What is the alternative to 'cold turkey' potty training?

[nickytwotimes]

because it just isn't working with ds.

He is 2.9. Today he has peed 6 times in one hour and has no idea that it is coming. I sit him on the potty and he sometimes pees, but generally it goes on the floor.

I am crying like a kid myself because i feel totally stuck in the house until he can hold it for long enough for us to get anywhere.

Is it your first day? If not, then he's probably not ready. If so, then give it time. I left it late with both of mine (until they were 3). I remember vividly that ds2 had 8 accidents on day 1, 2 on day 2 and he completely got the hang of it by day 4.

Yes, I am not sure if he is ready, but he is quite willful and I worry he will never be ready!

I think htat maybe I am not ready - I can't stand the thought of staying in all day.

we didnt do cold turkey with ds but he was a bit younger. I used pull up nappies (as nappies) but took ds regularly to the toilet as well - it is easier to get pull up nappies up and down than be taking a nappy on and off. Once he got to the stage of telling me he needed to poo/pee even while wearing the pull up I then put him into pants.

We did underwear in the house then pull ups for going out so that if he didn't manage to make it to the toilet, it wasn't too much of a disaster for anyone. Combined with sticker charts this was quite successful and he 'got it' quicker than I thought he would.

We also waited until he was 3.3 as I really felt he wasn't ready until then. There are no prizes for early potty training so cut yourselves some slack!

It's a lot easier if they know what the potty is for before you start.

Mine were on a potty from really early (ie 6mths - it's called infant potty training

It's a bit late for that but why don't you just start by putting DS on the potty when you KNOW he needs to go (ie after meals, 30-45 minutes after a drink) and read him a story when he's on there.

Then take him at regular intervals.

I would do pull-ups, we did for a few weeks before "really" potty-training and just try and "catch" as many wees etc as you can.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

THings at home are really bad atm, and have been for ages, sl we have delayed potty training until I thought I couldn't delay it any longer, so I was feelinga bit desperate this morning!

We are going to go down the puul-up type route for a few weeks and take him to the loo/potty regularly, the we will try the pants again. Also, as the ay went on, ds became really runny nosed and miserable, so I think he is coming down with somehting which probably wasn't helping.

I was so upset this morning that even my potty-training-hrd-liner MIL said I should stick him back in nappies!

Once again thanks.

I have dreaded potty trainign since ds's conception.

sorry for typing!

Could you not still go out? Get a big bag and stuff it with spare pants, socks and trousers, a portable potty (tommy tippee is good) and bin liners. Buy the puppy training pads from Argos (£10 for 40 - haven't got any yet, but recommended on here) and put that on the bottom of the buggy and off you go.

That is, if he's ready. If he's not, I'd go back to nappies and try again later.

I used pull-ups when out and about, just pants at home - then just once forgot to put her in pull-ups and never looked back. I'd have gone insane staying in for days, and trying to remember to get her on to the potty. It worked really well for us - no confusion at all.

he isn't ready, give it a few weeks and try again - why are you in a rush to do this? honestly, when they are ready it will be so easy

he sounds like he isn't ready yet.
I would be tempted to put him in pull-ups and take some of the pressure off the both of you. He is still quite young. Some boys don't 'get' potty training till they are way past 3.
This are the signs he is ready:-

He will tell you he has weed/pooed in his nappy.
He does it a regular time.
He hides in a corner and wees/poos in his nappy.
His nappies are dry sometimes when you change him.

If he is showing some of these signs then go for it, if not, leave it.
I have potty-trained lots of children with my job as a nursery nurse. Some get it quicker than others.

I think I have just got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about it because most of his friends are potty trained. (I know, I know).

We will play around for a bit with the pull ups and get him used to going to the loo and take it from there. He never seems to be aware of peeing until it is on his feet. He is quite aware of pooing though.

He does need to be potty trained by 3 though because our local nursery won't take him otherwise.

I tried to potty train my little girl in early March and I had the same experience. She obviously didn't know it was coming so we decided to wait.

I wasn't going to bother untill half term (pre school) but my friends little girl is being potty trained and my daughter was fancinated so I decided to go with it and so far so good.

Also I got a Bear in the Big Blue house Potty Training DVD and she loves it.

Just keep trying every few weeks.

Also bribary is a great tool.

I've just posted a similar message without having seen yours - I tried dd in pants for the first time this afternoon and we had 6 accidents in 3 hours. Dd was really keen - she chose the pants, chose a sticker chart, has been sitting on the potty at nursery and sometimes at home, is often dry after an hour or two (though clearly not this afternoon lol). Am going to give it a few days before abandoning and see if there is any improvement.

I don't think your nursery can do that - discrimination of some sort - am sure someone else will know about this!

nicky - ramonaquimby is right. i'm an early years teacher and your nursery has to take DS whether he is potty trained or not. it is a legal requirement of the new EYFS to meet each child's particular needs, and if they continue saying that he can't go if he's not potty trained then you need to approach your local education authority. this applies even in a reception class in a primary school!

also, i have had disasters trying to potty train DD, who is 2.6. nothing was working, she would howl and howl on the potty, wouldn't take her own pants off, loads of accidents. i gave up for a while, started again a few days ago, and she has taken to it like a duck to water. i use pants for the house, and those padded training pants that you can get from mothercare for trips out. to me, pull ups seem too much like nappies, and i wanted to make a really clear distinction about pants during the day, nappies only for sleeping. guess different approaches work for diffferent kids. but they definitely have to be ready. incidentally, my DD is extremely willful too!!

Nickytwotimes - how are you doing?

We started yesterday too and I hate potty training so much . Two huge poos in pants. I really don't think he is ready.

All his friends have been 'done' too, so I know what you mean (even though I hate competitive parenting and all that stuff). I think I may try the pull up or training pants route.

IME until they know that they need a wee, then you are in for a lot of bother (and washing!)

If they can tell you they have done a wee then you are getting there; if you wait until they know they need to go then it is far quicker and less stressful.

There seems to be an awful lot of pressure from pre-schools to have them "trained" (I hate that word) by 3. They cannot stipulate this as it is discriminatory - attaining dryness is a developmental stage and not all children can achieve this by 3. I would discuss that with the pre-school manager as I believe they cannot refuse him entry to pre-school on the basis that he isn't dry.