Toilet training timeline

[Seasonalfuckwitdisorder]

Hi all,

My son is 31 months old and showing all the signs of being ready to potty train. He says when he needs a nappy change, he's interested in the toilet, and he's taking to saying things like "I need to go to the toilet" and "I want to pee pee in the toilet"

I had initially thought about holding off til late spring/summer for the warmer weather but I thought why not give it a bash now. We'd abandon immediately if it becomes clear it's not working yet.

My question is this: how long do I dedicate to staying at home to try this? We live in a small flat with no garden and never ever stay home all day unless he's very sick. We're always at the local park or off out on day trips. He's a very active little boy and doesn't like staying at home all day so the thought of a few days, let alone a week at home leaves me cold with dread!

Also he goes to nursery 3 days a week. So do I try and potty train him in 4 days then send to nursery in pants if it's going well for the 3 days and see how he goes? Or do I keep him off nursery and do a whole week at home? Has anyone managed to potty train while still getting out of the house or do we have to be stuck in for days on end until we hopefully crack it?

Also, any tips for car journeys? I've bought a travel potty to keep in the car but I'm worried about accidents in the car seat.

Thanks for your stories!

If he's 31 months and asking for the toilet it doesn't sound like they'll be much need to stay at home.

I'd stay at home the first morning and see how it goes. If all is well go to the park. Take a travel potty.

Potty train for four days and then send to nursery in pants. He doesn't need days of nursery.

Put a bed pad in the car seat to protect it.

Also, chill out a bit!

He'll pick-up on your tension/anxiety.

He'll also be less likely to want to do it if he's under house arrest. Just carry on more or less as normal.

Get some chocolate buttons/stickers for each time he goes in the potty.

I did slow potty training and started with an hour and built up from there. We mirror her pattern in meeting other milestones where she liked to master the theory before doing something. We waited until she could master a full day before sending her into nursery with knickers.

I would introduce a little bit of nappy free time and have the potty more visible in the week before you start. The thing we learnt most in those early days of doing an hour were phrases that wound her up and made her want to go nowhere near the potty and what would convince her to have a sit down. Also how to console her for accidents - plain and matter of fact worked best for her "oh dear, don't worry we can clean it up" sort of thing not making a fuss nor any negativity

I think if your child is ready you'll be completely suprised with how not stressful it is!
I late trained both of mine, my youngest has some SEN.
With my eldest we went cold Turkey. He was literally fine after a day. - few accidents made him realise he didn't want to not have a nappy. Got a carry around potty for out and about. He was about 3 years, just turned.

Abit different with my youngest. We've been gradually getting him used to sitting on the potty whilst still having his nappy. Then one day we just took his nappy away and used the out and about potty. He doesn't ask for the potty yet, but he knows to hold and I can tell when he needs u

Both took me by complete suprise!

Thanks. I don't think either me or my husband show any signs of being anxious or bothered about it. We bought a potty and told him it's his new toilet and he's going to do pees and poos in it soon, and we took him to choose his own pants. He's pleased with all of that. There's no stress or anxiety around it 🤷🏻‍♀️ We're not making a big deal out of it or doing any talk along the lines of "now you're a big boy". It's just "this is your toilet."

I'm just asking for advice because everyone I know stayed at home with their kids running around bare bummed for a week, but they all did it in the warmer weather and have gardens. So I'm asking advice given we live in a tiny flat with no garden to entertain him and also would like tips on how people deal with accidents in car seats. My car seat cannot be easily washed.

Thanks that's good advice. I might just do the mornings/evenings trying the potty next week on nursery days and send him to nursery still in a nappy. I wasn't sure if that would be confusing or not for him. Then for the rest of the week we can dive in to no nappies.

Thanks I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is. I have a lot of friends with kids the same age and everyone has a different experience of it. Some doing well, then regressing. Some seemingly ready but then total disasters when the time comes.

I think if it's not immediately clear that he's ready when we try I'll leave it another month or so and try again. I want there to be no pressure around it for him.

One thing that helped with my kids that someone suggested to me was to make sure you give them loads and loads to drink when you are toilet training them so they get more chance to practice.