How long before I should/could bow out gracefully?

[TheMouseLookedGood]

Just started potty training DS (2.7 today). Have been doing softly-softly prep for months (talking about it, reading books, etc) and he's responded by saying "I'll do it when I'm older mummy" which seemed like a pretty clear message. However, last night, he announced he wanted to do a wee on the potty so I whipped him on it and lo and behold, he did. Cue much whopping, cheering and consumption of half a chocolate button and a marshmallow.

Thought as he'd asked I should go for it today, so we're trying the cold turkey approach which has so far comprised:
2 poos in pants (doesn't bother him in the slightest)
3 wees in pants
1 wee in potty (I put him on it, think it was a happy coincidence)
NOT good.

Am being all fakeily optimistic and cheery about it and know it's VERY early days, but just wondering how long to give it before admitting defeat and trying again at another time? Was thinking of giving it another couple of days and if no improvement, put it on hold for a bit?

Am fully prepared for accidents but would like to be working with a higher ratio of successes. Am I being a total wimp? Should I just plow on regardless? Is it too early to start drinking?

2 weeks before you give up
bare bums whilst in house (can SEE it when they have an accident)

Seriously.. our 2.4yo was exactly the same for 3 days or so... run with it and don't chicken out - now after 3 weeks every wee and poo in potty or toilet!!!!

Thanks. We're still nappy free and today have had 2 wees in potty, 2 in pants and 2 poos in potty, which on paper looks good, but in reality it's me getting better at reading the signs. He is hotly denying that he needs to go and then genuinely surprised when he actually does...

Will give it a few more days to see if his awareness improves at all. Wish me luck!

I would disagree with p99 - we tried potty training first at 2.6 mths and it was a bloody nightmare. He didn't have a clue and it was doing my head in. We gave up after two days and went back to nappies until he was 2.9mths - dry day and night in 24 hrs and has only had 2 accidents since (he is now 3.2). Sooo easy and so pleased I stopped when I did. I have another friend who carried on and her DD is still pooing in her pants a year on.

You know your son better than anyone, is he really ready?

StitchingMoss - this is my worry. I'm not sure he is. He really doesn't seem to know he needs to go before he does. I don't want to be following him round with a potty all day if he's not ready. Seems pretty pointless.

Hmmm, will see how tomorrow goes.

We tried when he was 2.5 and it didn't really work. To b fair I wasn't really trying as was heavily pregnant, still ft work and v tired. We tried just before he was 3 (DD was 3 months old) and it worked mostly because DH was off on Christmas hols. We went away for a month and I resorted to nappies again (as I was alone with both kids). Long story short we finally succeeded when he was 3.2 or so?? It was really quick though when he finally twigged. Occasional accidents (threw away poo pants! We buy them from asda!) but v successful.

If he doesn't twig I'd stop and allow him to decide. When they want to they'll get it straight away. My problem now is teaching him to wipe his bum!

I'm in a similar boat to you - started with dd last Thursday because she asked to. I thought she was far too young! (2.1) but she is much more ready than ds was when I potty trained him at 2.9.

We are getting about a 50:50 success rate at the moment, but only when I sit her on the potty. I'm going to keep trying for another week, partly because she wants to do it, and partly because it took 2 (hellish) weeks for ds to get it.

On the first day she did one wee over three of ds's favourite teddies and one wee on the floor at Asda. Today she went and stood on her bed and weed there . Just hope I can get the duvet dry by tonight..

How is it going Mouse?

OK - we are all over the place! Decided at the end of Sunday to throw in the towel and go back to nappies. We hadn't had many accidents but that was cos I was getting really good at reading his signs and shoving him on the potty. He was still clueless and genuinely surprised when wee started running down his leg...

Thought it was best to stop as felt like I was setting him up to fail a bit, and it wasn't really potty training, just me stalking him with a potty.

So had a few days in nappies, potties still out around the house and sticker chart still up. This morning, his sleep nappy appeared totally dry (it's usually a sodden affair) so I said 'Oooh, didn't you do any wees when you were asleep?' and he said 'No, I'm going to do one now' and when I asked where, replied 'In the potty' so I plonked him on it and he produced a huge wee. I then asked him whether he wanted to wear pants or nappies today and he said pants.

So we appear to be potty training again and have since had 2 wees in the potty and no accidents, but again, both times instigated by me and him fiercely denying anything was going to happen.

What should I do if he asks for nappies again? Will it confuse him to chop and change like this? Or should I just let him take the lead - Toddler Led Potty Training?!

How's it going with you LiegeAndLief?