is he ready and is my plan ok? how did you start?

[maddening]

Think ds is ready for pt and over next 2 weeks ds is mostly either with me, dfiance or dm with just 2 days in holiday club (in the same preschool as he goes to full time in term time (8-4pm) as dfiance and I both work full time. So it seems a good time.

My mum has a big garden and has potties etc as dnephew potty trained a bit ago so he should be fine spending time nappy less in the garden.

We have a garden so a lot of time playing there too.

He understands what the potty is and role plays going (but no wee yet).

So up to my first day I plan to read him potty training stories - borrowing my sister's book that she used for dnephew and will be showing him his pants (nice ones with rockets on) and talking about his first day and then first day just do no pants and hang around the house. - is this generally what you're meant to do - how was your first few days like?

Ps ds is 2 1/2

We're in the early days. DD (2.7) has been using a potty on and off for some time now, so we thought we'd go "official" with it. Started last Monday and had a day of accidents. Tuesday she was at nursery and had a day of accidents. Weds at home, less accidents. Thurs at nursery, 1 accident. Friday we went camping. All weekend she was brilliant. All wees on potty, all poos on potty.
Today we had one poo accident but so far so good.

Still using nappies at night and during nap time.

Been bored stiff staying at home, but given how hot it's been, probably not a bad idea.

We haven't read any books about potties/toilets from her perspective, but will be picking some up at the library next week.

Thanks mrscosmo - hoping he takes to it as it's the perfect time work wise

Wishing you luck!

However, remember the old adage, "If at first you don't succeed...". This is our second attempt. We originally tried a few months ago unsuccessfully.

Tonight after going to bed, about 20 mins later, she was sitting up yelling and crying that she wanted a wee on the potty. Nappies on at night, so I told her I'd be back when I'd eaten my dinner. As it is, I'm just about to have my pudding, and it's gone quiet. Will look in later but I think the night time is just a ploy. She's been dry at night the past three nights.

How is it going? Its interesting reading your messages as my son is the same age and at a similar stage.

My son 2yrs 9mths has just started yesterday - we are not sure whether to continue, any advice?

He has been doing stand up wees in the potty on the odd occasion months ago but refused to be without a nappy until yesterday. When his dad was on the loo he came into the toilet having taken off his own nappy and pulled his pants down to wee in the potty. Completely voluntarily and independently. After much praise and excitement he has not wanted to wear a nappy except at nap or bed time. However, he hasn't gone near the potty since and has only weed in his shorts. He will not tell us he needs to go and will not go near the potty now. When do you know they are ready?

Do we revert back to nappies or persevere? How do we get him to sit on the potty?

Oh god it was a total failure! He spent time sitting in the potty but not one drop - 5 wees and one poo on the floor before his afternoon nap when he went in the nappy and we decided he isn't ready - he is having a progression on his speech - much needed sonwe reckon he might be focusing on that so will see if he starts asking for his nappy to be changed and saying he's done a poo again - he seems to be going in and out of phases doing this so wonder if there are little windows of opportunity in between other developments. We planned it asnhe was doing this at home and preschool but he hasn't been doing that much the last few weeks and he has been using more language (slow talker) recently so possibly missed the chance or there's too much going on for his to do the potty training.

Seriously he didn't seem to know he was weeing and then kept trying to run through it and then freaked out at the poo being suddenly there - luckiky not on the soft furnishings.

I found some useful advice in a book I picked up at my local library called "No stress potty training" by Geraldine Butler & Bernice Walmsley.

I didn't read it all, just the first few chapters, which outline very clear indications that your child is ready for potty training.

We've had very few accidents, despite DD being a bit under the weather this week. But this was our second proper attempt. The first time failed, so we just went back to nappies. All I did to encourage her was to have the potty on standby and IF she did a wee/poo on it, she got a sticker on her chart.

I did notice that poos on the toilet/potty upset her. They still do a bit, but she's getting better each time (less upset).

Maddening, I quite agree that if there is progress on speech (or any other skill) then it's not the time. I want to move on to dummy withdrawal (she only has it at night), but until we're more confident on potty/toilet issues, it's not the time. I think I'll try next month.

Hartley - it's probably worth taking a step back, yes. Nappies on but ask on a regular basis if he wants a wee. I went with doing that for a couple of days, then saying we were going to both be big girls and wear only knickers. HOWEVER, having read the book above, I know that she was ready to try.

There are a number of skills needed to be successful, it seems. Just being able to use a potty (which I thought was essential) is pretty low down the list! :)