Potty training redux: Day One

[LittleMissSnowShine]

Intensive potty training began this morning in our house...with mixed results! Two wee wees in the potty and one poo...on the floor

DS is 2 years 7 months. We were trying the more gradual method in the Potty Training for Boys book but found we weren't really getting anywhere, yes he would go in potty or toilet, no problem but he saw it as entirely optional and was just as happy to pee his pants and let me clean it up. After a few weeks of soldiering on with this about 3 months ago I decided he wasn't ready and to try again later. Then I was pg and have had HG so I've been in no fit state to try again until now. So I'm off work this week, armed with Elmo potty training iPad app, a Lightning McQueen seat for the toilet, Lightning McQueen pants and two potties to cart around the house til he gets the idea.

Anyone had good success with the fairly intensive method? Keep wondering if this is really the best approach but at the same time this is my last leave off work where we won't be going away anywhere until July and he'll be nearly 3 then. At the minute, DS is just going around with no nappy or pants on and I'm only letting him watch tv or play in iPad if he sits on the potty (to avoid possibility he'll get distracted and go on the floot!). Any tips? ANy pitfalls to avoid? Should I put a nappy on him after lunch for nap time?

Hi

thought I would join you as I too have a week off to potty train this week. my DD is 2.5, thankfully nursery have been putting her on the loo and she has sat on the potty at home before we started to train but had never done anything.

We started yesterday and thankfully we have had more wees in the potty and on the toilet than on the floor, but god its so boring isnt it? im getting cabin fever so DD is going to go to my mums for a couple of hours tomorrow so i can get some housework done.

From what I have read (and goodness knows I am no expert) intensive is better but i am under no illusion that DD will have this all sewn up by the time I go back to work next week, I think it can take a while for them to consistently take themselves off to the loo so I am thinking that will be the case and hoping to be pleasantly surprised

Other mums who have been there and done this before told me to put DD straight into pants so that if she wees she can feel its wet and it saves your carpet a bit too. Also solves problems further down the line when they won't wear pants or wee/ poo as soon as they have pants on thinking its a nappy. I have been putting my DD in a nappy for her lunchtime nap and bedtime still.
So not too much advice from me but happy to join you for and consolation after inhaling detol fumes all day

Hi lizard!

We're getting about a 50% strike rate lol DS is being quite good about sitting on the potty as long as there's something to entertain him, be it CBeebies or the iPad. Once he's off the potty, tho, even if it's only a foot away from him we've had a few accidents where he's just gone, without warning, on the floor

In the pro column, at least now when he goes outside of the potty he's been shouting 'uh oh, wee wee' and crying a bit, to let me know what has happened and to show he knows that's not supposed to happen.

Like you, I did nappy for nap time and bed, but just light football shorts rest of the day so it was easy for me to see (and for him to feel) when he'd had an accident. Wish the weather was a bit warmer tho, feel sorry for DS with his little cold legs!

Yep Dettol all the way...but no for me. 21 weeks pg! Really got fx that I can help DS master this soon, I have no wish to be 37 weeks and still cleaning up puddles of pee all day on my hands and knees lol

But it's day 2 for us here and he did object strongly to be taken out of bed and his nice fleecy sleepsuit to sit on the potty but he did do a wee and now he's watching Mike the Knight on the potty so not a bad start to the day. How are things going for your DD today?

Anyone else out there want to join us??

Day two going much better here - no accidents except one, and that was still on the potty, DS just forgot to pull his shorts down before he went lol

He's getting the idea but it's working a lot better if I just let him run around with nothing on at all on the bottom half so as soon as he feels like he needs to go he can just run straight to the potty. I'll let him keep that up the rest of today and then try the shorts again tomorrow and see how it goes...

Hope your DD is doing well too lizard!

Hi there

Ah sounds like your DS is making great progress!

It's been a bit of a funny day here- I woke up with a migraine so my mum came over to look after DD & take over potty training. Dd seems to be getting a bit narked at ring asked to sit on the potty despite offers of bribes! She has had 2 accidents today but has said just as she needed to go something like "quickly " or "toilet" and then started to wee but we got her on the pot to do the rest.

I'm feeling better now so we have actually come to my mums this afternoon just to get out the house for a bit & see how we fare. Feel like today hasn't been as successful as previous 2 days but then I've not been there to watch DD like a hawk!

Ooh thank goodness a bit more success this afternoon & evening. Dd told me she needed a wee at my mums & we managed to get her on the potty in time. Then another small wee on the big toilet at home followed by her first non nappy poo! Woohoo!

Woo hoo!!!

We've had a couple of poos in the potty now and he hasn't had any accidents - at the same time, DS isn't actually 'telling' me he needs to go, just running to find his potty and then going by himself. Which is great but as I mentioned, he forgets to pull down his shorts so unless I'm watching him and run over to the potty with them and yank them down, he just pees in them while on the potty!!

Not sure how we'll cope being out and about since this is the case, but it's only day 3 today and he's gone from being in nappies round the clock to looking for his potty and using it whenever he needs to go so that's a pretty good start.

Just need the patience to get through today and tomorrow and hopefully he'll have grasped the basics by then cos me and DH are away to a wedding on Saturday so my mum will have to take over for 24 hours!!

Ah that sounds fantastic! Well done to your DS.

That's the thing you want them to work towards just taking themselves off to go.

Trying to get dd to knock the drink back (non alcoholic in case it wasn't clear!) to prompt her to wee a bit more today

lol i'd say we need to start knocking the drink back!!

Sounds like your DD is getting the hang of it fine, she's only on day 4 so the fact you were able to take her out to your mum's yesterday and she told you she needed to go etc. sounds really encouraging

Yes I'm v pleased with DS for figuring it out and wanting to take himself to go but i have no idea how we're supposed to leave the house ever again if i can't get him to wear even easy shorts / tracksuit bottoms - but I'm glad I decided to take this time off work and do this with him cos I think DS is getting the hang of it a lot better than he was before when I was trying the slowly, gradually approach.

Now to conquer wearing trousers!! Well maybe tomorrow

Yeah one step at a time- maybe put him in trousers but no pants, like tracksuit bottoms or something at first. Not sure why that works rather than putting pants on at first but had heard that tip on here before.

I like the way your last post said in brackets- think you meant subconscious thinking eh?!

Will be nice for your DS to show his Granny his big boy pants & how clever he is at the weekend & super nice for you & your DH to have a break too!

My mum has been great this week- she is downstairs cutting & sticking with DD now whilst I check MN get on with the house work.

I'm back to work next week too so hope it works out well at nursery, is your DS at nursery/ CM too?

gin all the way lizard!!

Still having trouser issues today! DS doesn't seem to know how to pull them down, even tho I'm only putting him in really simple elasticated waist shorts or tracksuit bottoms while he's learning. I spent a good ten minutes demonstrating mummy pulling her trousers up and down (quite the sight when nearly 6 months preg) but he just kind of laughed at me and touched his toes. I don't know why it's so difficult for him but at least he's using potty for all number ones and twos and I just have to be really watchful so if he makes for the potty, I have to follow him and yank his trousers down for him. I'm sure he'll have picked it up over the weekend, hopefully!

Going stir crazy in house but getting plenty of washing / tidying done anyway! Poor DS is getting a bit bored too, but after lunch/nap i'm going to try letting him play out in garden - hopefully if I bring potty outside we'll avoid accidents but even if not, at least not too far to go to get him changed hee

Hope your DD is having a good day too? Day 4 for us so day 5 for you - surely they've nearly gotten it by now lol I'll prob still be on here next week!!

I'm back to work on Monday too and DS will be at childminder - we're also off to a wedding on Sat and DS will be staying with my mum so he'll have a chance to test out his new skills in a different but still familiar environment before CM on Monday.

Snowshine your description of you pulling your trousers up & down really did make me chuckle only because I know what I was like 6 months pg!

I am sure the trousers will come in time. Will your DS be persuaded by bribes rewards? You could do some rewards for pulling his shorts/pants down as well as going for a wee.

Know what you mean about cabin fever- we had a great day yesterday- no accidents at all & she brought the potty over & told us everytime she needed a wee & also did the tiniest poo on the big loo.

Today has been a bit more hit & miss- took her swimming this morning just to get out, but still put a swim nappy on- not that confident yet. I Knew she would want to do a big wee after swimming as she always seems to hold it in the pool & then do a huge wee in her nappy afterwards. Tried to persuade her onto the loo at swimming before & after & she was having none of it so she did a wee in he car on the way home but thankfully I already had a folded up towel on her car seat in case. Another accident in the high chair but she did seen to manage to stop herself half way through & wait for me to put her on the potty & carry on her wee so a good recovery!

Other than that it's been all hits in the potty or loo, she gets a bit annoyed/ upset if she wees in her pants & wants clean dry ones straight away but I guess that's quite normal.

Meant to be meeting a friend at a soft play type place tomorrow- not sure how that will work out! Maybe should take potty along. I have a trail potty but haven't tried her with it yet.

Looking forward to going back to work for a rest!

Hi Ladies! Day 2 in potty training house here with DS2 2.8. Nursery has done brilliantly training him at nursery but we did first day nappy free yesterday. Lots of wee wee on the potty and poo 1/2 on sofa 1/2 on potty. Only noticed when poor DS was trying to clean the poo on the sofa with a tissue and was retchinng uncontrollably. He has been very good and shows off his masterpiece wee wee very proudly each time. Attempting a quick outing this afternoon, nappy free so wish me luck!
Have got towel in carseat , thanks forreminding me lizardqueenie.
Feel better after reading this thread, glad to know im not alone in weewee cleaning up land.(goes off to hang up another batch of laundry...)

lizard - also back to work tomorrow! DS used both potty & loo at my mum & dads y'day while we were at wedding and he's been good at home this afternoon. Feel a bit more confident about taking him out and about again next week (tho like u i think we'll be using swim nappies for the next while!) I might get him so pull ups to try as well- i wouldnt have used these at the start but now he's got the idea of using the potty so well I think pull ups will be a good way to get out and about until he's more accident proof! DS is still pretty resistant to wearing trousers or pants round the house but I put tracksuit bottoms on him earlier and he got so cross he figured out how to pull them down lol not exactly what I was going for but at least it was good practice in figuring out yes he can pull them down for himself!! He'll be back at childminder 2moro tho so that will be a good test...

noroom - best of luck for week ahead, thought i'd gone a bit mad by the end of day 3 but all the time poured in does seem to have been effective so hopefully we're over the hardest part now... Fx anyway!

Welcome aboard no room- ah bless your DS, sounds like he's doing well, full steam ahead.

Snowshine, hope you enjoyed the wedding and not having to worry about anyone else's bodily functions for a while?!

Yes the pull ups might be an idea, DD was using these before potty training anyway as she refused to lay down and get changed (except for dealing with poos) but I think if I put her back in them in the day now she would treat them like nappies and it might put her off using the potty so i am just going to keep the changes of clothes and towels in the car for now & hopefully we can muddle through.

I took a potette thing to softplay but she didnt like it. However we had more success yesterday afternoon at a friends house and today at the park and at a restaurant when i took her own normal potty with us (stashed in a bag in the buggy!) and that worked like a dream- she had 3 wees at the friends house yesterday. So will take that out with us tomorrow too.

Good luck for your DS's at the CM's & nursery!

Day 1 here and I am exhausted. DS has done pretty well - half in his pants, half in the potty. The washing machine is in full flow as He is going through clothes at a rate of knots. it seems to work best if he wants f one of his Easter minieggs. Timing at least means the Easter chocolate pile is reducing in size. I made the mistake of going to the playground - cabin fever - he did the boggest wee in his trousers. I was outside the playground due to our dog so got called over by people in the playground. Oh, the humiliation of the puddle in the playground and me not having enough hands to deal with three kids and very loud dog. Hang my head in shame....

Hows everyone getting on?

Welcome shouty- yes it is knackering isnt it?! I think you are massively brave for going out but with 3 kids and a dog what else can you do so please don't feel ashamed. I kind of believe that kids need to have accidents to help them learn what to do, like anything, riding a bike you need to know what not to do as well as what to do so half in the potty is great for day one!

DD was back at nursery today and had 3 accidents but they think its more to do with her being confident enough to ask to go or take herself to the loos than not knowing that she wants to go. So will have the washing machine going tonight and need to nip into M&S tomorrow to get some more pants, have found that sizing up really helps DD be able to pull them up and down by herself so might get some cheapy leggings/ joggers too.

However she came home and did a big old poo in the toilet so thats great!

Good luck everyone and all round.

Thanks for the kind words lizardqueenie. I am having a glass of white wine - I certainly feel we all earned it today!

Hard work, hope you are all having a well deserved break this evening!!! Its a huge relief getting the night time nappy on (which DS IMMEDIATELY WEE WEED IN)
Good day in all one accident at DS1's swimming lesson, but great wee wee in the aisle at tescos. Thank god for the potette potty. (Apologies to fellow shoppers for the loony mother doing woop woops in the baked bean isle...)

It's up and down here! DS was great on Monday at childminders but last two days haven't been as good. He's good in the mornings but after his lunchtime nap he is fed up with the potty and wants to play with toys or go out in the garden and not be interrupted by going to the potty so he gets quite cross when you suggest it to him! Allowing him to run around half naked at home this evening tho and he's using potty again so it's one step forward and two steps back...I had heard boys tend to take longer and there does seem to be some truth in that!

Hi everyone. As a part-timer I (or should I say the nursery) started potty training AT (2.25) on Tuesday and she's managed to pee once a day in her potty and the rest of the time whilst she's relaxed and enjoying herself - washing machine has been on overload since Tuesday - bless!. I'm a bit nervous about taking over tomorrow but the diary is clear all weekend in the hopes we can continue the good work.

I am really proud of DS - only one accident so far today and we were out feeding the ducks when it happened so not surprising really. It was quite a challenge to then change DS's clothes - we were on a slope, it was very muddy and I was holding a young dog on the lead . I am glad noone was there to see us .

2 weeks in and DS has mostly gotten the hang of it - maybe one accident a day, usually just a splash of wee if he doesn't quite make it to potty on time but he'll hold most of it in. He's also started going standing up about half the time just of his own initiative cos I had intended to bring in standing up in next week. Phew hoping worst bit is over and by the time new baby arrives in 15 weeks he'll be pretty good at going without much fuss...save us a fortune on nappies!!