Think its time to start, your top tips are?....

[MeAndMyBoy]

Hi
We have decided that it is probably to time to start potty training DS1 - he's 2.5yrs and has been showing signs of being ready for several months, but didn't want to rush things. He will sit on the potty and use it. So we are going to start.

What are you top tips for do's and don'ts?

Thank you in advance, and look forward to talking to you all over the next few weeks.

H x

Stickers - everytime he gets a hit let him choose a sticker. we got noddy ones from a comic. The house is plastered with them!

Also let dd (also 2.5) pick her own knickers - woolworths has a good variety.

we read I want my potty by tony ross every day for a week before we went for it too. so made a game of shouting really loudly for potty.

good luck - be prepare to sound like a stuck record!

And lots of cheering (when he uses the potty of course!). Ånd take lots of changes of clothes when you go out. And try not to get cross if he has an accident - sometimes hard I know! Don't be tempted to bribe with food. My friend gave her little boy a sweet every time he used the potty - big mistake! He used to refuse to use the potty or toilet unless he had a sweet for months. She had a terrible time. Hope that helps. Good luck.

Oh and make him wear pants from the start, not nothing because he may use the potty successfully with nothing on but as soon as you put pants on him he may think he has a nappy on and wet in his pants and then you have to start all over again. Well, that is what happened to me with my first.

I'd advise against the "lots of nice pants" if your DS is a smart ar$e. DS1 9then 2.5) caught onto the fact that if he had an accident, he got a nice fresh pair of pants with a new picture on the front. We only caught on when he said "I'll have my Milo pants now." Changed our tactics to a "nice" pair first thing and then plain Tesco's value pants thereafter.

we bought character pants and ds would solemby declare "it's OK percy/thomas/whoever, no weewees on you..."

we made a huge fuss of any success and used sweets/stickers a bit, but he got it very quickly so this didn't last.

i bought anti-bac wipes for the first time and found these very useful!

good luck!

hi meandmyboy

on the first couple of mornings let him run about pant and trouser free.that means he's likely to start off relatively successfully..ie no mistakes cos he was wrestling with trousers.

also he'll be more aware that he 'doesnt have a nappy on' and so be less inclined to 'just do it',if that makes sense to you?
whenever you are in the house whip his nappy off..
obviously have the potty to hand [we had three..by accident not design]

i didnt use stickers or sweets or special pants but was a bit large with my enthusiasm shall we say..youll soon see what he responds best to.

ive just gone through this with my ds a couple of weeks ago..down to one nappy a night now.i keep thinking how GROWN UP he looks with no nappy!!!
hope this helps and that you have as easy a ride as i did xx

It's easier if you stick at it and don't go back or he'll get confused
Special pant buying trip required...def
Loads of praise (we phoned daddy at work !)
Don't bother with pull-ups! I think that they're an expensive waste of time and after a couple of wees in pants soon get the hang of it (harsh mummy alert )
Go for it! You'll be surprised I'm sure. Our two were dry during the day within the week (DD and a DS). DD dry at night within the fortnight, DS still in nappy at night at 2.5yrs but that's only because he's lazy and wees first thing in the morning when he wakes up instead of telling me first that he needs to go!

Expect it to take a while & a lot of accidents.

Wow that's fab advice everyone thank you so much.

K so stock up on lots of stickers (don't have sweets in our house other wise I eat them )

We have some cheap pants already so will get him to add to them - thanks for the Woolly's tip. Soupdragon PMSL!! little ones are incredible with how switched on they are.

The tips for nappy sac liner and anti bac wipes are great thanks - stupid but wouldn't have occured to me.

Off to order a couple of potty books so we can do a bit of preperation work.

I'll let you know how we get one.

H x