so how long from when they "get it" until they can "do it"?

[Sugarmag]

DS is 2 1/2 and he has understood for a while now about what the toilet was for, what do on it etc and has successfully used it in the past although on a very erratic basis. So 5 days ago we put him in pants and we've made some definite progress. The first day was just big puddles on the floor. The second day he got very into the whole thing and was happily asking for the toilet every 5-10 minutes and in this way stayed dry for almost 4 hours - yay! Day 3 he wasn't quite so keen to spend the ENTIRE day on the toilet (fair enough) and if I asked him if he wanted to go the answer was always no. Then eventually he would say, "uh oh mummy I do a wee wee" - which was really just a little dribble, enough to get his pants wet but not make a puddle on the floor - followed by him running to the toilet to do the rest. I also saw this as huge progress because he is clearly gaining some degree of control. The thing is, this has now been going on for several days. We have yet for him to recognise that he needs the toilet while he's still dry.

Now I know it can take a lot more than just 5 days for them to learn to stay dry and I'm not expecting miracles, I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea how long this phase might last?

Also, how the H**L do you make sure the wee goes IN the toilet? At the moment he's sitting on it as even with a stool he's far too little to stand in front of it and I make sure his willy is pointing down every time but it's pretty hit or miss. Usually hit - as in half the time the wee ends up coming out between the toilet and the seat and hitting me! any suggestions for successfully keeping it in the toilet?

Ah, a matter close to my heart as we go to "pants only" with DD (2.3) on Friday when guests have gone. You need one of those plastic toilet insert thingies for boys - v.cheap, I think about a fiver, although check as they don't all fit all toilets. They then sit on that, and it has a kind of shield bit at the front, which stops the wee going everywhere. DS (.2) sat for wees for about 6-8 months after learning, before he was confident to stand and aim. Still uses an toilet insert for poo's.

It does take a while for them to anticipate a wee, unfortunately. I realised this when I was in Waitrose with DS a couple of months ago and he said he needed a wee...and said he could wait till we had been through the check out etc. This was a bit of a milestone as I have abandoned a half full trolley and sprinted with a small grimacing child under my arm on many many occasions.

Sugarmag sounds like your DS is doing really well. I was really lucky and mine potty trained within about 1-2 weeks. Had the odd accident after that point still though. But some don't potty train quite so quick. They are all different.

As for keeping the wee to the toilet - have you tried a ping pong ball!? Put one in the toilet and get DS to try and hit it with his wee. Great game.

but can't you only do the ping-pong ball thing once they're standing?

thanks for the tip about the toilet insert anchovy. We have those very clever 2-in-1 toilet seats from GLTC and they were brilliant when dd was smaller but never thought about the whole boy thing! Might have to get some toilet inserts and use them instead.

ds1 did the ping pong ball thing while sitting on the loo. He did get into quite bizzare positions though I admit!!