So, it's day 1 of attempt 2 and it's knickers 4, potty 0...

[SoupDragon]

Why can't children work it out themselves in the same way they learn to walk and talk??

[weeps]

I hate potty training.

Actually, I think they do work it out for themselves if you leave it long enough and talk to them enough about it.

DD2 has just been toilet trained.

Day 1 - Potty 0 - floor 8
Day 2 - Potty 5 - floor 2
Day 3 - Potty 8 - floor none
and since day 3 we've had one accident I think.

Are you doing the going in to her every 20 - 30 mins and making her sit on the loo and giving her a treat after?

DD2 had a treat (it was actually a dried prune but I told her it was chocolate and she believed me, ha!).

Sometimes she'd squeeze out a tiny wee but as the days wore on they got bigger and bigger as she learnt to control her bladder more.

I'm teaching you to suck eggs aren't I!!!!

oh i know it's completely against the rules but i said to her the next time she wets her pants i switch off the tv! now i feel like a real wtch!

mine says 'water can' too

ahhh bless!

am resolving to not get so maniacally upset tomorrow about this... end of the day where i am... good luck dragon!!

"I'm teaching you to suck eggs aren't I"

Where BabyDragon is concerned, there is no such thing as egg sucking lessons Might make her a s*dding star chart later.

I don't doubt that she'd get it eventually if I left her to it. We've been talking about it since May half term and she knows exactly what the toilet is for etc etc etc. But she is stubborn, contrary, independent... actually, given how independent she is I'm surprised that the idea of no nappy changes hasn't appealed to her more.

DD was similarly stubborn - knew what to do but just refused point blank to do it. In the end after much frustration I just had to leave it until she decided to do it and then she just did, no accidents - just like that and then she was dry at night too.

Oh God, I don't know why I read these potty training threads, I'm not due for another 6 days and already I am dreading potty training!

My mum had a couple of cats that used to piss all over the house - it stank even though she used to scrub scrub scrub! I don't think I could cope with a toddler weeing all over the carpets, how do you guys not go completely loopy?! Is there anywhere I could buy a large bag of patience so that I can stock up in time for when I'm going to really need it?!

lolli Don't worry, there are lots of smug mums on here that will tell you how their LOs just got it... were 100% dry in a matter of days and never had another accident..

If you are a lucky, your child will be one of those.

We've got to about 99.9% but DS is only 20 months and keeps having little accidents.

Saying that he's just deliberately wee'd on the back door mat... count to 10 and sigh... as he wanted to use the toilet and mummy gave him the potty instead as the loo was in use

So, the final tally is Pants 10 Potty 1

"Mummy I wee on the stairs! Look! come and see!" [weeps]

Lolli, toddler wee doesn't smell nearly as bad as cat wee, if at all. The Smart Slack Parenting way is to put them in nursery 5 full days a week and let them deal with it

So, it's Day 2 and it's Pants 4 potty 0...

When is the right time to tell your 7yo DS that his sister has pooed on his flipflops?

Soup - oh God, I know I shouldn't laugh, but the flipflop incident has just made me laugh out loud!

Does anyone watch Dexter? Maybe it'd be good to take a leaf out of his book and just plaster your house in plastic wrapping, then there will at least be no wee or poo on the soft furnishings!

AJM - Yes I've seen people say that they were dry in 3 days, but I am always very skeptical (ie think they're lying through their teeth!), plus it doesn't take into account that some kids seem to suddenly regress after about a year of being dry!

I think you have to laugh at these things. It's a fairly miserable process if you can't see the funny side!