Potty Training During Lockdown!

[LunaHardy]

So now seems like a better time than any and I've decided to potty train my 2yo dd during quarantine! I haven't potty trained for about 10 years and that was with my ds. I've bought her a potty a few weeks ago just to get her used to it but she's still not keen on sitting on it. Any tips please?

We had a disaster this morning, needed to go shopping desperately (single parent, can't get a delivery slot for love nor money) so put nappy on to get in car for a quick (ha bloody ha) trip to get some essentials and of course car wouldn't start.

So she's been in a nappy for a good couple of hours whilst I wrestled with the intricacies of the rac, and waiting for them to turn up.

We've not left the house since Friday, wondering if I can get her to do a wee in the potty and (assuming they've turned up and fixed the problem) risk taking her out for a short walk? Shopping will have to wait til tomorrow now what do you do if they have an accident whilst they are out, just go home?

I take spare clothing, haven’t needed to use it yet although he’d not pushed his pants down far enough once and weed on them so ended up going commando.

Have had to be utterly brazen as I didn’t have a portable potty (have ordered them now), so have cracked out the potty in various public places including a cemetery... Luckily the people who went by just said “I remember those days...!” and weren’t outraged. What can you do? They’ve got to learn!

@Goostacean ha! That's good people have been understanding, and that we're not alone - we whipped the potty out from under the buggy yesterday on a quiet residential road and did wonder if it was the right thing to do.

Is anyone finding they are going a step forward then two steps back?

Around day 4-5 DS had started telling us when he needs a wee. Then he started to over use the word 'wee' and was saying it when he didn't really need to go. Then this morning he didn't say it at all and just started to wee, managed to get him on potty midway, but I thought we were making progress 🤷🏻‍♀️apart from today we've had a good stint of all wee and poos being on the potty, partly through him telling us and partly through us spotting his cues.

Also it's been 10 days and I still haven't mustered the confidence to put loose joggers on him at home (I do when go for a walk).

Feel like block 1 hasn't really been nailed for us to move onto block 2. How did you know when they were ready for block 2? Need to read Oh Crap on that too.

I’d get those joggers on him, bare bum should be 3 or so days... They don’t like wet trousers anyway, it’s unpleasant and can help make the connection re needing to go.

I’m shameless with that potty 😂 Although do try and block him with the buggy, for a shred of dignity!

See we've not been out at all yet... she's desperate to leave the house, poor kid. As am I!

But the local park is about five mins walk or scoot away, and I don't feel confident enough... she had two wees on the carpet today (totally my fault, trying to deal with the car situation) plus she's still bare bummed at the moment. Also anyone got any top tips on cleaning the carpet after a wee? Already decided I am just going to chuck the rugs away and get new ones after this!

Plus I've not got a portable potty, and can't imagine strolling down down the road with her normal one clutched under my arm...

Yes lots of back and forth. A week ago, great, recently requesting a nappy and only one wee in the nappy past few days

Not sure whether to give up or persevere?

Day 7. Been going okay. Been doing poos in potty and most wees. All going well today until one big wee in the living room even when we’d been prompting her to go.

We then went for a walk thinking she’d just been for a big wee. To the end of the road she was playing in the grass and did two wees. We didn’t take her portable potty with us so maybe it’s just our fault? That was our first proper ‘outing’.

She’s been wearing just dresses with no knickers atm.

Keep going or give up and try in a few months? She 21 months. She’s been doing well in the scheme of things but I guess I find it a bit stressful..

I meant one wee in the potty

It is certainly stressful! But I can’t help but think it’s marginally less stressful now when we’re all at home anyway, verses six months time when we’ll be invited to lunches and have picnics to go to and friends to see!? Eek, I don’t know!

The motto I’ve heard about and which makes sense to me is “progress, not perfection”

Be consistent. If your chop and change strategy, sometimes nappy, sometimes not and only insisting on or offering potty occasionally, it’s confusing. Think of it as child knows how to pee and poo. You are just teaching them where to put it. This is socialisation. With using knife and fork you keep at it don’t you? It’s a skill just like that, they don’t just get it overnight, they need lots of practice and encouragement.

With accidents I’m not saying ok (as apparently that can confuse because you are giving permission to pee on floor or pants in some kids but sort of frowning and saying in a matter of fact way “oh that’s not right is it, the pee goes in the potty/toilet, not the floor. Let’s try and make it there next time “ (will be a bit firmer once I know he has it and just wasn’t paying attention).

Your vibe runs the show. You stress, they pick up on it.

I should be clear that I am paraphrasing the “Oh Crap” book, btw. All credit to the author. I bought it on Kindle. V down to earth.

We’ve just started again today after we abandoned it a few weeks ago. At her request. She’s asked for no nappy. Two big wees on potty and toilet. One in her leggings. She’s not told me that she needs a wee yet but has managed to wee in toilet and potty when I ask her to. Mostly. I’m just gonna be chilled about it and see how it goes.

Hey there.. we are day 4 of oh crap method, still block 1 and lots of pee accidents. Lots! I managed to get 3 pees on the potty today but then he refused his nap and I've struggled to get him to sit there and pee as the day has gone on. He pees then stops when I move him. Sits there and refuses to pee on the potty then gets up and wees on the floor 🙈 and on me today. Excellent. I'm seeing progress so I'm not planning to give up but I feel like we will be on block 1 forever!!!

Glastogal - hmm yeah I have tried trousers a few times but always seems to result in accidents so I am continuing with bare bum.

maybe it does feel too much like a nappy?

what is your gut feel? I think we are ok but needs more practice. Depends on age - younger probably means less understanding, eh? Could take longer.

She was looked after by her dad today and she pretty much held it the whole time except one tiny pee. She is such a camel. I think she might have been nervous to go with someone new there. Then when he left a giant pee on the floor. Definitely less in the potty than on the floor today but she did come running to the bathroom and sat on the potty and got a last bit of wee on it just before bed. We flushed it together and said bye bye wee wee. So I'll count that as a good end to an iffy day. Definitely trying to remember progress not perfection!

How are your kids taking their accidents? When I tried with my first years ago I attempted Gina Ford for a day. he was really upset / distressed with his eventual accident after holding all day and I had a bad feeling. Abandoned and went back to it in the summer, a few months later, during warm weather bare in garden and it worked straightaway. I went with my gut feeling and still glad I did.

Well she just pooed on the floor again doesn't want to sit on the potty to do it at all. Luckily it was on the plastic mat I'd put down. She was very upset about it. It's so hard to comfort her and tell her it needs to go in the potty not on the floor at the same time.

As for cleaning up the wees I've been doing the same as when I trained the dog, I clean it up and then spray on diluted biological washing liquid and leave that to dry. The enzymes or whatever in it break down anything biological so kills the smell and makes yr house smell nice!

Ok, that's it. We need to go out for a walk before insanity kicks in... she's done one wee on the potty this morning...

Any tips? What shall I dress her in for example?

I’d go dress with no knickers, and take the potty! In a plastic bag if you want to hide it, but you’ve got to be consistent so take it. I also took food bin bags in case of a poo, before I bought liners 😂 Happy to tip wee out onto local wildlife - but not human poo! Good luck!

Baby corn I've been putting her in dresses with no knickers, we've moved on to leggings the last couple of days.

Quick question, for those of you following oh crap method, can I move on to different stages even if she hasn't yet pooped on the potty? She's done great with stage 1 and 2 (wees only) but still no poops. Not sure if I should keep moving despite no poops?

Hope everyone is getting on okay!

Luna where are the poos happening? Or has she not done one at all yet?

We are also doing oh crap. Day 6, block 2 and all wees are going in the potty (prompted). But poos are happening in the trousers so going back to bare bum as the book suggests to fix this. Will only do bare bum in the morning until the poo has happened! Haven't left the house yet...

Fireside, same problem, it’s the poos in trousers. Hmm.

So as it stands she is waiting for nappy to do poops (either at nap or bed), but now she hasn't been in 3 days so I'm starting to worry a bit! She doesn't seem bothered and tummy is still soft. Night before last she kept saying mummy need a poo poo, so we sat on the potty for ages. I even sat on the toilet next to her at one point. I tried "going to get a book" and leaving her in privacy but nothing. I need to read the poop section again I think!

I think we are day 7 or 8 now, and I was considering moving on to block 3 as we haven't had any wee accidents with clothes on for a few days now. But unsure because of the poo situation?

More water? But only mornings early in pm...