DS is 33 months old and still not interested in the potty or toilet- should I just start potty training anyway?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

As title says, DS1 is 2.75 years old now. He is still in nappies and whenever I say 'do you want to do a pee pee / poo poo in the potty?' he just says no. It's only really been about a month since he started saying he had done a poo and often he is happy just carting his poo about in his nappy and it's only when I smell it that it's changed.

His best pal who is 2 weeks younger than him has been toilet trained since last Xmas and is now completely dry both day and night. I thought it was best to wait until DS is ready to start but his pals mum said he will probably never say he is ready so she thinks I should just start training him. I do feel he is getting too old for nappies too now.

All I've done so far is bought him a bog standard (ha ha) potty at Xmas and he has done a few pees in it here and there but I haven't been consistent in bringing it out, although I do usually ask him if he wants to use it.

Any advice please? Help!

If he's not even 3 yet, you still have plenty of time and nothing to worry about. My DS1 wasn't interested until he was past 3, then got it quite quickly. Don't be tempted to compare him to other children, they all do it in their own time and I don't believe this 'he'll never say he is ready' business.

Just keep the potty around so it is familiar, maybe get a story book about boys using potties - there are loads on Amazon. Take him shopping and show him the big boy pants with his favourite characters on. But don't pressure or try to force it on him if he's not interested. You could try rewards simply for sitting on the potty even if he doesn't do anything in it. All low key, he will get there in the end. Don't worry, he won't be in nappies when he starts school!

Dittor what fluffyanimal says.

My DS simply refused to do it until after he was 3... at around 3.2 he simply announced one day he was going to the toilet and never looked back.

Having brought up five children years ago in the seventies, I'd like to add to this discussion. A big no-no to potty training! When I discovered my gatheromg meurosis on the subject, I realised my little one ( first child)picked up on my anxiety,because I was led to beleive there had to be 'training'. I decided to just let him be with me, to see what it was all about, and his dad. Mainly I stopped worrying and it worked, from then on the ensuing siblings found out the same way and I put them straight on the loo, to copy us.
Please do not worry, let me assure you that the less anxiety there is, the better for all. Little ones learn from us, believe mejust leave the potty kicking around in a corner somewhere they will decide when to 'discover' it.

Mine were never interested. I just waited until the Summer holidays after they were 3 years old and we did it then. It was much easier to have them wearing little, not having to go anywhere and having warm weather to dry the extra laundry that was generated!

Don't start training!

Do what everyone says, leave the potty lying around, relax, - he'll tell you when he's interested and the whole thing will be a thousand times easier than if you try to force the issue.

I would say not before 3 years old.

(Wonder if little pal really IS dry day and night?....cynical old me)