POTTY TRAINING

On a whhhhimmmmm the missus decided it was time for the boy to start acting his age (2yr 9mnths). It's day two and he's managed it a few times (cue heavy praise and sticker rewards) but I need tips on getting a 100% hit rate. I think we're getting there but it would be helpful to have some nuggets of wisdom in the back pocket.

Don't put him under pressure, lots of praise when he does, and ensure that it's really not a big deal when it goes a bit awry. If he doesn't get it quickly (although it sounds like he will), then stop trying and wait a bit longer til he's ready.

Hth

I can't remember now but isn't even 2 late to be starting ?

Fadda Jr was over 3 and a half when he started. Some go sooner, they're all different. Wisdom seems to be to wait til they're ready.

Fadda's spot on. There'll be odd accidents but if after a week or two they should be few and far between. My 2nd child is just starting now so I hope that's still true!

what fadda says.
Our Son is just three and been nappy free for two weeks (a part from nights). He has had one or two minor accidents but nothing really. He also sleeps during siesta without any problems too, in pants. He loves it and does it all by himself. We just have to wait outside the bathroom now and he lets us know once he has flushed and washed.

I have had friends who tried to do it earlier but it wasn't always pleasant. When they are ready they do it.

Ours isn't quite 2 yet but she is starting to get to terms with the potty…seems to have it nailed at her Grandma's but not as sorted at home – not a problem, she is quite happy to tell us when she needs the toilet so we are getting there.

Wife is away today and I've left had her sitting on a towel on the leather chair…every 5 minutes asked if she was needing a pee – No, dad I'm fine! – turns out she wasn't so I need to work out how to get the 'stain' off the leather!

Saying that, she seems quite happy to to start using the potty so I think we are getting there…I guess it's down to not putting too much pressure on them and let them know it's fine and the right thing to do (using the potty)…

Acting his age at 2.75? That would be not remembering to go to the toilet when he needs to and wetting his pants. It's certainly possible at that age, but not something you can force – mini a-racer at getting on for 3.5 still often poos in his pants unless you realise it's coming and make him go. I'm not convinced he'd do wees by himself either if he wasn't made to go regularly. He only got taken out of nappies 8 months or so ago because he had a rash and was uncomfortable wearing them. Meanwhile next door's little boy who is a year younger is also out of nappies and is generally managing better.

Miss Hairychested decided one day she wanted to use the toilet instead of a potty. Since than we've led a poo-in-pants-free life. It'll come, your help is just that – help.

Girls seem to start sooner than boys. I don't think he's 'late' at all. Sounds like you've got it sorted already, any accidents are just that and not worth fussing over. Might take a few days or weeks, no fuss, no bother.

My eldest started to use the toilet when her sister was born, on a whim of her own (we DIDN'T want her too – it's tricky enough with a baby in arms and then hearing the sudden 'Mummy, I need a poo!' shout just adds to the chaos). Basically because she saw that a baby wees and poos itself and she wasn't a baby any more. The youngest was much harder and we had quite a few issues where she hated the feeling of a poo coming out. Unsurprising really as she only seems to go every other day and lays cable as thick as the ones they use to tether airships! All sorted now though.

theotherjonv – my girl hated pooing and when she was 3-6 months old only used to go if she was sat on my lap and I rubbed her back.

I broke my hip and was in hospital for 3 days and she refused to go.

Within minutes of arriving home I had a lap covered in 3 days of soggy poo that had exploded out of every seam of the nappy.

She did decide at 18 months that she was too big for nappies and had two accidents in the night subsequently but was otherwise fine.

My son had freinds who still wore nappies overnight at 6, though, so it's down to the individual child.

We got ours (20 month old boy) a wetsuit at the weekend. The "accident" he had in it wasn't much fun to clean up!

Think we'll try training soon – at least he always tells us when there's some "action!"

I'm 37 and still learning… 😉