DS just not ready for Potty training STILL

[Heythatwasmyhotdog]

DS is 2yrs10months and showing zero signs of being ready for potty training. Doesn’t complain when wet etc, doesn’t hide to Pooh, none of the signs DS1 showed (who was dry including at night by this age). I am worried he is going to be really late at being potty trained? Is this late?

Not these days, from what I've seen on here. When I had my boys in the 90s it would have been on the late side of usual.

You could just take the initiative and go for it. That's basically what we did back then, usually between two and two and a half.

He will be ready when he’s ready. No point in stressing. Or comparing to others. They are all so different. I wouldn’t worry. Certainly not yet.

No, he's not late.

Many kids are over 3 when they start potty training. I would say that up to 3y6m is in the normal range.

It’s a long time ago now but my DD was older than this before she was ready. I think 2 and a half,maybe older , I resisted the urge to force it as I had been in touch with NCT for advice. When she was ready she got the hang of it very quickly and I was glad I waited.

I wouldn't necessarily wait for these signs. My daughter 2.5 wasn't showing any of these, but for various reasons I wanted to train her asap. I just went for it, obviously explained it all, got smarties as rewards etc, and tackled it when I had three days off work, and knew we had nothing planned so could stay home. Tbh I was ready to throw in the towel after first three or four days, as she was very reluctant and didn't seem to be getting it, but then it just seemed to click with her and she was fully trained within a week.

I have two boys also and they were a bit older, closer to 3 years, but just wanted to share my recent experience! Good luck whenever you undertake it!

I potty trained one of mine aged about 3 and a quarter for daytime and just on 4 for night time when they seemed ready and didn't have any issues after that.

Another child was dry in the day quite early via nursery but night time was more of a challenge into KS1 school age.

They vary. Competitive potty training isn't useful. If it doesn't even start to work after a few days, try again in 3 to 6 months.

Kids are all different, my first was completely dry and had no accidents after 4 days of potty training at the age of 2.5 then my second took a full year and was finally a safe bet a couple of months after she turned 4.
So what feels right for your child, don't think about what others are doing or what you 'should' be doing.

I don’t know that those are necessarily hard and fast signs of readiness. Modern disposable nappies are so good it’s pretty standard to not complain about being wet, because they’re not actually able to feel it. Dry at night is hormonal and the average age for that is 4 but that would be ridiculously late to start daytime training. Hiding to poop maybe, but mine never did this, in fact DD is 5 and we have to keep telling her to shut the bathroom door as no shame whatsoever!

If you’ve got a good block of time coming up where it’s convenient to mostly stay home for a week then you may as well try it and you’ll find out if he’s ready. If not then no bother, back to nappies and try again in a few months.

I trained my oldest at 2.4. She showed none if those signs of being ready but it was the Summer she was 2 and that was when we had decided. We'd read books with her and talked about in the weeks leading up to day 1. We did the "Oh Crap Potty Training Method" which was quite straightforward.

Neither DS1 (at 3 years 3 months) or DS3 (at 3 years 1 month) showed any of the signs of readiness except hiding to poo. DS3 if anything on the surface was more ready - we'd been putting him on the toilet before bath since tiny and he could wee on demand. Despite this, DS1 was incredibly easy - DS3 is only just starting to get there now 2 and a bit months on in terms of taking himself for wees / doing poos. We suspected DS3 would be a pain, he's stubborn and doesn't like being interrupted, so we did it then knowing we might be in for a few months of accidents. We chose not to wait any longer than the end of the summer because of wanting warmer weather to help with drying the piles of washing, and because we thought it would be better he went back to preschool and straight into a new routine of pants rather than settling him back in and then changing his routine.

At 2 years 10 months, I think it's up to you. They don't have to have all the signs of readiness, and not having them doesn't mean potty training won't be successful, but worst case it could be a long haul... On the other hand, at that age I think you could easily wait another 5 or 6 months to the spring, when it will probably be a lot easier (and if not at least it's easier to deal with the dirty washing).

My oldest showed none of these 'signs', I just picked a time to potty train him and did it, he got the idea immediately, was very easy. He was 2.5.

It's worth a try. I don't think I've ever heard of hiding to poo being a sign. Neither of mine ever did that. Getting lucky with timing and a wee bit of bribery is what worked for me. I don't remember any particular signs

Just wait until they’re ready - it’s not a competition. My waited until mine turned three as I didn’t think they were ready until then. It took 2 days of accidents and then we were done. It’s like walking, speaking and all these other milestones, they all get there in the end.

Started with DS at first lock down so 2y10mo

He's always been spot on with poo but pee has taken forever and a day (was still having fairly frequent 'accidents' throughout reception last year but now in Y1 and it's like he's flicked a switch)

Night times not there yet but that's not trainable

I was told that all else being equal, when a child has control over their pelvic muscles - so when they walk, they can learn to use the toilet rather than a nappy. With four of mine this worked (and none of the signs you mentioned in your post), for one she didn't get it until she was 3.5 years old. I wouldn't worry about signs. Just try. It seems to be the norm these days to wait until the stars are in alignment or something. Just try. If it doesn't work try again.

The "signs" aren't necessarily relevant to whether the child can be potty trained easily.

Is his understanding of language average for his age? Can he pull his own trousers (jogging trousers) up and down? If so at nearly 3 it's likely he could potty train.

I'd explain it to hm and offer an incentive you know will interest him (paw patrol pants and smarties?) and try it when you can be home for at least te first two days (say over a weekend to start, or if you don't work between Christmas and New year and will just have your usual household around then, wait and try it between Christmas and New year).

Obviously keep it low key and if it's really not working after a week quietly shelve it for a few months.

My dc2 showed no "readines" signs either but was actually pretty easy to train - he only had two or three day accidents and despite having had full, wet nappies at night rejected a night nappy after his first day without ("he just looked at me like I was crazy when I got the night nappy out with his pyjamas and said "Mummy I don't have nappy") and to my huge surprise was dry at night reliably immediately- although he did take himself into the bathroom where the potty was and shout for me every morning at 5am for the first several weeks, so there's an element of be careful what you wish for...