How do I know when she is ready? How to start?

[Bumperlicioso]

DD is 2.5 and showing no signs of wanting to potty train. SHe has two potties which she occasionally sits on for a second, but generally doesn't want to use them, doesn't want to sit on the toilet and hates pull up nappies.

Most of my friends have started training their kids of the same age or younger, either because that child requested knickers or because they are doing it 'even if they are going to stay in for two weeks'. My mum is starting to badger me about it. I've always said I'd do it when I thought DD was ready, but how will I know she is ready, and should I just take the bull buy the horns and make her wear knickers. The last time she weed herself (ages ago when waiting to get in the bath) she was desperately upset. She doesn't really like not wearing a nappy. Is this a sign she is not yet ready?

just bookmarking as I am in teh same situation. Dd1 is 2.4yo. Has a potty and was initially excited about it. Has done one wee on it more by accident than design. Now says no if I mention it to her so I am not forcing the issue. She has also weed herself waiting for the bath and initially looks upset. What to do?!

Hi both

It really is pointless pushing these things - I have 3 kids and they are all different. Everyone tells you different stories on how their kids were potty trained by the age of 2 etc and you are made to feel awful.

You will know when they are ready. Keep trying every couple of months. There are several lovely childrens story books related to this very issue they worked for me - it got the kids interested. Try to offer incentives. Above all just remember they will not be in nappies by time they start school - I promise

me too, DS 2 1/2, had 2 wees on potty so far, very interested in potty but doesn't seem to realise he's been until afterwards

DD is now 2.6 and we started training her about a month ago (so about the same age as your dd OP). Tbh, she wasn't showing any particular signs of being "ready" but we are due DC2 in December and I wanted to have a go at getting it sorted before he comes along.

I very much took the cold turkey approach but had decided if there was no real progress after a week or so, I would just give up and try again after the new baby is here.

We had the potties around for a couple of weeks before and we bought a potty story book which we read to her every night for about a week before (think it was called Princess Polly's Potty). I took her shopping and she chose some Peppa Pig big girl pants and we bought sticker chart and some bribes treats. In other words, we really built it up for her.

First day - nothing on lower half and bribed persuaded her to sit on the potty for a couple of mins every half an hour or so. A few puddles on the floor in the morning and she did her first one on the potty after lunch - loads of cheerleading, whooping, treats etc. After that, we had 3 more wee accidents (one that day and one on the second day) and she has been dry ever since.

I was frankly amazed at how quickly she'd picked it up, despite not showing any of the signs. Poos were more of an issue tbh (holding them in for days sometimes ) but she seemed to have got those sorted after a couple of weeks

Meant to say - we didn't really venture out at all for the first 3 days and then only short journeys (with potty) for another week or so after that. It took about a week for us to stop reminding her to use the potty every so often to her telling us when she needed to go

Thanks for the advice, I don't want to force it, also I live in a rented flat so don't really want DD weeing everywhere too much! I will have a look into some books for DD.

What's the average age to potty train?

I have a couple of books - and they worked a little bit, but think I may have introduced them too early as she is bored with them now. Agh! May have to go down Tilly's route and do potty training bootcamp!