26-month-old DS1 showing signs - Next steps?

[angel1976]

Will try and keep this short. DS1 is 26 months old very soon. I intend to wait for him to be ready before potty training him and was expecting this to be a long while yet. But he spends a lot of time with two girls who are sisters and they are both toilet-trained (one is almost 4 and the other is only 6 weeks older than DS1) so he is very aware of the process and likes following them into the toilet. He has asked a couple of times to be put on the toilet and we 'humour' him and he usually asks to come off within seconds. No problem.

Two days ago, just as I was about to change his nappy in the morning, he asked for the toilet. So I said, ok, took him upstairs and put him on the training seat. He sat for a little while and then asks to come off. I said to him 'You have to go nnnnnnnn ' and he tried to strain and to both our surprise, he did a poo! So I praised him lots and that was it. Thought it was a one-off as he later did a poo in his nappy.

This evening, he asked to go to toilet again. I put him on the training seat again and I said ' Don't forget you have to go nnnnnnnnnn' And he wee-d! Again, lots of praise and a special treat (sweets).

What do I do now? I have no clue! An advice? Is he ready? Is he not? Do I continue in this vein or try and do it 'properly'? Also, he caught me unawares tonight and wee went over the training seat and the floor. I had to then press his penis down a bit so it's actually aiming into the bowl. Am I meant to do this every time he pees to make sure it doesn't go all over? Help! And thanks.

Not sure if I can help much but am going through potty training with my second DD who is 29 months so your thread caught my eye!

Your DS sounds ready - I have 2 friends whose 3rd children potty trained before they were 2 - they learn it from their older siblings much earlier. If yours spends a lot of time with older ones - he may be similar.

My DD was showing signs that she was ready by wanting to sit on the potty and wanting to wear knickers like her older sister. She would also ask me to change her nappy after a poo. I started by putting her on the potty in front of the telly and keeping watch - then I gave her a chocolate button every time she weed in the potty. She very soon learned how to 'push' a wee out just to get a chocolate! It seems to have worked - after 2 weeks she's already had 7 totally dry days. If she wets herself, I just say 'whoops! Where is wee meant to go? In your knickers?' and she proudly replies 'NO! In the potty!" It helped having the potty visible for her - I kept it in the room we were playing in so it was in her mind and not too far when she was desperate! It's now in the bathroom.

Apparently (have friends with boys) you get them to hold the willy down while weeing and when they are tall enough, they can aim at a ping-pong ball in the toilet (draw a smiley face on it!).

I reckon give it 4 days trial - don't think it would be detrimental if he had to go back to nappies for a month or two if all ended in disaster! You need to prepare yourself though - buy LOTS of pants and have easy-to-pull-up trousers ready. Also be prepared to stay home for 3 days to give it a good go.

If this all sounds too daunting at the moment then ignore me completely!!

Let me know what you decide! x

Thanks Ell11. That is very useful actually. He did another wee in the toilet this morning but then did a poo afterwards in the nappy.

I might attempt to potty train him this weekend. We are stuck indoors at the moment as DS2 is covered in pox! So might be a good time. I'm still not absolutely sure he is ready as he doesn't seem to quite get the concept yet but no harm trying I guess!

No indeed! And you'll save a bundle on the cost of nappies too! Gook Luck!