Can you help me - potty training 101

[Pottynotfound]

Do I need to buy a book or can I just go for it?
can you give me a step by step?

Staying in 24/7 isn’t possible but I’ve picked a fortnight where we don’t have to go out as much and every time we’ve been home for the last 2 days I’ve had ds with no nappy.
He usually doesn’t go for the first hour or two, then goes on the floor. Then I give it another hour or two, in which he does no more wees
by that point it’s usually time for a bath or dinner or a nap or we have to go out or something else and I don’t feel like he’s learning anything at all? It just feels really unproductive.

You have to actively put him on the potty. Take him every 45 minutes, encourage him to sit - read stories, sing songs, be very appealing to keep him there. If he wees/poos on the potty be the most exciting cheerleader - sticker/bubbles/chocolate button as reward. Repeat every 45 mins.

Thank you I’m doing every 30 minutes at the moment, I’m struggling to keep him there and he seems to go about 5 minutes later
will try harder to just keep him there.
is it normal to feel like it’s not working?
I appreciate I’m only on day 3 though

How old is he? Has he shown the signs of being ready?

Willingness is a big factor in my opinion. DS was just over 3 when we started and pretty much had it after a long weekend at home and 4 days at nursery

Hes 20m, which I know is on the earlier side but hes shown lots of signs of readiness.

20 months is a bit ambitious, it’s worth a try if signs but at that age if it doesn’t click pretty instantly then you give up and try again in summer.

Agree with @minipieI think if you are going to do it relatively young then you do need to commit a block of time to it otherwise it’s confusing if you are in and out if nappies depending on the day

Fair enough, I don’t want to confuse him, but there won’t be a time where we don’t have to leave the house for some other responsibilities for at least an hour or two most days. I’m trying to do the rest of the day nappy free every day.

I’ve ordered some stickers, and just trying to make the potty positive for now.

out of interest what did you do during meal times? He’s a bit of a fussy eater and low percentile so my instinct is to do a nappy so that isn’t interrupting and preventing him from eating, but I don’t know.

Stick him in pull ups. Absolutely forget it for now. It’s day 3. Not ready. Don’t make a fuss. Don’t mention it again.

if he wants to use potty he will. but in a pull up it won’t matter

Honestly IME if it’s going to work it will work (at least 80% anyway) within 2-3 days. So it isn’t that disruptive. We did leave the house for a few short trips during this time but brought the potty with us slung in the buggy.

do you not have 2-3 days where you can stay mostly at home?

Mealtimes - no I wouldn’t put a nappy on,
it really doesn’t help having nappy on and off (except at night). TBH I would regard this as a good enough reason to wait till he is older. Is there is reason you are trying so early eg new baby coming?

My daughter is 19 months and we’re on the run up to potty training now. Her language is pretty good and she’s holding her wees for a long time very much like my son at her age. We’ve started just by introducing the potty and reading to her on it. If she wees then brilliant and we make a huge fuss of her but no big deal if not. She will now say ‘potty book!’ and take a book to the potty for us to read.

We’re not going to actively go for it until the weather is warmer. We have the second week of Easter booked off when she’ll be 23 months so fingers crossed we crack it then :)

With our son we stayed inside for two days before venturing outside just for a walk and a trip to the park. He got it very quickly thankfully!