How many accidents are normal

Nugget15 · 2025-04-19T20:13:08+00:00

LO is 2.5. We’ve been training for 3 weeks. Bare bum at home was great barely any accidents mix of prompting and taking themselves. At home generally doing well. Week 3 we’ve been out and about a lot and noticing more accidents ie two today both in the car. Also when we’re out there is less self initiation (probably because of all the distractions)? Wondering whether to go back to pull-ups or carry on? Is this normal? We go some days with no accidents and on the days we have had accidents it’s never have more than 2 wees out of say 8 in a day. Never had a poo accident. We didnt follow any technique btw - ie Oh Crap.

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Springadorable · 20/04/2025 00:29

Keep going. It's a new skill, they aren't going to be perfect in every scenario. If you haven't followed a technique there's probably gaps in their understanding so it's going to take a bit longer. Have you got a carry potty? Don't be afraid to get it out wherever! When you're at exciting places don't ask if they need a wee -they'll say they don't as they don't want to stop playing. Instead say when you arrive that you are going for a wee before we start playing, and when they are in the middle of doing something if they haven't been for a while and you think it's probably time say something like "remember wee goes in the potty. When you need a wee your potty is there (point and show them). We can have a quick wee and then do more playing. If wee goes in your pants we have to stop to get changed and that's not fun" and give them a chance to process that. Usually they decide a quick wee is better than having to faff around getting changed.

Original poster

Nugget15 · 20/04/2025 04:39

Springadorable · 20/04/2025 00:29

Keep going. It's a new skill, they aren't going to be perfect in every scenario. If you haven't followed a technique there's probably gaps in their understanding so it's going to take a bit longer. Have you got a carry potty? Don't be afraid to get it out wherever! When you're at exciting places don't ask if they need a wee -they'll say they don't as they don't want to stop playing. Instead say when you arrive that you are going for a wee before we start playing, and when they are in the middle of doing something if they haven't been for a while and you think it's probably time say something like "remember wee goes in the potty. When you need a wee your potty is there (point and show them). We can have a quick wee and then do more playing. If wee goes in your pants we have to stop to get changed and that's not fun" and give them a chance to process that. Usually they decide a quick wee is better than having to faff around getting changed.

Thanks so much. When I said we didn’t follow a technique it was we didn’t follow a book or anything like 3 day potty or oh crap.
we just put her on the potty every 30 mins or so until she started going by herself.
home is fine but when we’re out I think the stimulation is a distraction.
we have a travel potty too.
love your idea of saying let’s go for a wee when we get there. At the moment I’m asking her if she wants to go and of course she says no!

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PoopingAllTheWay · 20/04/2025 04:42

Travel potty / Toilet and sit them on it
Regardless if they say no
‘Lets try’

Caspianberg · 20/04/2025 04:50

Carry on

and yes at this point, I would drive from a to b, and just take her to the toilet to try on arrival.
That’s basically what they do at nursery, even up to the oldest. Obviously children can ask and go in between, but they just have a routine of toilet before snack time, toilet before garden play, before lunch etc. so they all get taken frequently. If they don’t need it they don’t have to go, but it’s a gentle reminder and not distracted by playing

Tbrh · 20/04/2025 04:54

It could be because you've just put her on the potty so she's not been trained as such but just going? I think those methods are different because the child recognises when they need to go. In saying that you always have accidents in the beginning and its only been 3 weeks so don't give up, eventually it will click and every child is different

Original poster

Nugget15 · 20/04/2025 06:53

Thanks all we took nursery’s lead. They said to do it in this way. We have a fair bit of self initiation at home a lot of the time it’s just when we are out she gets so distracted and will only go if we physically put her on the potty! Yesterday she kept saying she didn’t need the potty and when we put her on she in fact did a massive poo!

For those who have done this before, how long were you still prompting / reminding them for?

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Original poster

Nugget15 · 20/04/2025 06:56

Tbrh · 20/04/2025 04:54

It could be because you've just put her on the potty so she's not been trained as such but just going? I think those methods are different because the child recognises when they need to go. In saying that you always have accidents in the beginning and its only been 3 weeks so don't give up, eventually it will click and every child is different

Thanks so much.
I looked into oh crap and big little feelings and in fact what we’re doing is similar to those just not doing it to the letter. So bare bum at home for a week, then starting to venture out with pants and with the travel potty for short journeys. we were doing well until we started doing big trips over this week for Easter. We’re away and have been doing sightseeing lots of outdoors stuff seeing family and she’s has a few accidents

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Fourteenandahalf · 20/04/2025 06:57

When you're out and about you need to prompt for the toilet really. You'll do that for years in some respects - I mean when we arrive places I tell my six year old she has to go to the toilet even now !

Original poster

Nugget15 · 20/04/2025 12:03

Fourteenandahalf · 20/04/2025 06:57

When you're out and about you need to prompt for the toilet really. You'll do that for years in some respects - I mean when we arrive places I tell my six year old she has to go to the toilet even now !

That’s so helpful to know - maybe my expectations have been unrealistic!

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