Toilet training

[nickyt75]

Hi. I have hit a wall with toilet training my daughter and would like some clear guidance of tried & tested methods instead of just guessing please. She is 2 yrs & 2 weeks & very advanced in all other areas. She has been sitting on the potty since 7 months old, after meals, and sometimes wees on it but every day, she poos on the potty. She's been telling me for a year when she needs a poo and hasn't dirtied her nappy in that way for 12 months, but I feel as though we need to get to the next stage now. She happily sits on the toilet to wee or poo as well, but I can't get her to tell me she needs a wee. If I try her in knickers, and tell her she must tell me when she needs to go, she tells me when she's doing it. So we go back to nappies again. I have today thought "it's all or nothing" - I'm just going to put her in knickers all the time during the day and have made a sticker chart to reward her if she tells me BEFORE she does it. Is this a good idea? I don't know. She's my 1st child. Can I have the benefit of other's experience please? Thank you

[chookie pie]

don't worry about it there is plenty time she is still a baby the summer is the best time to try her in pants

[sophie_1003]

Not a parent myself but have heard the method of putting children in pants and not giving in to nappies, just clearing up the mess when necessary is often very effective. Two years old isn't always a great time for potty training because children often go through the 'terrible twos'. intellectual development at this time takes a huge step forward and this may mean they are frustrated and tired. But if you have already started I would carry on so as not to confuse her. Consulting my child development book, it says that a child of two usually has control over their bowels and may be dry in the daytime so your daughter sounds perfectly 'normal' so don't worry too much!

[Mully79]

Be patient. My daughter got her first potty at about 13-14 months old. She also used to tell us when she was doing the deed, even if she was stood right next to the potty! She liked sitting on the potty and gradually began to use it properly until her 2nd birthday when she seemed to have cracked it. Then one day she decided she didn't like it and flatly refused to use it. So it stayed that way for about 3 months until she decided she wanted to use it again. She's now 3 and is at the stage where she uses the toilet in preference to the potty - as she can now sit on the loo without her little seat and feels more 'grown up'.

She is still wet at night and I believe a lot of children are still that way even when starting at school. We tried for a while just putting her in knickers at night and leaving a little light on and potty next to her bed but it was hit and miss and she actually asked us if she could wear nappies. So we decided just to listen to her - sometimes she asks for knickers at night (but still wets them), most times she wants a nappy. We know eventually she will be able to be dry at night but we'll follow her lead on that and not push her.

Don't beat yourself up about it - just be patient, expect accidents and know that all children develop at different rates. If you are going out for short journeys, you could always put her in knickers and keep a spare pair of knickers and pants in your bag - I used to do that and it was always a reassurance in case she had an accident!

[redcrx]

wait a while and try again. what is the point of stressing over it.
my son was the same at that age, would always go for a poo on the potty, knew as he was weeing what he was doing but still couldnt get him dry during the day until he was 3. each time we tried he'd get upset, wet, i had lots of cleaning and washing and it didnt work.
If shes not ready, shes not ready, simple as that. Just praise her if she does tell you and gets to the toilet.

[onlyme26]

aww bless just try to relax about it there is no certain age where is has to be done, i also struggled with mine, at about 18-20 months i took time off work and just stayed at home to potty train, within weeks she picked it up fine, but then when we went out it was a nightmare, in a pull up she would just treat it as a nappy and not tell me when she needed the toilet, and in knickers she would ust wet herself, but like i said in the house she was fine, she started nursery at 2 and a bit and on her first day they had to change her knickers 3 times as she simply didnt tell them she needed it! but i was just persistant and kept trying, at home she only wore knickers and like others have said you just have to let them learn, they dont like to be all wet and smelly so they will soon pick it up, dont stress it really is just trial and error,

good luck xx