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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.

Have I messed this up already?

1 reply

Learningonthejobfirst · 05/09/2025 18:40

Okay, so my daughter is 2.5 years old and we've started potty training on Monday (5 dsys in currently). Her new keyworker gave us every confidence and we took her a potty in on Monday - Wednesday. Nursery said she did really well, but she did have about four changes of wet clothes. Yesterday we saw it properly for ourselves as I was off: she was holding wees and getting very worked up and upset - holding herself down below, hopping for about 30-45 minutes, sometimes crying all while either sitting on the potty for a mere minute or flatly refusing to sit on it. That being said we did manage two wees without too much fuss. Today it was worse. One successful wee in the potty and even more worked up despite us remaining very calm with her, encouraging and praising her when she went (she really loves her sticker chart!). We spoke to friends who said she just might not be ready and advised stopping and trying again, which we've discussed and think could be a good course of action. We are also travelling with her in about 4 weeks time for a week and dont want it to be super stressful for her. But now we've put the nappy on her and she is still grabbing herself and hopping about a bit and moaning occasionally so im worried that she can't distinguish between it being soaked up in her nappy. Have we royally messed this up already? Is taking a break a good course of action, any other parents with good tips for anxious littleuns? tia people!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Springadorable · 05/09/2025 20:09

She can hold and is aware of the sensation, she's capable which is the important part. Being "ready' is pretty much a myth. She's just unsure, it's new and different. I'd try completely backing off. When she starts her hopping put her potty on the other side of the door or behind a sofa and say that wee wee goes in the potty, your potty is there. And let her take herself. If she's unsure you can ask her if she wants to hold hands, but I'd avoid eye contact or turning your body towards her - keep it beyond low key. When she does go again keep the praise calm but be excited to flush the wee in the toilet so that the reward is a fun activity. Best of luck!

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