Is my 2-year-old ready to start potty training?

[Mum7644885]

After advice …

My 2 years 1 month old has been using the potty of an evening, before bed and bath etc. she has been asking to use it.

I had no intention of starting potty training juat yet, I didn’t start with my first till 2 and a half.

My apprehension with starting with number 2 right now is the listening skills arnt there, she fully understands but chooses to ignore.

I want to start on the best basis, and Im worried she is maybe a little young, same time, I don’t want to delay something she may be ready for and regret it later.

She sometimes tells me she has pooed, but often doesn’t to avoid the nappy change palaver, she rarely lets me know she has weed but last night told me she needed a wee. Waited for the potty and went. Is it time or not ?

Yes. I used the Oh crap! Potty training book with my two. I trained both of mine at 2. My second dc started asking and using the toilet at bathtime because he wanted to copy his older sister. They night trained at 2 too. My ds doesn't have great listening skills - I had his hearing checked, but no, he just chooses to ignore . Don't let that prevent you from potty training. It didn't impact on his success.

Yes I would just get on with it - set aside a week and ditch the nappies.

Sounds like it’s time. I did Oh Crap with both of mine also at just before age 2, and they recommend starting by 18 months to two years from memory

I’ll check out oh crap haha !

Question for any one who did it with school age children - how did you find it, Im worried Im not going to be able to stay in whilst we do it, I dedicated 3 days to accidents with my first but this time, ive got school runs etc to be doing and don’t want to confuse things by putting nappies back on etc, logistically it’s going to be more tricky this time around

Just want to say that years ago it was normal for all children to be out of nappies at least during the day by the age of two. This was probably because the alternative was having a nappy bucket of dirty nappies and then having to wash them (they do your machine in) and dry them. It was a nightmare if you were going out or going away.

Oh god yes, do it now - if she understands and is choosing to ignore you already, I can't imagine being older is going to make her more cooperative! We deliberately trained DS2 at this exact age in the hope of avoiding some of the defiance and stubbornness we got from DS1 who was a little older.

It's also a great sign that she doesn't like having her pooey nappies changed, as she may well be quite pleased to poo in a potty instead.

Of course it is. She's ahead of the game. I find this wait till the child is ready,odd,in the 70s 80s,it would have been done at 18 months. Nurseries, crèches didn't take children in nappies. I didn't have a washing machine then, either.

I didn’t stay in, and it was fine. Not rose tinted glasses as I just did my second a few months ago. She actually didn’t have accidents out. If you’re worried you could always put a waterproof lining in the buggy or car seat. I think both of mine had broadly cracked it in 2-3 days.

We were out on day three of potty training with our second. Take a change of clothes and I took a travel potty with me. Kept a close eye on him but as it was my second time of doing this I was more confident with what to look out for. Plus, like your dc, he was keen to be out of nappies so he communicated more than our first dc did. You could always restrict fluids a little before the school run for this week. Mine are both camels so can go hours without a wee which is very helpful when venturing out.