Asking childminder to help with potty training?

[raininginbaltimore]

Can you give me your opinion as childminders etc? I am a teacher, working full time and DS (2.8) goes to childminder. He has been showing lots of signs of being ready to potty train so we have started this half term.

He is doing really well, he can tell when he needs to go, although we have a very short amount of time to get to the potty! We use pull ups out and about, and he has told me he needs to go, although we haven't been as successful getting to toilet on time.

He goes back to childminder on Monday- do you think it is ok to ask for her help to continue? I would send lots of pants/changes of clothes. Otherwise we will have to wait until summer holidays again.

absolutely ask her to help. its part of her job description ( or should be)
if she has a problem with it then she is in the wrong career!

Of course you can. When I was childminding, I didn't have a problem with it at all! In fact, since I had so many children to mind over the years, I was probably better equiped and knowledgable about the whole thing.

Thanks. Phew, don't know why I thought it might be a problem. Obviously I wouldn't expect her to help from day 1, but seeing as he will be a week in I thought it would be ok.

No problem at all.

Although if it were me I would appreciate a phone call now warning me so i could get all my equipment out ready rather than just turning up with no warning or preparation.

My childminder helped to train dd1 and was lovely about it! I was somewhat mortified at the accidents that dd1 had there, but it's all part of the process right?!

I did send her with the same potty that we had at home just for continuity reasons.

I told my childminder I was thinking of potty training and by the time I got back that evening she'd done the torture first day! She really is a gem

Another yes from me

I too would appreciate a call beforehand, so that the week's plans could be tweaked to accommodate (eg put off proposed visit to soft play for a week or two, that kinda thing)

Go for it

She does know that we ate giving it a go this week. I'll chat to her Monday morning. She's away this week,.so can't contact her before then.

I would also ditch the pull-ups as they can be confusing for the child and a nightmare to change. You can buy 'trainer pants' (towelling lined pants) and protective outers if you want the 'less leak' option for when out as child then feels wet whereas with pull ups they can be a bit lazy and 'go' but still feel comfortable.

Hmm, we have been doing the session approach of potty training boys book. Without the pull ups we couldn't have left the house. I don't have a car and for.example this morning I had to go doctors which is 20 min walk. What do you do if they can't wait?

As soon as we get home we put pants on again.

I'm currently training 2 of them, plus my own DD. I once had 4 of them at various stages - my bathroom looked like a Teletubbies set with 4 potties of various colours

Do be prepared for your child's day at the childminder's to be a bit more accident-filled, though. Not saying it will, just that my experience is there's so much going on, they're more likely to get distracted.

Little boys have the means to water drains, flowerbeds, gutters etc.

My DS was absolutely delighted when he found out he could wee standing up and the little girls couldn't!

I did try that yesterday, but he just wanted to sit down on his potty.

Now I am wondering if I have done this wrong and should have stayed I the house more. The thought of not going out even for one day fills me with panic!

You can get portable travel potties. They fold up fairly small and have absorbent liners. Both amazon and eBay have them or you can get them in some baby shops.