Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

27 month old says potty is scary on first day

34 replies

Bumblebeex · 01/05/2026 14:03

Hi Mumsnet,

First day of potty training 27 month old DD and she weed on the floor and wouldn't sit on the potty at all. When I first suggested taking her nappy off and sitting on the potty she said "it's scary".

Do you think she isn't ready or should we persevere?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Bumblebeex · 01/05/2026 15:54

Bump

OP posts:
Mossstitch · 01/05/2026 16:22

Perhaps she'd prefer the toilet, only used potty for first child and that was only a few days as he was 19 months but all of mine preferred to use the toilet. Had a step and smaller seat on it (which third one insisted on taking off and putting on his head like a crown whilst sitting on the loo)😂

24Dogcuddler · 01/05/2026 16:30

I’d leave it out to desensitise and just not comment. Sit a doll on it and buy a doll and potty (weeing doll a bonus) for play.
Share I want my Potty Princess book Tony Ross.
Good luck.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Rainbowpumpkin · 01/05/2026 22:17

I just had a potty out for a few weeks, talked about it, read books about it. Had toys 'pee' in it 🤣 before we even attempted using it.

We also popped a kids seat on the loo so there was always choice.

Its a big step..you cant rush it.

CaribbeanCupcake · 01/05/2026 22:23

I think that's pretty normal, mine is the same age and has said that a few times but then a few times she has also wee'd on there so... 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sjh15 · 01/05/2026 22:24

I know boys are later but we had a potty in the bathroom from about 2 1/2 or so (which he chose and then decided to completely ignore) and he didn’t actually come out of nappies until closer to 3 and a half!
it was super easy we’ve NEVER had a pee accident, I’m in the camp of believing sometimes they just aren’t ready yet

put it in the bathroom for a while and ignore it. She will get used to it

BananaPeels · 01/05/2026 22:28

@Sjh15 100% agree. I felt such a failure when my eldest wouldn’t potty train. I did everything we were told to do but she refused. She knew what she had to do but just flat out didn’t want to do it. Eventually when she turned 3 she just decided she was done with nappies and was dry day and night in 2 weeks. Shes grown up but still stubborn!

Bumblebeex · 01/05/2026 22:37

Thanks for all the advice. We'll keep trying this weekend and if not then just keep the potty out and read some books about it & demonstrate with toys.

She will be going to nursery when she's 3, will they mind if she isn't potty trained by that age? hopefully she will be but I don't want to put pressure on it if she's not ready ☺️

OP posts:
BananaPeels · 01/05/2026 22:40

Bumblebeex · 01/05/2026 22:37

Thanks for all the advice. We'll keep trying this weekend and if not then just keep the potty out and read some books about it & demonstrate with toys.

She will be going to nursery when she's 3, will they mind if she isn't potty trained by that age? hopefully she will be but I don't want to put pressure on it if she's not ready ☺️

Just remember (unless there is an underlying reason) no child isn’t pottery trained when they are 18! They all get there in the end.

nursery will be well equipped to deal with a 3 year old not potty trained. Actually with mine it was going to the toilet with friends at nursery that actually made them think ok I’ll get with the programme. By school I am sure you will be sorted.

Wowzel · 01/05/2026 22:47

We ended up going straight to toilet on a little seat at that age

TyneTeas · 01/05/2026 22:59

Yeah mine never used a potty either (despite us having a few), the little seat to insert on the toilet seat and a little step was the way for us

TB23 · 01/05/2026 23:17

My kids were that age, the first slightly older. We didn't use a potty, but straight away the toilet with a special seat and step. Worked fine within days. Nighttimes took a bit longer, but all fine.

Confusedmum74858 · 01/05/2026 23:36

Don’t worry, my first was 2 years and 7 months and my second potty trained the week before his 3rd birthday. I promise you soon enough it will just click.

Imisssleep88 · Yesterday 08:45

My son was too scared to sit on the potty till 3 then he got it straight away, maybe try in a month and see if any different

Overthebow · Yesterday 08:50

Yes I agree with pp to leave the potty out and normalize it. Also get a child seat for the toilet. Our DS is a similar age and we’ve had his potty out for around 6 months and he’s interest in it so we will start soon. There’s no rush at this age so wait until she’s comfortable with it.

catipuss · Yesterday 08:51

Mine thought it was a huge joke to sit on the potty for a while and then run across the room to wee in the corner laughing hysterically all the way. In retrospect it's very funny, at the time not so much.

Anislandnevercries · Yesterday 08:52

All very normal behaviour!

Just leave the potty in the bathroom or whatever, maybe put some stickers on it and get the toys to use it 😌Also go with the little seat and step in case they just prefer the ‘big potty’

Can also recommend a random book called ‘Mr Poo goes to Pooland’ which went down a storm with my two 😂Took all the scariness out of it (but I felt like a right lemon reading it to them)

Danikm151 · Yesterday 08:58

We had a potty that was like a little chair.
Also a mini toilet one in the bathroom

It got to the point my son would be sitting watching the tv on his potty seat and copying me in the bathroom. 😂

Once you get that first wee or poo celebrate like a crazy kids tv presenter… all the praise and cheers!

Another tip… don’t ask her if she needs to pee… say “it’s time to have a wee”

Needspaceforlego · Yesterday 09:05

See how it goes over the weekend. But I'd try to persevere between potty and toilet.

If no progress by end of Monday, I'd leave it to the next bank holiday weekend.

Put them in pants and tell them nappies are for babies. Don't try to potty train them using nappies or pull up nappies. Pants and outside in the garden as much as possible (accidents outside are less stressful than inside)

MildlyAnnoyed · Yesterday 09:55

Would she prefer to use the toilet rather than the potty?

NewDogOwner · Yesterday 11:08

We bought the Princess Polly's Potty book.

TimeToStopLurking · Yesterday 11:10

Mine refused the potty but went straight to the toilet. Get an insert seat with handles and a good step and see. Also much nicer for you as no potty emptying.

Bumblebeex · Yesterday 11:47

The second day isn't going too well. She gets upset whenever she wees on the floor even though we reassure her it's just an accident and has been sitting on our laps more. She still refuses to sit on the potty but she put did put her dolly on it.

I've ordered a toilet seat for the toilet. I think I'm going to give her a break but keep demonstarting with her toys and books. I'm finding it all a bit stressful which isn't helping😔

OP posts:
BananaPeels · Yesterday 12:14

Bumblebeex · Yesterday 11:47

The second day isn't going too well. She gets upset whenever she wees on the floor even though we reassure her it's just an accident and has been sitting on our laps more. She still refuses to sit on the potty but she put did put her dolly on it.

I've ordered a toilet seat for the toilet. I think I'm going to give her a break but keep demonstarting with her toys and books. I'm finding it all a bit stressful which isn't helping😔

Stop for a week and retry. Honestly if it is stressful it is too soon. You have plenty of time. Just leave the potties about and ask them if they want to try. Eventually they will say yes

Needspaceforlego · Yesterday 13:53

Get outside in the garden.
I'd keep going, esp if shes putting dolly on it.