reassure me... the first day is always bad, yes?!

[TheLongRains]

My daughter is 18m and has been slightly obsessed with the toilet for about a month. Always wanting to watch me wee (as in, has to actually be able to see it!), loves sitting on the toilet (and wees 90% of the time when on there), sits on little boxes and pretends to wipe her bottom etc etc...

So I decided to bite the bullet and go for it... No nappies today, and we're on our 4th pair of pants, and no wees on the potty or toilet!!! Gah!!

I've even got chocolate buttons at the ready for when she goes in the right place, but she's not achieved that yet, despite being put on it regularly.

Is day one always terrible?! Yesterday she said "wee wee, bot bot, wee wee", and we put her on and she said a poo... So I took that to be her communicating, but maybe she's not ready?!!

She did a poo, not said a poo....

Possibly not ready, we had a couple of false starts like this, and to be honest didn't preserve for longer than a day each time. After watching my sister in law and niece get themselves so worked up over potty training I decided I'd just keep waiting. In the end that was at 2years 10 months. We've only had 2 accidents in 8 weeks and both of those were unfortunate 'frights'- grandad made her jump by accident and gave her a fright, and a cup fell out the cupboard and made her jump and she wet herself both times - bless her, other than that she's been completely dry. We did reward with chocolate coins to begin with, and let her choose new 'big girl pants'! We also didn't use the potty but went straight to toilet with a child seat on it. 18 months is still so young, I know lots of people will come on and say they potty trained at that age and it was fine, but in my experience the later you leave it the easier it is - there's still plenty of 3 year olds at my daughters Nursery who aren't toilet trained yet, and it's considered completely normal. Good luck!

Ds is 3.2. Only just started getting it with bribery in the form of chocolate.

We tried a few times when he showed a similar interest. But I think the interest is just same as everything else around him at that age. He was into everything but couldn't have made a cup of tea or a sandwich or got himself dressed at that age either.

Looking for reassurance too. Ds 3.1is on day 1 today and has so far wet himself 4 times and soiled twice. It's only lunchtime. We haven't had a single success yet. I take him to the toilet every 30mins and he tries but can't wee then 5min later he's wet. Please tell me it gets better?

All totally normal. It's like learning anything new

18 months is very young; you might have a couple of false starts before she's properly ready.

I was hesitant because she's still pretty young, but thankfully after that first day we've done much better! Two accidents on day two, and now been accident free for two days. Whoop whoop! Today I'm trying to wait until she asks, rather than it being me suggesting it, and we're doing ok... She's asked four times this morning, and no accidents yet, so, to encourage you backtowork , it is possible to get better after a disastrous first day!

18 months is young so might be a longer process with more accidents but you'll get there.

I waited till 2.5 and there were very few accidents.

First day was disastrous , 2nd day 50/50 and by the 3rd day he had it- no accidrnts! Pleased my dm told me to give it another day before I gave up at the end of day 1!

He was 2.5 though

Thank you will keep ds 3.1 going

Started DD when she was 2.8. I thought 14 pairs of pants would be enough. We got through them before the end of the first day (and I'd put her in a nappy for nap time). We had a couple of days like that, then she started weeing in more concentrated bursts - fewer pairs of pants, but more liquid elsewhere. Now she's 4, and rarely has accidents beyond not sitting down properly, and spraying the surrounding area (lovely). She even poos on the potty/loo (that took a whole year...). So yes, it does get better. Eventually....