Sorry, this is long!
DD is 2.10 - very bright and articulate, but quite young compared to others I know same age, e.g. social development - doesn't mix well with other children, really struggled with starting a playgroup in Sept. also late with physical milestones (physio suggested slight hypermobility). She also KNOWS HER OWN MIND - which is probably the key info here!
Anyway, we got a potty about a year ago I think, and took a laid back approach to letting her play withy it, sit on it when wants, encouraged her to try and do something in it before bath etc. Occasionally had ' nappy off time' with potty nearby. Have had a few successful wees and poos in potty, but more luck than judgement (or me noticing signs she about to go and making her sit on it). She defintiely knows when she is going to poo, not so sure about wee. Anyway, she became less interested in the potty a couple of months back, so we offered stickers everytime she successfully did something on it - get and would get sticker book/ peppa pig comic etc. She seemed to like idea of stickers, but wouldn't actually try and get them, e.g. even if actually straining to go whilst I reminded her she only needed one more sticker before treat, would still refuse to sit on it. We got a children's toilet seat too, but I think that scared her so never sat on that.
I'm afraid a few weeks back I finally cracked under strain of all the other children same age being trained, and decided to have a more intensive try at training - bascially pants or nothing on in house apartfomr at night. Still wentout in nappies though. She did every single wee on floor / in pants, and waited til night in nappy to poo (which if often her pattern anyway, and she only goes every few days normally). She was absolutely determined she would not sit on potty or toilet, and got very upset / angry if we pushed it. We have up after about 4 days, and haven;t really tried since, as we felt the potty was becoming a very negative thing and cause of conflict, which we donlt wanbt of course!! The onyl time we've even suggested sitting on it since are when she seemed to be gearing up to poo at bathtime, i.e.not in nappy, and again she was determined not to.
So, what do we do now? Am afraid she is so stubborn, and has such a good memory, that she isn;t suddenly going to change her mind about this in a week or so. And still not sure how much is her being stubborn / wanting to have control, and how much us just that she really doesn't know when she needs to go. I think she is clever enough to have realised going in a nappy if far easier! Everyone keeps telling me she must be ready by this age. So what should our next step be,and how can we make the potty /toilet a positive thing?
PS have tried 'princess Polly's potty', letting her chose own potty, letting her choose own pants, and reading to her on potty (we soon realised she was asking to go on potty to get book, but never did anything whilst listening to it!)