Nursery doing the potty training?

[fluffyanimal]

Ds is 2.3, and is showing an increasing awareness of his bodily functions. He is at nursery full time, and they reckon he is ready for potty training as they tell me he is always hanging round the toilets curious at the older children who use toilets and potties and is asking about it. They asked if I want them to start training him.

Now I'm not sure he's really ready, because at home he mostly only knows when he's just done something rather than when he's about to do something, although occasionally he will ask for his potty, sit on it, get up and walk away and then pee/poo on the floor!

However, it wouldn't be the first thing where he seems more advanced at nursery than at home - e.g. at nursery he was always very good about going to sleep by himself whereas at home he always wanted me to cuddle him.

I've started putting him in pull-ups just to make the whole 'try the potty' thing a bit easier, but otherwise I don't really know whether to let the nursery take the lead or not. On the one hand, it would help me out, but on the other, is he really ready? I have no problems with waiting if that is the right thing to do, I'm just not sure what IS the right thing.

Anyone had similar experiences with potty training and nursery?

bump

Ask the nursery to explain their potty training strategy to you in detail, so that you can continue exactly the same at home/ weekends. In my experience, potty training at nursery is the best thing ever, as they are less emotional and anxious than us mums! They do not seem to need to resort to bribes, their floors get the worst of the accidents, and peer group pressure helps from the other children. My DS used to sit on the potty with 4 other toddlers from 2yo, after meals, just to get used to the potty. If they got the hang of it by themselves, they went nappyless. If not, the nappies went back on until they were 2.6yo, when they were more intensively trained, no nappies, pullups,or training pants, just ordinary pants. If wearing trousers on top of the pants confused them (made them think they still had a nappy on) they just wore pants. within a fortnight DS was reliable. All the staff knew who was training in order to help them quickly, if anyone said 'POTTY!!!" they they downed tools and hurried them to the potty. At home, DS went bare on his bottom half, and with a potty in the same room, would quite often sit himself on it without needing to ask.

You might find your DS responds well to the nursery's approach, the important thing is being consistent between there and home. Good luck!!

Nursery trained my DS. I was having no luck at all with it (he would sit on the potty but produce nothing, if I put him in pants he'd shit them, etc), so the nursery asked if they could have a go as two of his friends were about to start training and they could all learn together. If was pretty much sorted within a week and he's fine now (well, he did shit his pants at the weekend but that was hopefully a one off).

"You might find your DS responds well to the nursery's approach, the important thing is being consistent between there and home. "

I absolutely agree with girlywhirly's comment! My DS was also in full time nursery when we started potty training. The staff at the nursery kept telling me to "just go for it" so I started it one weekend and they continued during the week. The first couple of weeks, he had endless accidents and went through about 5 or 6 changes of clothing every day but within a fortnight, he did get the hang of it. He was a little over 2 when we started but I knew he was ready.

If your DS is showing an interest at nursery, I would go for it! Good luck!

Thanks for the encouraging replies. I think i definitely need to have a longer chat with the nurses but on your recommendations will perhaps bite the bullet!

My DS is just 2, and as he started being interested in the pottys a while back, they have been offering him the potty at nappy changes or if he asks.

With nothing on, he's now very reliable, but am having problems with adding pants to the equation, but nursery have said that they'll do whatever and whenever we want.

Yes, I had that problem! That is why my nursery advised only thin pants, I think. The first day of proper training, DS was wet before we even got to nursery, 5 minute drive away! During the day he soaked another 6 joggers and pants. The next day they advised putting a nappy on just in the car and removing it as soon as we arrived, him wearing just pants, and putting nappy on again for journey home. I know this is not recommended now, but 16 yrs ago there were no buppy pads, and the best we could do was a plastic carrier with a towel over on the car seat! And going to nursery with bare legs was not an option in mid February. Interestingly, after that first wet day, DS really tried very hard to stay clean and dry. I found that even if he had a nappy on, he would still ask for the potty rather than wet it (except when he'd fallen asleep for example) Also, he had no fear of toilets, he would even use public ones.

The other thing our nursery asked, was only send the children in elasticated waist jogging bottoms and trousers which can be pulled down at lightning speed, NO dungarees or anything with complicated fastenings. When the children start to pull down and up their own clothes, they are far easier, and the staff don't have the time to help do up older children's clothes, who would normally be completely independent if it wasn't for the dungaree straps! But I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted here!