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Potty training

Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

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Original poster

2.5 year old DS won't use potty on own initiative

11 replies

Ami30 · 20/02/2013 17:09

Hello, I've been potty training my DS for 6 days. After 1st day of all accidents he improved by using the potty when prompted for 1s and 2s. However progress has now levelled off for a few days. He has 1 or 2 accidents a day and will use potty when asked but is yet to once ask himself to use it. Have it started to soon or am I thinking about quitting to soon?! Any advice from people who recognise this scenario would be very welcome

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

christinarossetti · 20/02/2013 17:14

Tbh, it sounds like you're doing pretty well. My ds was like this and I found that I had to remind him when we came in/if I realised that he hadn't been for a while and then gradually had to remind him less and less.

It happened quite gradually, although I would say that he was over 3 when I stopped thinking about it.

Original poster

Ami30 · 20/02/2013 17:32

Thanks for the quick and helpful reply I think I may have bought into the hope that it would all be quick and easy. In makes much more sense that it will be more gradual. I'm off with him this week but he's back to the childminder next week for his normal 3 days a week and not sure how that's going to work out!

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GogoGobo · 20/02/2013 20:25

Hi Ami, I'm in a similar situation and was wondering whether I've time potty training incorrectly but I've been doing a lot of researching today and I definitely get the impression it's more of a slog than "done in a week". I think these are few and far between so I am approaching it with renewed vigour tomorrow! Day 6 for me also and DS is 2.3. Good luck!

GingerlyRed · 20/02/2013 20:27

I came on here to ask this question! My dd is exactly the same. It's been about the same length of time and will go when sat on the toilet and will occasionally say 'yes' when asked. But I just put her on the toilet periodically and she is quite happy to go. Not once has she asked... Even when jigging around the room! After seeing this I will persevere.

Thanks for posting!

bonzo77 · 20/02/2013 20:28

Don't worry! You're doing just fine. DS is nearly 3, trained 9 months, reliably clean and dry for 8. But has done poos using own initiative since day 1, but only wees in the last couple of weeks! I have always reminded him, and will continue to do so.

Original poster

Ami30 · 21/02/2013 10:10

Thanks bonzo77 for your experience it is really helpful. GogoGobo and GingerlyRed it's great to hear you are in the same boat and I like your positivity, we can do this!

So far day 7 one wee and poo in the potty, brilliant, and one wee on the carpet, not so good. I will keep reminding him and encouraging him to sit on the potty and see how in goes. Looking forward to the weekend when OH can take over some of reminding and cleaning up!

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Original poster

Ami30 · 14/03/2013 09:17

Been meaning to update this in case it helps anyone else.

I'm really glad I kept going. Day 8 was a massive step back he had 3 accidents and still hadn't asked to use the potty and I thought what am I doing! Then day 9 it was like a switch went on in his head. He started to ask to use the potty every time he needed it! Day 10 this carried on with the added thing that we had to leave him alone and close the door when he was using the potty, all with no accidents. A few days later he went back to the childminder for 3 days all with no accidents. We also went away for the weekend on over a 300 mile car journey all with no accidents and just stopping for a few extra wee breaks!

After a couple of weeks he had two days of having a few accidents, mainly due to the fact we had reached a point where we had stopped reminding him and he had stopped thinking about it as it was 2nd nature. After that all back on track.

Anyway just wanted to share my experience in case it helps anyone. Good luck to anyone about to start or still in the process

OP posts:

beela · 25/03/2013 13:14

Thank you for posting - DS is 2.5 and I think we are on the verge of going for it, and this has helped to give me some realistic expectations. Wish us luck!

LittlePandaBear · 25/03/2013 19:01

Thanks for posting and for your update - me and DD are at the end of Day 3 and it's been testing! I was also wondering about if she needed to use her initiative as she's not really yet but fingers crossed by the end of the week things will improve.

She just refused the potty all morning but this afternoon has used it lots with no accidents - we had some friends round and I think she wanted to 'show off' that she could use it in front of them!

looseleaf · 25/03/2013 20:04

Ami how exciting! Well done! I would love to be in this position as it's a big sense of achievement and lovely to say goodbye to nappies

pettyprudence · 25/03/2013 20:33

OOh thanks for updating this thread. DS will be 2 on saturday, we had some success with the potty a few months ago but I didn't push it as I thought he was a bit young (had in my mind he would be closer to 3). Had a few disastrous nappy free days last week but think I will give it another go when we have a clear week at home after easter. He seems to want to be nappy free but wants to use the potty/toilet on his own (ie I can't be there). He loves the praise when he does use it though. Good to know I need to tell him to use it rather than wait for him to ask.

Can i ask anyone who has done this what the accident to success ratio was in the first few days? Maybe that will help me gage whether or not ds is really ready?

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