How did you know your child was ready for potty training?

[BotBotticelli]

What are the signs?

Ds1 is 2 years 4 months old. He is aware when he is literally doing a poo but doesn't seem to have a prior awareness that it's gonna happen.

For the first time ever last week he told me he was doing a wee in his nappy. Not told me since though.

We have had a potty in the bathroom for months but whenever we say "right let's sit on the potty and try for a wee" before his bath he just says NO and is not keen at all.

I don't wanna beg/cajole/force him to sit on it if he doesn't want to. But toddlers never "want" to do things you suggest do they?! What if he never says "ok then"??

Should I just leave it a month or two till it's warm and then buy some more potties for the garden/downstairs and have some pants-off time so he can get used to the feeling of wee coming out without a nappy to catch it?

Just feel totally at a loss. Have always tried to follow my sons cues for when he is ready for things (solid food, big boy bed etc) but just not sure if I am reading all the signs wrong with this.

Plus older family members appear scandalised that he is nearly 2 and a half and I haven't started yet :( feel like I am failing him but have no idea where to start. Or even if I should start now.

Help!

Firstly, ignore those family members who are giving you grief! Honestly, it's not like he's 5 and at school. Are they the kinds of people you can talk to and say that you don't appreciate any pressure about this?

I've just gone through potty training with my DS who is 2yrs9months. It took about 3 days to do, and he's been pretty reliable since then. There's been the odd accident, but really hardly any at all. He's been good at nursery too, which I was worried about.

The important thing for me was for him to be able to tell me that he'd done a wee. Up until quite recently he also had no clue about whether he'd done a wee at all. I didn't think there was any point trying whilst he was so unaware.

What I did before the start of potty training was to talk about it a lot, but not ask him to do anything. So the potty was around, but I never asked him to sit on it. Just was encouraging if he chose to. I also let him spend a fair amount of time nappy free (eg before/after a bath), and if he had a wee "accident" then talk about next time doing it on the potty.

I was surprised how quickly my DS got the hang of it, as I was expecting it to take much longer. If you've got a few days in a row with your DS (eg no nursery or whatever), then you could give it a go. You can always go back to nappies if it's clear he isn't ready.

He's already told you he's done a wee - that would suggest to me that he's ready.

but he won't train properly until you let him experience the feeling of being wet/dirty every time he does it. So if you can, put him in pants or just let him run about with no pants on for a few weeks/couple of months. It's pretty easy to clean up messes when they happen. Take a few spare pairs of pants with you whenever you go out. People understand 'accidents'.

I'm a big fan of the let them run about pant-free in the garden method.

Also, they will make a 'face' and go quiet when they do a poo. That's when you need to pick them up and whisk them to the potty!

When he knew he wanted to go. He was also dry at night. I just suggested he went in the potty rather than go in a nappy and he did, it only took a few days to make the change. He was about a week off being two. However there was no pressure, the hormone regulating bladder control kicks in for children at different times.