at a time and let her decide when to take the next step (with a gentle push if needed) - there's really no hurry, she's only little

I have a two and a half year old, I moved her (with much fear and anxiety) to a single bed when she was 2 and 2 months prior to arrival of new baby.... It was surprisingly easy, she loves the new bed/bedding etc and being able to climb in and out herself (which I was very thankful for being heavily preg) she slept well in it straight off and four months on, doesn't climb out of it in the morning until I go in to her! I'd go straight for big bed as cot bed will be outgrown and they'll need to be another transition..and get a bed guard.

Potty training - wait till she's up for it, I've started this week (my family were horrified by how long I waited) but it's been easy and she's got the hang of it straight away (with the help of chocolate buttons and pretty knickers)

Toothbrush - buy a kiddie electric one

Dummy - um I'm holding on to this! I value my sleep and sanity more than caring about the judgey anti dummy brigade.... I'm hoping that she will, like with the nappies get rid in her own time. It's a battle I'm too scared to have as she'd most definitely win!