I know this is probably commonly asked but.. how did you potty train?

[HeartShapedSaw]

Sounds like a stupid question.. I have read a book but it mostly focuses on when DC are ready, not the practicailties..

DS is 2.7, and will ask to sit on the potty and the toilet (mostly the toilet though, he will sit there for 15 mins happily lots of times a day) I always let him if he asks, but no actual peeing etc in the toilet yet. He tells me when he has peed or pooed, but rarely before he actually does.

I think he is pretty much ready but I have a few questions.

Do I go for the potty or straight to the toilet? Or a combination of both? He seems way more interested in the toilet, and seems like it would cut out a step to not use the potty.

Do I really have to stay in for two weeks while it gets done? Will have to wait for easter holidays in that case, and even then he will be in nursery a few afternoons a week so might confuse him.

If anyone can give me a brief summary of how they were successful that would be great. Just like how often you needed to take them to toilet, did you buy big boy pants or just use pull up nappies etc...

Thanks!

All 4 of mine were trained in 2 days. Because they were ready. 3 used the toilet straight away, 1 used the potty then toilet. I put them in knickers/boxers from the outset. Let them tell you when they need a wee, if you keep taking them to try then they never get the feeling of a full bladder. He's only ready when he's always telling you before he needs a wee. At that stage it's pretty easy, just put the undies on, explain about telling mummy when you need a wee, then make a big nice/good/clever over-reaction when he gets it right - no matter how small the wee is

What works for one child may not work for another.

I suggest getting your lo to sit on the potty on waking and nappy changes. Do not force the issue if your lo refuses to sit on the potty. Gentle bribary like offering to read his favourite book or watch his favourite video while sitting on the potty often works.

I think it helps to get potty training books which you can read to him like "Once Upon a Potty" or the little princess book "I want my potty". Some children enjoy potty training dolly or teddy. With dd we had fun potty training bath toys that would squirt water in the bath. We would tell rubber duck that "Poo Poo and Wee go in the Potty"

Bare bottom time is good for making children aware of their bodily functions. Accidents are an important part of the learning process. Children need the opportunity to take the initative and decide whether they want to use the potty. Sometimes bribary is useful for rewarding sucess.

If a child is ready then they will master potty training in a week. If they have got nowhere then its best to give up and wait three months.

How old were they when they trained? I know boys are generally later than girls, I don't know if 2.7 is considered early.

Was thinking about Easter holidays.

Ds was trained at 3 years and 3 months, but he had developmental delay due to glue ear and orthopedic problems. He took about 8 days.

Dd was 2 years and 7 months and trained both day and night in 2 days flat.

How interested is your ds? Its far easier to potty train a child who actually wants to be trained. Its really important to make learning about the toilet/ potty an enjoyable experience. Potty training goes wrong when parents turn it into a battleground. ie. telling off children for accidents or making a child sit on the potty. It has to be remembered that toddlers have weed into their clothing all their life and being asked to use a potty is a big change. Its why its a bad idea to attempt potty training if the child is going through any other major life change or going through a really obstinate phase.

It takes a couple of days to get the hang of it. Even then toddlers give very little notice of needing a wee. "I need a wee" means NOW not ten minutes time.

Toddler Taming by Christopher Green has good advice on potty training and when to start. One of the most hated baby authors Gina Ford also gives good advice on potty training. (She may give rubbish advice on newborn babies as she has never had one, but its fair to say as a nursery nurse she has had plenty of experience of potty training.)

Potty training during the Easter holidays sounds like an excellent plan. I hope we get a nice heat wave for you to dry the washing and allow your lo to play outside.

Yeah I think he is nearly ready but by Easter he should be for sure. Im jot in any rush ill wait til he is definitely ready. He loves sitting on the toilet so I let him every time he asks.

I was fairly clueless about potty training, DS pretty much did it himself. We'd had the potty out for ages, and talked about it a lot, but he'd shown very little interest. One day DH was changing his nappy, and he got up, and went for a wee in the potty, we tried putting him in pants, and that was pretty much that.

Just before his third birthday he announced that he didn't want to wear a nappy at night any more, and he was dry straight away. So certainly my experience is that when they are really ready it is dead easy. I know it doesn't always work that way, DN never really showed any interest, and I can remember Dsis panicking that he was going to end up at school still in nappies. He did get there in the end though.

I would say if your DS prefers using the toilet, be guided by him, there is no reason not to go straight to that if that is what he likes.

I never thought my ds would ever be potty trained but he did eventually in time for starting nursery. he was 3 like someone said, each child is different...