How did you encourage your dc to pee/poo on the potty?

[lottytheladybird]

I put my ds in pants for the first time this morning. I've put him on a potty and on a training seat over the loo, but he wouldn't pee and has been holding it in. As soon as I put him in pull ups this afternoon for his nap, he let go straightaway. Any tips on how I can encourage my ds to eliminate in the potty would be gratefully received. Thank you! (I think it's going to be one long summer!)

[Choccywoccydodah]

Just a suggestion. Do you have 2 potties? To start, I sat with ds on his, me on one too, I had a wee and so did he at the same time. Just so he knew what it was for.

[Choccywoccydodah]

Howse today been?

All good here, chuffed to bits. Ds has only had 1 proper accident today, and 3 semi accidents where he's started to wee, then finished in the potty. Chuffed chuffed chuffed!!

He's done 4 proper sat-on-the-potty-from-the-start wees too (after me prompting him).

[Choccywoccydodah]

*How's

[lottytheladybird]

Wow, you are right to be chuffed! I would be, too! Today has not been any better, ds just won't wee in the loo. We don't have two potties, but I have shown me weeing to him many times to show him what to do on the loo. sigh!

I think for us it might just be that he's not ready and that we'll have to give it another go another time. But I want to make the most of this good weather and being able to have him in pants outside a lot, so we'll probably keep going for the time being.

Not sure about the standing up thing, but might give it a go anyway, as there's nothing to lose! Will have to get dh to demonstrate!

[Choccywoccydodah]

That was the only reason I started my ds was because of the weather.
It's worth having a go as long as they're not getting upset. Saving a fortune in nappies too
I'm sure he'll get there if you stick at it x

[MAnderson]

Froot loops in the loo has helped me - seems to be a motivator for the little guy... he runs off to hit the loops :) Similarly, my grandmother painted a target on one side of a ping pong ball, and glued a small button or some other weight on the other side - then when you float it in the toilet bowl, the weighted side stays down, and the target is visible to shoot too!

[Choccywoccydodah]

So, a bit of a relapse. Only one time ds sat on the potty on his own for a wee today, every other time he started, then sat on the potty to do the rest (most of it to be fair). I ask all the time if he needs a wee and he says no and goes mental if I go to sit him on the potty if he doesn't need it, then 5 mins later he starts weeing!
We did however go to the shops earlier, only for half hour, and no accident which was great!

Any better today lotty?

[MrsOakenshield]

to be honest, I would put him back into nappies and try again in a few weeks. In fact, reading on MN persuaded me to do this, as I read of so many who had left it until their DC were ready and they were dry (no accidents) in a day. Which is what happened on attempt 3 (when she'd just turned 3) with DD. (This is also true in RL - those friends who waitted got on better than those who had a timetable for whatever reason.) Is there any particular reason why you're doing it now (summer?) - attempt 3 was midwinter, we just whacked the heating on and it was fine.

Choc buttons and a reward chart are good - but only if he is really ready.

Best of British!

[MrsOakenshield]

I should add - attempts 1 and 2 each lasted a week (and were derailed in both instances by illness, tonsilitius in one case poor lamb) and looking back, although there weren't any accidents, she really wasn't ready.

[lottytheladybird]

Choccy, no better today, I'm afraid. Still not peeing in the loo. Ds wanted his pull ups first thing this morning, after I put him on the potty after he woke up (at 5:30am!), but got upset when I put him in pants. He went to nursery this morning, but unlike on Tuesday, he got really upset about being put on the loo.

Dh showed ds how to pee standing up, but ds didn't want to stand in front of the loo. He just wanted to sit on it. Still, worth a try. I think if ds still doesn't do anything in the loo by tomorrow, then we'll call it quits for now. Like you say, it's really hard work watching them ALL the time! Not being able to go out like we usually do isn't much fun either.

Must have felt great that your son was dry when you took him out! It's a shame you had such a great day yesterday and then he wasn't as keen today, but 1 'whole pee' in the potty is still good! :)

[lottytheladybird]

Mrs Oakenshield, yes, we're giving it a go because of the good weather, which doesn't come around very often!

[lottytheladybird]

Manderson, that sounds like good fun!

[ColourfulColour]

Well ds seems to have got it (for pees anyway)! Still the odd bit of leakage and one I-am-busy-playing accident today but otherwise two days of telling me and also taking himself to the potty unaided. Poos still a work in progress, however. But I cannot believe he's done it after so nearly putting him back in nappies.

We've been out as well and the tension of watching him and rushing to loos nearly sent my nerves over the edge.

If it is warm enough with you and you have a garden I would recommend no bottoms, short top and plastic sandals. Then you really can leave them to it and they can practice themselves.

I think the accident on the floor straight after getting off the potty is because, with ds anyway, he thinks Yay! I'm peeing! and jumps off as soon as he starts to go. So we often have three pees for each episode.

[lottytheladybird]

Well done, colourful! :)

We're taking a different tack today. We're going to try and catch ds's pee in the potty! He's never been keen on the potty before, much preferring sitting on the loo. Since introducing the iPad whilst sitting on the potty (yes, please don't judge - just trying everything to encourage ds to pee!), he's been much happier! Hopefully this will be easier than trying to rush him to the loo mid pee! Is this what you've been doing, choccy? Keeping the potty beside ds all the time in case of an accident?

[Choccywoccydodah]

Yes lotty, we have 3 pottys (3 storey house), so I have one on each floor, but because its been so nice, one is outside and one in our kitchen/family room which is downstairs and one in our lounge which is upstairs.

Currently in the lounge as our kitchen gets cooler when the sun goes in, hence we're doing it n the summer, also its tiled in the kitchen so easier to clean up.

Saying that, he'd JUST looked down at his Willy so I knew he was about to wee, so I quickly said do you need a wee and sat him on the potty. Only just missed the first bit, think will go back downstairs!!

Well done colourful!!! That's fab!

Hello issimma :)

[Choccywoccydodah]

So, ds hasn't pooed for 2 days so have been eagle eyed looking for him with the look of concentration as he starts.
Half hour ago, I was bursting for the loo and he wouldn't come with me. 10 secs later I heard him shouting for me from outside saying 'it stinks, it stinks!' Which is what he says when the dog poos, so I knew exactly what had happened.
I didn't however expect to come outside and he'd stood in it and walked it all round the patio! Out came the hose!

[Choccywoccydodah]

And the potty was there too

[lottytheladybird]

Oh no, Choccy! What a pooey mess! At least he walked it round outside and not on the carpets! My ds seems to be holding his poos, too. Normally he poos everyday, but he hasn't done so since being in pants. He often waits till he gets his pull ups for nap time.

We managed to catch half of one pee in the potty this morning! First time anything's gone in the potty! Yay! He then initiated a potty trip for the first time just now, but didn't pee unfortunately.

Hi, issimma! I'm scared of poos, too! We've had one in pants so far and I can't say I particularly enjoyed cleaning it up!

[MrsOakenshield]

DD held in her poos a lot to. If it continues, ask the doc for some Lactulase, it's a poo softener (sorry!) not a laxative and can be given long term. When DD did her first poo in the potty (after 5 days witholding!!!) it was after having eaten a very rich, gooey chocolate brownie - worked a dream!

[lottytheladybird]

Might have to make some brownies...

Well, we've given it 6 days and unfortunately ds hasn't done any proper pees/poos in the potty or the loo, so we're going to take a break from potty training. It's a shame, but when there's been nothing but accidents, it's difficult to carry on, for both ds and us, I think. We'll have another go in a week or two.

[MrsOakenshield]

I think you're absolutely right to stop - 6 days is a good go. I think we had 6 months between 1st and 3rd attempts, I just couldn't be arsed with it and there was no particular rush for DD to be out of nappies. Like I said, midwinter for us!

[hermioneweasley]

My DS was the same - he was physically ready because he could hold it in. He just seemed absolutely terrified of letting go on the loo or potty, so we stopped.

What worked for us was building up to it - we gave him a countdown and told him the "nappy fairy" would come and bring a toy he had wanted and bring big boy pants. We also watched A LOT of "potty time" from
Bear in the Big Blue House.

It worked - he was super excited about his toy and trained within a few days.

He was over 3 by the time we resorted to nappy fairy though.

[lottytheladybird]

Hermione, the nappy fairy sounds like a super idea! Unfortunately, my ds has a speech delay, so he would not understand... I will definitely bear it in mind for when my youngest is ready.

[hermioneweasley]

Lotty, I have heard before that toilet training is a social skill, and linked to language development (I think it was Tanya Byron). Is it possible the he just isn't ready?