Help! How do I potty train without staying in all day??

[violetlights]

My 21 month old DS might be ready for potty training. (I'd like to try before DS2 is born in Oct). BUT...

I don't know what I'm doing! How do you actually potty train? Rush them over to a potty whenever they start peeing / pooping? Rush the potty over to them?

I was going to buy Gina Ford's book but apparently it advocates staying in for a week. Another suggests the child spends most of the day on the potty waiting for something to happen. Neither approach would suit us. We live in a small flat and he would go mad if we stayed in all day. We are generally at home 6am-9.30am, 12-1pm, 5.30-7pm . (I could try staying in all afternoon, but I'm thinking his grumpiness wouldn't help...?)

Anyone got any ideas? And what do I need? One potty? A potty for every room? Do you wipe their bottom with baby wipes or toilet paper? Where do you put the used wipes / toilet paper? Are training pants a good idea? What's the best way to get poop off a sofa/carpet??! (We live in a rental property!!) Can I stick to nappies when we're out in the playgrounds? Can I use a nappy for nap time?

If anyone's got a "Toilet Training Plan for Dummies" I would be very very grateful.

caughtupinthismoment tbh, I don't think your daughter is ready. If you look at Gina Ford, she mentions a preparation phase on talking about the potty, what they do etc. (You don't need the book to follow that). Basically take her to the loo with you, tell her about big girls use toilet or potty instead of nappies. There will come a point where she'll ask to be in big girl pants. Mine goes to nursery so it could be why she gets the idea earlier because the older girls all go to the toilet. If she hasn't started preschool, she might not notice. Also another sign the nursery uses is they have to be dry when they wake up from naps. By the time DD asked for the potty, she's only doing 4-5 wees a day. (Usually one on wake up, one during the morning, another after lunch/nap, and another late afternoon). And I could see her trying to hold it in when she had her pants on, instead of nappies. She will be jumping around a bit, which shows she's trying to hold. Then I just remind her to sit in the potty and do it. It really just takes a day or two if you get to the point where your little one wants and capable of doing it.

And really there's no rush unless she's going to start reception. She's only 2.5yo.

Oh and show her poos in her nappies, flushing wees and poos in the toilet. Basically everything about what nappies/toilets do.

BlueMummy - many thanks for the advice. Hope I haven't given the impression I am doing it for my own convenience. I am led by him always (much to the disdain of many...) I can only read the signs as best I can and respond to them. If he's not ready when we try I'll soon know! I just don't want to keep him in nappies if he wants out and has the ability to do so.

My DS is a fickle thing though as maybe this anti-nappy milarky and interest in the potty is just a phase... I'll see if it continues...

Bear in mind them "wanting" to train- being interested in potties, pants and toilets, knowing after the fact that they've been, is not the same as being physically ready.

They may want to please you by wearing pants and being a "big boy" (or girl). As mentioned up thread though to actually be ready, able to hold it and know before the fact they need the toilet is a different thing.

I always say it's like weaning. Wait until you can't not, its so much easier when they're really ready.

As mentioned up thread though to actually be ready, able to hold it and know before the fact they need the toilet is a different thing.

Yes to this. I think I didn't emphasize how important this bit is. You can tell they are holding by how few times they wee, and also by them being a bit fidgety.