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Original poster

getting ready to start potty training, after much waiting...

26 replies

americantrish · 15/07/2007 08:01

ds is 3 (and a few weeks) and i think he's ready. even though he only sometimes tells us he has to wee and when he's wet (he's been wearing those 'feel wet' nappies for 2 weeks now and regular pampers at bedtime.) he's yet to actually do anything in the potty yet (well the toilet, we're using one of those inserts.)

we bought a load of underwear for him this weekend (around 20 pairs?, am i going to need more in the beginning? be honest!!)
and on this tuesday, i'm thinking about just putting him in the underwear and hoping for the best. i know they'll be accidents and all that, but about now, i'm just not sure how else to get it started. (he sits on the toilet sometimes, for a minute or so, which we think is good, even if he doesnt do anything!)

please tell me i'm not mad for thinking about doing it this way. he's a clever kid and i think he'll pick it up quickly. (hope! hope! hope!)

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DisasterZone · 15/07/2007 10:11

Started yesterday with DD who is 2 in 2 wks. CM has been encouraging us to go for it as DD is constantly asking to go on the loo when the other kids go. She's more resistant with us of course. Yesterday - 1st day - we had 3 wees in toilet or potty, and went through 6 pairs of pants. I had to work in the aternoon so she satyed in a nappy after her nap.

Just as I was typing she said 'Mum wee wee' I rushed her to the loo and she did a poo! Brilliant, as yesterday she did 2 in her pants without seeming bothered. I've read all of the most recent 'bootcamp' thread and have been wondering if she's going to be a bit stubborn about the poos.

Anyway, I think we're just going to stay in today and mop up the puddles as they appear. Good luck Trish, hope your DS has a good day today. I think the more pants the better - then you can chuck out the worst and not worry too much.

Original poster

americantrish · 15/07/2007 10:24

thanks DZ today we have a lot on and monday he's at nursery in the afternoon, that's why i've decided on tuesday as its a good, empty day for us.
i've heard and been told they can be more stubborn about pooing in the potty, so right now, i'll be happy if he wees in there!

i'm gonna pick up more cheap pants at woolies tomorrow i think!

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rhead · 17/07/2007 20:08

My ds is pretty good with the potty but also gets a big kick out of weeing outside (okay, we live in the country) and standing up and weeing in the toilet 'like daddy' (he has a little step to stand on as it's a bit just!). If it's practical, giving him options like those might encourage him. Mine will sometimes say no if I ask if he wants a wee in the potty but yes if I ask if he wants to go outside!

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Original poster

americantrish · 18/07/2007 20:06

my MIL also suggested the running around outside too.
i just read on a webpage that putting them in underwear at the beginning of potty training is a mistake?!

i've been working hard to build myself up to start this tomorrow and now i'm feeling i might not be doing it the right way... :I

he doesnt want to go on the potty even using 'training' nappies..so what the heck do you do?

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WigWamBam · 18/07/2007 20:19

I don't think that putting them in underwear is a mistake. It certainly worked for dd, who was almost 3.

Training pants are a bit too much like nappies, so some children feel they are OK to wee in, and always being naked isn't practical - so what does the article suggest as an alternative?

Original poster

americantrish · 18/07/2007 20:31

i agree. he thinks they are nappies really, even if he feels wet when he goes in them.
i mean, if this approach really doesnt work out, there's got to be something else we can try...

the article didnt suggest anything as an alternative! it was a list of common potty training mistakes. sigh...

and now reading the potty training camp thread here, i'm getting worried about ds and the whole pooing thing... well, one step at a time....

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rhead · 19/07/2007 11:22

Just noticed your name, americantrish... I'm american Rachel! Live in France tho.

My son is 2 1/2 and potty training slowly - but I think maybe where I'm going 'wrong' is that during the day we've switched from cloth nappies to either disposable pull-ups, pants, or training pants... I tend to let him pick what he wants to wear, but use sposies when we're going out. A lot of people seem to be talking about training fully in less than a week, but we've been progressing slowly (to a point, but not beyond!) for a couple of weeks now.

Maybe to go all the way we need to take the plunge and just switch to pants/trainers all the time, and be prepared for 'accidents'! He does seem more likely to be lazy in a pull-up, tho sometimes he's quite conscientious about it. Any advice on this would be appreciated! Maybe I should start a new thread...

Original poster

americantrish · 20/07/2007 14:42

hiya rhead ahhh france! luckily you! all that nice cheese and wine!! :D

let me know where your thread is if you start a new one...

i'm hoping to start tomorrow if the weather is nice... to let ds run in the garden happy and naked!

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Original poster

americantrish · 21/07/2007 08:09

well, bugger the waiting and weather, we've started this morning. ds isnt too keen on wearing the pants and not a nappy. but he's been okay so far. did his morning poo as soon as i put him in the pants :O oh well!
and i'm asking him every 10 or 15 minutes if he has to go wee.= (i guess i should be sitting him on the potty too frequently!) oops!

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MadAsABagOfFrogs · 21/07/2007 08:39

Don't know if it will work but someone suggest putting pants on under pull ups, that way you get the wet feel that pants give you if they are wet but without the puddles. We are thinking about potty training ds2 over the summer, we did it over the summer with ds1 and it was great because most of the puddles happened outside but I don't think it's going to be dry enough this summer to do that.

Desiderata · 21/07/2007 08:44

Mine is 2.8. He's been using the potty for months, providing he's not wearing anything. With pants, he'd just wee right through them.

This week I decided enough was enough. No more nappies, except at night. This time, he's managed it. He's not had an accident all week ... although getting him to poo is still a major impossibility at the moment.

I'm confident that this will be resolved soon .. but keep sticking to your guns. NO MORE NAPPIES!!!

Original poster

americantrish · 21/07/2007 08:58

i'm quite proud of myself for not getting upset with the accidents so far this morning!

i've been putting him on the potty every half hour. if i ask him if he has to wee, he says no anyway.

i'm gonna see how this goes as its our first attempt at potty training. if going about it this way, we'll have to see how we can alter our efforts. he didnt seem to mind being wet :I
i showed him without making a big deal of it. just an 'oh well! next time we'll try on the potty!'

dh is lucky he had to go into work today

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Original poster

americantrish · 21/07/2007 09:56

he really doesnt seem to mind being wet :I

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rhead · 21/07/2007 11:30

Have just started a thread on poo withholding (charming I know) as this is getting to be a major issue for us... I've also decided to stop occasionally using pull-ups on him (despite the nearly full bag in the cupboard, damn) and go for pants, accidents be damned. There were two yesterday, but it's no big deal. The rest of the time he managed either the potty, the toilet, or the great outdoors (not raining here, for once).

Not so sure if I'll be brave when we go out, though. Hmm.

rhead · 21/07/2007 11:32

Also if you haven't yet you should read the 'right you inept sods' thread, it will give you courage and some good laughs. We're not alone!

Original poster

americantrish · 21/07/2007 11:35

i have read over that thread... :I
just wishing ds wouldnt wee within minutes of sitting on the potty!!

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rhead · 22/07/2007 08:51

We managed all day in pants yesterday with no accidents! Even had a poo in the loo after about 3 hours of solid whinging (tho I'm afraid that may have been because I got a bit upset with him eventually and plonked him on the seat and said he wasn't getting down until he'd had a poo... oops... it did work though, and pretty quickly!).

There were even some other little boys round so lots of excitement and running around. Go little man go! Not dry at night though.

Original poster

americantrish · 22/07/2007 18:06

yay!!! we did ok today. day 2. a lot of accidents and ONE successful wee on the potty it took all my nerve NOT to jump for joy! (we praise him more for just sitting on the potty.) and we spent all afternoon in the garden

hope you had a good rest of the day..almost finally bedtime here, thankfully!!

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rhead · 22/07/2007 18:48

Hooray!

We had a less stellar day - two wees in his pants, plus one in his cot/on the carpet when I put him in there nappyless for a brief time out. Oops.

rhead · 22/07/2007 18:49

Oh - and why not jump for joy? I'm sure I did for the first couple of wees in the potty, and certainly the first poo!

Original poster

americantrish · 22/07/2007 18:55

i've done a lot of carpet wiping/cleaning the last two days, thankfully just wee though!

i dont want ds to get too excited if i do when he wees in the potty. (and lose focus on what he's doing!) he was happy enough to flush the toilet when he was done

this gives me hope!! (especially after he had 3 accidents this morning in the space of about 5 or 6 minutes after sitting on the potty!)

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rhead · 23/07/2007 07:29

Mine always has to be the one to carry the potty to the loo and empty it. He's only dumped it all over the floor once (on the tiles, fortunately!). Hehe. Gets most distressed if I try to pick it up and carry it to the bathroom!

Original poster

americantrish · 23/07/2007 08:51

we've only been using the small potty outside and one of those toilet inserts (which dh has made so it doesnt move when on the toilet) - we had one more success this morning (wee) and one (ooops!) poo on the his bedroom floor, (but he took his pants off before he pooed, so its a start!)

hope your monday is a good one... mine's off to nursery this afternoon, so i'm packing a big bag of extra clothes!

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rhead · 23/07/2007 10:06

lol... ah well, at least we can laugh about it (er, after).

Original poster

americantrish · 23/07/2007 11:10

i think the only way to handle all this is to laugh!! =D

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