Tips on cold turkey with nappies

[SparkwoodAnd21]

DS has just turned 3 and is not potty trained. He doesn’t really seem to be interested and hates talking about it, but he is very stubborn and we have previously found that a sudden cold turkey approach works better for him. (When he was refusing to give up the bottle and having a major tantrum at the mention of swapping to a cup, I just hid the bottles and told him the tiger from Tiger Who Came To Tea took them for his babies. He accepted this without question and not even a bit of fuss). I’m wondering what sort of approach I should try. Bribes don’t work so I think taking the nappies away will probably work best. But how? Any advice welcome!

Pick a week if you can where you don't have to go anywhere or at least a weekend.

Leave him pants free to start with and be armed with lots of kitchen towel and anti bac spray to mop up mess! Every time something is done, woosh him to the potty to 'finish'.

Make a HUGE fuss every time anything actually makes it into the potty.

Every 20/30 minutes ask him to sit on the potty and try a wee.

Lots of drinks to encourage wee.

Hopefully, he should start to recognise what it feels like to go and will start either running to the potty or asking to go.

Don't make a thing about accidents that don't make it. Just oh dear wipe up and move on.

If nothing is improving after a couple of days, give up and wait a few months. There is nothing more demoralising than trying to potty train someone who isn't ready.

Good luck!

We’ve got five clear days and lots of kitchen roll!

Have you checked that he is physically ready? Is he dry for a least an hour at a time and doing poohs at predictable times, showing some awareness etc? If so just go for it.

Yes I think he’s dry at least an hour, and poos are pretty predictable. He often tells us when he’s done a poo and occasionally when he’s done a wee.

Have a read of the ‘oh crap’ potty training book. I found it gave really good advice on how to potty train.

I just hid the bottles and told him the tiger from Tiger Who Came To Tea took them for his babies

I have no useful advice but I am in awe, OP. I’ll be stealing that one.

I was so surprised by how effective it was Sashkin.

Read oh crap potty training. Lots of tips about a cold turkey approach.

What Fusion said.

But I'd keep an eye on the weather forecast, look out for a dry sunny weekend if possible. Less stress and less mopping up if your out in the garden.
Good weather also means less layers to get on and off. Wet stuff can be put in a quick wash and will dry quickly on the line.

We are going to try this weekend. Got to think up a creative lie about where the nappies have gone. Perhaps a bear?

The stork or fairy or elf has taken the nappies for the tiny babies.

You could make a big deal of leaving the nappies out for the "nappy fairy" and leave pants and potty in their place. A variation on the tooth fairy. Certainly no going back once you have done that!

A nice bee cane and got them for the babies. He seems to have accepted that but he WILL NOT sit on the potty or toilet and says he wants to wee and poo on the floor. Bribes don’t work with him, how do I get him interested in the potty or toilet?

Love the tiger idea - I’m stealing that too!!

Good luck OP. I did my son cold turkey over Christmas. 3 days of not leaving the house and then we were confident enough to venture out for an hour or so at a time with a potty. All went surprisingly well. I did pretty much same as Fusion as well as a few children’s books from Amazon about big boys using pottys.

Maybe encourage him to watch you or your DH / other DC using toilet ?!?

Try big toilet with a kid seat. Fingers crossed.

He’s got a toilet seat and a potty, he just won’t use them. I’m at my wits end a bit.

How's it going op?

I'm in a similar predicament with ds 2.11. Refuses to sit on the toilet.

If it's any consolation my now 10yo potty trained in about 3 days at 3yo3months.

He will do standing up wees into the potty, and gives us a bit of warning about it. But poos are a big problem, so far they’ve been on the floor and with no warning at all. Does your DS do standing up wees @badgerandfox?