i dont really have a clue what I'm doing

[ipswichwitch]

DS1 is 2.5yo and we've started potty training mainly because every time we'd go to the toilet he'd announce he was going to sit on the potty and wee too, but it took a while before he'd sit on it without his nappy - at first he'd sit on it and wee in the nappy, then he was eventually happy for us to take his nappy off.

So we thought, he must be ready. However, he won't sit on the potty long enough to do anything, keeps getting on and off, even with bribery/favourite tv programme - tbh he's never really sat still for anything ever, he'd rather run about 24/7.

I've explained that he can wear big boy pants, which he thinks is great but as soon as he needs a wee just keeps asking for his nappy back on. Today I couldn't put the nappy on when he asked as I was feeding his baby brother, and said sit on the potty. Instead he just weed on the floor. I told him it's ok, we'll try and get it in the potty next time and he wasn't bothered by it.

I've put his nappy on (he asked) and now I've no idea what to do. Should I persevere with nappy off time a few times a day and getting him to sit on the potty? Should I leave it a bit longer and try again in a few weeks? He seems to get the idea, and does often sit on it without me suggesting, he just won't actually wee on the damn thing. As for poos, I've no idea as he always lies about having done a poo when we ask, probably because he hates nappy changes. I have told him that when he does everything on the potty he won't need nappy changes but doesn't seem to sink in.

I'm at a bit of a loss what to do really. I'm surrounded by early potty trained kids here, and nobody has any helpful advice (MIL says just keep plonking him on it but knowing DS that'll make him even less likely to use it if I'm forcing the issue - he seems to like doing things when it's his idea to!) Any sensible advice gratefully received!

Bump :)

I'd put him back in nappies and try again in a couple of months

I'm a firm believer in leaving potty training as late as possible (although i do have my own thread about my 2.1 dd2 who seems 75% ready but I'm not sure whether to push one so young)

I tried to train dd1 at about two and a half because it seemed like everybody else had trained their child and I felt I was lagging behind. I know!! I was being daft.

It didn't work when I first tried. She would wee on floor and in pants and just didn't care. So I stopped

Then when she was maybe around 2y 9m she said she didn't want nappies any more and honestly she trained herself. In the house she would just take herself to the potty. If we were out I would ask her intermittently if she needed a wee but she would say yes or no and I could trust that answer.

We still had odd infrequent accidents maybe once a month when she was distracted up until maybe 3y 6m

But it was so easy and almost accident free and I'm sure that's because I waited

Thanks Scottish, I'm inclined to agree and try again in a few weeks/months time. It is frustrating when everyone around you has DC that were potty trained sooner, and they manage to make you feel cheap for being nowhere near yet!

Ah but all the people who told me they had potty trained dc - a couple of months after I trained dd they started saying thins like 'ooh x has gone four days without an accident'
And I realised that actually most (though not all) actually just had children who were in pants but wet themselves a couple of times a day, while I was thinking they were super dooper full on potty trained

It's hard not to feel like everybody's ahead of you. But honestly in a years time you won't care. Do what's easiest for you.

I certainly suspect that's the case with a good number of the early potty ed kids here, the parents just won't admit it!
Some minor progress this morning - this is the first time he has come and told me he has had a poo and needs changing. Normally he lies if he's asked! Still going to leave it a few weeks though, unless he asks for the potty.