The joyful subject of potty training!

[GeorginaA]

I know this is probably a very tired subject, but just wanted to get some ideas. Ds is getting to the age where we ought to be thinking of maybe starting potty training. He's seen a potty at his grandmas and thinks it's great (she got him to sit on it a bit before bath time) and he can pull his own trousers down, knows the words "wee wee" and "poo". However, I also don't want to rush him, I know boys tend to develop a bit later than girls in this skill (he's just coming up to 2 years old).

Anyway, I thought I'd read up on it all (and move house, lol) before starting any particular strategy so can anyone recommend any good potty training books? For some reason I was convinced Christopher Green (Toddler Taming) had written one, but I can't find it on Amazon so I must have dreamt it! Would like that sort of relaxed style though. Any ideas?

Also, was half thinking about one of those child seats on the loo rather than a potty for ease of cleaning up - have people used these for potty training - does it make life easier or harder? (Did wonder whether being able to see what he's done in the potty might be more of a motivator).

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A potty is great if your child might be freaked out by the hugeness of the toilet They're not too difficult to clean out. They're also great to have in the boot of your car for when a toilet isn't available (near the A22 junction of the M25 springs to mind...).

Summer's the best time to give it a go and I intend to try with DS2 in August (2 weeks off nursery). DS1 wasn't ready at that time and got the hang of it within days 4 months later.

I went for the sticker chart method with a big reward at the end rather than sweets every time he performed.

I think there might be an NCT book of potty training. Try NCT Maternity Sales

One thing that occurred to me on holiday is that the Huggies Little Swimmers should be ideal for potty training - they hold no wee but make cleaning up a poo accident easier. Not sure if it would work - not sure how easy they are to pull up and down.

Yes, potty does sound more portable! Thanks for all the advice.

We've popped out and bought a cheap potty and step from Mothercare (why do they insist on putting non-easy peal price stickers on them?!)... and I think I'll just encourage him to have a quick sit on it before the bath - nothing too high profile. Just get him used to seeing it in the bathroom. Don't really want to get into too much of a potty training mode before the upheaval of moving house.

This is probably a really silly question but how do you clean them out - pour contents down the toilet obviously, but then just give a quick wipe round with a domestos wipe okay with a "proper" clean when I clean the loos?

A few weeks in the summer more high profile with a star chart sounds a good idea. Would you put them in "proper pants" then or use pullups? We used the little swimmers for swimming - did find them a struggle pulling them up and you're supposed to just rip the tabs to take them down, not sure they'd really work for us.

Oh another thing - the step doesn't seem high enough for him to reach the sink!! (Haven't tried yet as he's engrossed with making playdoh "cookies" with Daddy at the moment) Is this just because I've bought a cheap step or is my sink impossibly high?!

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Hi Georgina,

Your method is exactly what I do to clean up the potty - I usually also swish it out with a bit of cold water before using the wipe. I find that my dd will sit on the loo (on a child seat) but much much prefers the potty.

I followed the GF method of training - (straight into pants and don't look back !) and found that worked well for us.

Absolutely second SoupDragon's idea about keeping one in the boot - I have one in there at all times - with some tissues and wipes of course and have used it loads of times, mainly in car-parks I have to say, although we have been in a lay-by once !!

Good Luck !!

I used to wipe the potyy out and give it a spray with an antibacterial cleaner.

Go straight for pants "cold turkey". Get some fancy ones with a favourite picture on and LOADS of cheap plain ones (Tesco's value boys pants - 75p for 2 ). DS1 caught on fairly quickly and if he had an accident in his Bob pants, he'd say "Milo pants now?" We used to start the day in a favourite pair and change to plain ones after an accident as an incentive to stay dry/clean. Give him a good run at it - it was clear after 1 week that DS1 wasn't getting the hang of it at all 1st time round but once he was ready he had a couple of dodgy days and was then fine.

We did use Pullups for the intervening 4 months between training attempts as we wanted to keep up the idea without stressing him out because of accidents.

I'd also say don't bother with Pull-Ups as my dd just treated them as a nappy! You might find he needs to wear no pants at all for a while, as sometimes they find even pants confuse them. Definitely wait for the summer for the real training!

HELP!!!!!
Doing really well with wee, but my liitle boy just smears his pooh all over everything after doing it in his nappy. Tried all I can think of please help.

If you do use the 'little swimmers' then remember they are washable about 4 or 5 times in the washing machine - should save you money! We went straight to pants (my Mum suggested it) and at 2yrs 7months dd was trained withing days. We never gave sweeties as a reward, but did have a sticker chart - as she was too young to understand about saving up for a present the reward was sticking a teddy sticker on a big bit of paper on her bedroom wall, and inside a week we had it sussed!