potty training - don't have a clue

[PumpkinPie2013]

I know this sounds ridiculous but DS is my only child and I literally have no clue about potty training

He is 2 at the moment and will be 3 at the end of November. He's a bright boy and has excellent speech so can communicate effectively.

He knows what the toilet is and what it is for. He will happily sit on the toilet and has had a wee/poo but largely because we sat him on the toilet and he needed to go rather than him saying he needed to go IYSWIM.

Anyway, the other day he spotted some Spiderman underpants and wanted them so I bought them. At home, he put them on and we talked about being a big boy and going to the toilet etc.

Unfortunately, it was a disaster . After five minutes, I popped into the kitchen and literally a minute later, DS was crying because he'd done a poo. We sorted it and I didn't make a scene just said never mind etc.

Kept reminding him about going to the toilet but literally about ten minutes after I changed him, he weed in his pants I gave up at that point because he was upset.

Problem is, I now have no idea what to do next? Shall I try pull ups and just encourage him to try the toilet? Nursery would do this as well (he's there full time) or what?

I was thinking of asking nursery for advice but feel a bit stupid

Any tips /advice would be much appreciated.

Don't use pull ups, it's confusing for them because they don't feel wet after they have weed.

1. wait until he is ready, no point in trying it until they are totally ready. If you try it too early it will be a nightmare all round. When the time is right it's easy.

2. put a potty in every room and leave him naked from the waist down so it's really easy to get on the potty quick by himself- this might be fit a few days

3. move onto pants when going out, make sure they are loose enough to pull down quickly

Praise every wee or poo, especially in the potty/toilet - reward with stickers/sweets maybe

My 2 yr old DS (three next month) is getting to grips with it now, we've done it off and on over the last few weeks. First time was tough. This time round (four days now) he's really cracked it.

Thank you for your reply and advice I felt like it was late for him to be starting but I've heard a few people say their children were closer to three (like your DS).

I think I'll leave it for a few weeks and then try again. He's not three until the very end of November so he's still quite young.

Do not use pull ups

Get a towel or a wet the bed mat you get from tescos and place in car seat so if he wets car seat don't get socked

Sweets not somthing I would otherwise encourage but we all work for reward 1- sweet for a wee 2- sweets for a poo

Even when out
Stickers do work but sweets work better

A potable potty is a must and get it out when he needs don't be shy

You really need to do it over a long weekend if possible

Oh yes a canvass shoes if they wee then you can pop the shoes in the wash learned the hard way dd had wellies on half way to the shops she was knee deep in wee😜

Decide what your expectations are and then lower them...lower than that.

Prepare to think you've cracked it and then regress terribly for a bit.

Do not feel badly if you end up bribing them with chocolate buttons. You do what you need to do.

Don't believe anybody that says they cracked it in a few days, even if they did, you do not need this comparison in your life.

started at Easter, dry in May, six accidents a day June and July, properly dry in August. DS turned three in July

Stopping and starting is confusing for them, so if you've stopped then give it a decent break before restarting so you're confident he's ready (and you don't have long journeys/holidays/time at grandparents planned in the next few weeks) then restart fully committed. Pull-ups/nappies at night is fine, but not at all during the day.

I'd actually say that the fact he got upset at accidents is a really good sign! He wants to do it, just hasn't quite figured it yet. He will. DD got very upset at wetting herself, and our breakthrough moment was when DH managed to get her onto a potty mid-flow. Somehow that seemed to make it click for her.

Get the Pirate Pete potty book and start reading that to him a few weeks before you plan to start.

As much as possible, let it come from him. I found that any kind of pressure was counterproductive (eg trying to get her to stay on the potty for a while, or even reminding her about the toilet). We just made sure there were potties in each room ready for a quick dash when she said she needed to go, made no big thing of either accidents or false alarms (generally said 'it's no big thing. Well done for trying' iirc), and were full of praise for successes.

Pull-ups are a nightmare (voice of bitter experience) - the only thing they are good for is easier changing while you're out and about, but otherwise are basically less absorbent nappies.

DD is about to turn three and only got it two months ago, so I don't think your DS is lagging, particularly. Wish I had some useful advice, but we eventually just let DD run around naked or in knickers with easy access to toilet. Good luck!

You have had a lot of good advice. I would add, it can take a few days of accidents before it clicks, so don't give up if you are still cleaning up puddles of wee after 2-3 days, I would give it a good 4-5 days and if you are still getting more accidents than not, then wait 6-8 weeks before trying again.

Make sure you have spare clothes in the car and a clean up kit in your bag (spare clothes, pants, wipes and a small cloth/towel and a plastic bag for wet things). Sometimes it can take an inappropriate wee for it to really click (such as my DD2 on the hairdressers floor!).

Summer is the best time to do it, less clothes/less mess/more outside times.

If he is in full time nursery, just tell them you want to potty train and they will help you - they will be experts!