HELP - really struggling to even get started with potty training!

[ConfusedBiscuit]

I'm really keen to potty train my twin boys (2.10) but they are just so resistant to it. Every time I suggest sitting on the potty or wearing pants they both completely refuse and say 'No pants/potty. Want nappy!'

Anyone with similar experience or advice? I'm completely out of ideas and starting to feel slightly desperate about the whole situation.

My 3 dd's were all potty trained by 2.5. I let them buy their own knickers and let them pick a pair when needed. With all of mine i just went for it and took their nappies away. It is hard and i had many accidents but i did not go back to nappies. They wore knickers through the day then at night i would use a mattress protector with a huggies sheet on. I would use fleece blankets or a summer quilt which is easy to get dry in case of an accident. I would lift them onto the toilet at about 11pm asleep and most of the time they did not wake up.

I am not sure about little boys but i would just try your best whilst in the summer. Its easier to wash thin shorts and have a few changes of light clothing.

I am by no means saynig its easy as its not, especially with two. One of my dd's prefered the step and toilet to the potty so it might be worth trying that.

Good Luck

boys are often later to potty train than girls so don't worry. My DS showed utterly no interest for ages, would reluctantly sit on a potty or a loo trainer seat but just sat and sang nursery rhymes for a bit an he refused to wear the pants he had chosen. he justannounced one day he wanted pants and that was it.

they are not even 3 yet. don't stress. Every child does it at their own rate and in their own time, I know children who were in nappies well after their 3rd birthday.

Confusedbiscuit - My DS is almost 2 and 10 months (is that 2.10? New to Mumsnet....) and he sounds similar to your twin boys. Not keen on taking nappy off - like you I've suggested potty etc and he's never keen.

More recently, he will let me take his nappy off (but always some protesting at first) and the past week or so we have been trying a bit of nappy free time in the evenings which has resulted in a few wees in the potty (mainly at my suggestion reminding him to sit on it though, or him just sitting on it for a while when watching tv). Mostly if he wees in the potty, he is surprised, not sure he even noticed he was doing it. But then after a few days of that the other day he started giggling while weeing and was clearly aware he was doing it, and proud after too, but then we had a poo out of the potty which went down his leg and that's put him off.

Today he said he wants to wear pants (he is still not good at the potty but we have a load of pants that he chose so I'll just have to deal with the washing and hope he gets the idea!). Unfortunately not a great day for pant wearing as we are going swimming this morning and then out for a friend's birthday later so will have to nappy up - will just have to see how it goes. So far we have had one accident and a no wees in the potty, but it really did come out of nowhere the wanting top wear pants. In fact we had been reading Dinosaurs Love Underpants (or whatever it's called) this morning, which we have read loads of times before it just seemed to click.

I imagine with twins it might be a bit harder as they must egg each other on? If one was keen that might encourage the other but if they are both reluctant it must spur the other on to resist? One thing I've found when DS refuses / protests about nappy free time is to just put the potty out at first without taking trousers off and then try the trousers later and he sometimes is a bit happier then?

I apologise if that is all a bit rambling - sorry but I also feel confused and lost throughout potty training - have read books and they don't help me at all - it's as if DS hasn't read them!

Shelscrape - with your DS - when he said he wanted to wear pants had he been using the potty at all before, or nappy free time, or anything like that? Or just 'pants and go' out of nowhere? Did you have a lot of accidents once it was pants time? Cheers xx

Honestly, if they aren;t ready don't try. You'll end up a slave to the potty, with smelly carpets and grey hair.

Wait til they say they want to use toe potty and wear pants and you'll crack it in a couple of days. Start when they're not ready and you'll still be grinding your teeth in frustration in 3 months time.

But how do I tell if he's ready? If he says he wants to wear pants surely I have to go with it? I am really in no rush to do it - and not trying to force it I just don't know what to do! Everyone says 'just wait' but wait for WHAT? He doesn't have an indicator light saying 'ready now'!

DS1 is 2.10. A month ago, we tried potty training and it started well but rapidly deteriorated and he ended up being scared to pee full stop - let alone entertaining the idea of a potty! We were worried we'd f'kd it up royally but backed off totally. We left the potty at the side of the lounge and ignored it and didn't talk about it, went on holiday.

Two weeks ago, when we had the really steaming hot Sunday, DH was changing his nappy and he was a bit rashy. We were in the garden anyway so I said to leave his nappy off. I dumped the potty on the lawn, very casually said it was there for him if he wanted it. Lo and behold - 10mins later, he peed in it! We never looked back - he was in pants on the Tuesday, dry out and about by Thurs, dry at nursery on Fri and now, two weeks later, he's using the toilet more than the potty. He did it all on his own and we had three accidents total. It was such a doddle!

I would recommend backing off and leaving it for a good while and then just casually remind them. When they are ready to do it, they will and you just have to trust them to get on with it.

Thanks Squitten - I think that's what we'll do - just leave it to him :) xx