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Potty training

Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

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Original poster

Potty training while in shops

47 replies

Lucy090 · 05/08/2023 12:55

Hi there, been potty training my near 3 year old for 4 days now and has been going better than last time I tried months back.
Want to go round shops but worried that she will have an accident as she doesn't always tells me she needs to go and ends up wetting herself. I usually ask here here and there which is working.
I have been told to take the potty into the shops and use it in the aisle if she needs to go. But other people have said this is not right and shouldn't be done as it apparently disgusting and unhygienic. I don't want to use training pull ups as she thinks they are nappies.
Can anyone advise me on what to do or whether it is acceptable to use the potty in middle of shop
Thank you

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

UnaVaca · 05/08/2023 12:58

I would personally spend a few more days at home before stressing yourself out at the shops. Or wait until she’s just gone and then go out for a couple of hours

Ostryga · 05/08/2023 12:59

You cannot use a frigging potty in a shop. Please come on now.

You use the loo before you go and plan ahead to know where the toilets are. And use them. Honestly I can’t believe you thought your way was a good idea.

Sirzy · 05/08/2023 13:00

Please don’t use a potty in the middle of a shop!

MsSquiz · 05/08/2023 13:02

When we potty trained dd1 we got her into the habit of "trying" for a wee before we left the house and on arrival to the shops, then during the shopping trip we would regularly ask if she needed to go, and then go before we left.
It worked for us

Mrsjayy · 05/08/2023 13:03

UnaVaca · 05/08/2023 12:58

I would personally spend a few more days at home before stressing yourself out at the shops. Or wait until she’s just gone and then go out for a couple of hours

This, stay home for a few more days and when you do go out they go for a try before they leave, find a toilet once you get there and have another try. Don't have your child pee/poo in a shop it's not great and where would you empty it ?

Crumpleton · 05/08/2023 13:04

Please, no matter what age the shop floor isn't the place for anything toilet related.

Mrsjayy · 05/08/2023 13:05

Asking here and there isn't really going to help her is it? You really need to be regimented especially if you are going out .

UnbeatenMum · 05/08/2023 13:07

Personally I did use pull ups for my second child and probably will for my third. With the first I think we managed to stay at home for long enough until she was reliable. I didn't particularly find using pull ups a couple of times with DD2 made it more difficult to train her.

Original poster

Lucy090 · 05/08/2023 13:07

@Ostryga thanks for your comment but I never said I thought It was a good idea I said I was advised and just wanted some kind advice whether it would be okay as I wasn't sure. I have never done this before hence why I have posted. Just have a bit of respect.

@MsSquiz thank you for your kind advice really appreciate it, I will have a go and see if it works 🙂

OP posts:

SM4713 · 05/08/2023 13:08

NO- I wouldn't use it in the middle of a shop!!!

This reminded me of when I had a Saturday job in a pharmacy as a teen. I heard commotion and saw a toddler using one of the display potties in the shop! The mum seemed oblivious and just said what a good boy he was! And no- she didn't buy the potty or even offer to empty and clean it!

Sandydune · 05/08/2023 13:10

Using a potty in the shop is not ok.
I remember my Mum wanting to let DD do that in an outdoor animal park and I still thought that was unacceptable.
Sounds like you need a bit more time at home.
One issue I found when out and about was that DD wasn’t ready to use a public toilet for a while. If I couldn’t dispose of potty contents easily I would line the potty with a nappy so I could just discard that.

Original poster

Lucy090 · 05/08/2023 13:11

Thanks for all the comments I will probably give it a couple more days and see how it is then. 🙂

OP posts:

greydressinggownofdoom · 05/08/2023 13:12

That's a bit grim, sorry.

Marblessolveeverything · 05/08/2023 13:12

Oh god who on earth said that- awful advice . We locked down for two weeks until reliable, anyone I know did the same usually the Easter or summer holidays.

Mrsjayy · 05/08/2023 13:12

Where did you see this advice? I have seen people pull out pottys in a department store right behind a shelf then they put it in the buggy tray and walked away with it!

MNetcurtains · 05/08/2023 13:32

Lucy090 · 05/08/2023 13:07

@MsSquiz thank you for your kind advice really appreciate it, I will have a go and see if it works 🙂

And did this 'advice' include what to do with a potty full of pee afterwards?

CrotchetyQuaver · 05/08/2023 13:36

We used to do "just in case" wees (sit on the loo and see what happened) before leaving and stayed local. I think there were a couple of times I had to take one of them outside into the street and hold them over a drain grid for a wee. I kept trips as short as I could in the early days. Poos thankfully were never a problem. I would not be impressed if you hauled out a potty in a shop. I also learnt which shops/hotel/cafe had nice loos I could take them to if necessary.

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 05/08/2023 13:39

OP have you ever seen a small child on a potty in the middle of a shop?
If it's something you have seen a lot of then yes, it's obviously acceptable where you live. If it's something that you haven't come across before then no, it's likely not considered acceptable. And rightly so

Bootskates · 05/08/2023 13:42

When I was potty training DD years ago, someone made the same suggestion of taking a potty everywhere but tbh, its not really potty training is it where they can pee where they stand? Part of getting them dry is pre planning, knowing where the toilets are wherever you are, going for a "try" etc then holding on for long enough to get to the toilet. If not possible yet, I would stay in/stay local 🙂

ThickSkinnedSoWhat · 05/08/2023 13:45

Lucy090 · 05/08/2023 13:07

@MsSquiz thank you for your kind advice really appreciate it, I will have a go and see if it works 🙂

You've a cheek asking for a bit of respect when you're asking if your child can sit down and use a potty in the middle of a bloody shop. What respect would you be showing the owner of that establishment?!?

Happycroc · 05/08/2023 13:48

in the early days of potty training I would take DD to the loo in the shop as soon as we arrived and then ask on the way round and be prepared to dump the trolley and run to the loo if they need a wee

fullbloom87 · 05/08/2023 13:50

Surely at 3 years old she is able to hold onto pee while in shops?
It's holding on that she needs to practice on, if you bring a potty everywhere she'll never learn.

shams05 · 05/08/2023 13:59

Best to stay home for a few more days then only visit stores that have a customer toilet until she's properly able to tell you she needs to go.
We stayed in a full week then only did very short outings at first. Remember using a strange toilet might also be a challenge at first.

Thesearmsofmine · 05/08/2023 14:10

She really needs to be able to tell you she needs to go for a wee to be potty trained, I would really focus on this rather than you promoting her, she needs to know the feeling of needing to go.

Short trips out for now and places with toilets and make sure you know where they are. Get into the habit of trying for a wee before you leave the house, lead by example, it’s a good habit to get them into long term. Go somewhere like a supermarket where you can go before you look around and quickly access them mid shop.

You can also get washable pull up pants which can be helpful.

mistermagpie · 05/08/2023 14:18

I've potty trained three kids and never taken a potty out of the house with me, you shouldn't need to. If you go to Tesco or whatever, they usually have a toilet and I would just take her before you leave the house and then again when you arrive at the shop.

Ideally stay at home a bit longer until she can tell you she needs a wee. They are not actually potty trained until they can do that.

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