Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

How do you potty train when you're at work fulltime?

20 replies

bunnyrabbit · 04/05/2006 16:43

Well how do you? I could take a week or two off, but from what people say it takes longer than this in most cases.

DS is 2yr 8mnths and not ready yet, but the nursery want them toilet trained by 3, as I understand do most pre-schools.

Any advice gratefully received (won't be able to check this thread again until tonight)

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

elliott · 04/05/2006 16:45

nursery will do it, won't they?

beckybrastraps · 04/05/2006 16:47

If the nursery wants him toilet trained then they're going to have to be a bit more proactive in helping you! Do they have a particular way of doing things. I would ask them what they suggest myself.

motherinferior · 04/05/2006 16:48

Do it over a holiday period when he's a bit older. The closer to three the better.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

motherinferior · 04/05/2006 16:48

DD1 got it over a weekend at close to three, btw.

Marina · 04/05/2006 16:50

We worked with nursery for both children, very effectively BR. Is ds at this nursery now or do you want him to be ready to go there at three?
If they are daycare providers (as opposed to a nursery pre-school) and want him to be dry at three, and have him 5 days a week, then they have to expect to assist you actively.

Oblomov · 04/05/2006 16:52

All nurserys would 'like' their children to be potty trained.

But it is against the law for them to demand it.
Many schools tell parents that their child 'must be potty trained, in order to start' - but they are actually not allowed to make this demand.

Just remember that - don't let anyone put any pressure on you.
Ask the nursery for guidance & support.
But the key thing with potty training is to wait until your child is ready.
When a child is ready, it is easy.
When you try to force a child who is not ready, its a nightmare.

robin3 · 04/05/2006 16:53

I took a week off....actually just tacked days on to Easter so I would have 7 consecutive days.

DS 2.5 mastered it in 3 days (following Cods nappy off, pants on advice). DS still relapses at home when very tired but it's no big deal. Went back to nursery and couldn't get the hang of things there, which they told me is usually the case because they are more distracted etc. Then yesterday, on third week back at nursery, he cracked it and had a clean/dry day.

I was dreading it too but actually found the whole thing very satisfying because it was a real coming of age and for once I had time off to just spend at home messing around and not be overly ambitious.

Hope this helps.

hulababy · 04/05/2006 17:20

DD was completely dry by Day 3, so you could try over a Bank holiday or long weekend.

tassis · 04/05/2006 17:22

Ds cracked it on day 3

I rather envied parents who work full time for the fact that nursery would do it for them...

Blu · 04/05/2006 17:32

We did it on holiday - wipe-clean tiled floors in a spanish apartment, and the outdoor, few-clothes environment of the beach. But also we waited and waited, then DS said 'I can wee in a potty, now' - and did.

A couple of children in his pre-school were not yet toilet trained.

bundle · 04/05/2006 17:33

nursery were key for us too. and with dd2 she just happened to get conjunctivitis when i was potty training so i was at home with her, watching videos and trotting merrily to the loo. she cracked it then.

Original poster

bunnyrabbit · 04/05/2006 22:20

Thanks guys. Didn't know it was illegal to insist they were potty trained.

Unfortunately DS is at nuresry from 7.30 to 6, 5 day a week. I really wanted to potty train him myself. I know it sounds daft, but I miss out on so much that I want to be there when he does his first wee on the toilet/potty.

Thing is, he is soooo not ready. I suppose I shall just have to wait and then book some time off at the last minute.

Thanks again. I can always rely on mumsnetters when I have a dilemma.

OP posts:

rbj949703 · 04/05/2006 23:01

dd2 is 2yr 8mths and we're trying for the 2nd time. We tried before christmas and even nursery gave up after 5 days.

We started trying again this week, nursery asked us to as dd was getting through 8 or 9 nappies a day because she kept taking them off and sitting on the potty. No successes at all on the potty so far, she's averaging 2 'accidents' a day.

DD actually wants to wear pants, and knows what she has to do. We've had some almighty battles this week trying to get a nappy on for bed.

joash · 04/05/2006 23:37

whats Cods nappy off, pants on advice - help.

threebob · 05/05/2006 07:06

Take the time off and do something nice with ds. Let nursery potty train - honestly you are missing NOTHING!

FairyMum · 05/05/2006 07:16

I never trained mine. I think they all just train themselves when ready anyway. They will see that other children in nursery go to the potty/toilet and probably want to try to, but again I think only when they are ready. Lots of children aren't ready for potty training before 3 so I find it strange that a nursery should stress with it. Our nursery was always very relaxed about it. It happens when it happens.

blueteddy · 05/05/2006 07:55

With difficulty if he is anything like my DS!
I decided to start training him when I had a week off work. He was 2.10 & I had this illusion that he may have cracked it in a week...WRONG!!
3 months later we are still having constant accidents, especially of the brown variety!
My DS is split between nursery & Grandparents while I am working. Nursery are very good & I just take along spare clothes incase of accidents (yesterday he had no accidents at nursery), but MIL doesn't remind him to go & tends to put him back in a nappy after more than 1 accident!
My DS1 was far easier than this, so it doesn't have to be a nightmare though!
Is your DS showing any signs of being ready?
Wait until you have some time off work & go for it. The nursery will help too, as I know my DS's nursery really encourage him.
Good luck!

Rach69 · 05/05/2006 10:14

I'd reiterate what others have said. I also agree, nursery can't make you and he will learn there very quickly! Many kids have accidents in school. Your LO must be ready, it does help if they have older siblings or other kids around to copy - if not, you and dp must!

I've always done it (with 2 boys and a girl) the summer after they were two (about 2 1/2 yrs) - I made sure it co-incided with my holiday from work and just went for it - total dedication and reinforcment. Naked from the waist down (helps if you have hard floors!) and at the first sign of something happening, whip them onto the potty (make sure it's a chair type,much more comfy) when you 'catch' something, praise inordinately and bribe with a packet of choc buttons (decrease amount until you just use verbal praise). TBH it is just like training a puppy, don't tell them off if they have an accident, don't pull your hair out and don't take your eyes off them! If a child is ready I reckon it can take as little as a week (for ds1 day and night trained). It obsesses you at the time but it does pass really quickly, honestly!

Original poster

bunnyrabbit · 10/05/2006 22:50

Sorry not been on-line for a while.

He is showing no signs at all. To be honest he's a lazy tyke so it doesn't surprise me.

Nursery are keen to help, but they already tried last year, when I had specifically asked them not to. All they actually did was ask him if he wanted to go on the potty which resulted in him then running away in terror whenever the word potty was mentioned.

Great.

I have started sitting him on the toilet before his bath (have the potty that's also toilet seat) but only managed to get him on it by telling him he was going in the bath head first instead of feet first if he didn't sit on the toilet. Now he does ask to sit on the toilet at nursery, but never does anything.

I have hard floors which I suppose is a good thing, but I think I'll just keep him in a nappy until he goes to school. He's a September baby so that's another 2 years!!!

OP posts:

controlfreaky2 · 10/05/2006 22:52

you delegate.... and just make sure you stick with the programme when you are on duty....

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread