Potty Training

[Im a BusyBee]

My daughter is now trying to get my grandson out of nappies, he will be 3 in november and personally i would have started before now. im just wondering whether anyone can offer any suggestions or ideas to make this go any easier for her? she spends a great deal of time at my house, my lounge carpet is only a couple of months old and i dont really want too many puddles!

[redcrx]

yeah, let her leave it until he is ready, if thats now or in 6 months time only she can really tell by his behaviour.

Itll save you having to clean your carpets too.

Studies have shown that if you try and potty train too early then the child will be trained about the same time than if youd left them for a bit longer.

Heres a short questionairre to help decide if the time is right. http://quiz.ivillage.co.uk/uk_parenting/tests/ potty.htm

[B00]

My daughter is 3 in December and only now getting the idea that a potty is not a hat and it is actually something for her to go to the toilet in!

I did try with her from when she was two onwards, but she clearly wasn't interested and unless it was worn like a hat was actually scared of it.

I know you think that maybe your grandson is learning a little late, but they really do this at their own pace and not what age we'd like them to do it from.

As for your carpet....hmmm, no idea really, maybe try lieing a bit by saying to your daughter that until he's more or less fully trained, they might be better staying more at home? Not fair disrupting his routine to come to grandmas????

[Psychick]

Im also a firm believer in not forcing a child into potty training. My daughter was also coming up to three before she was "clean". I had tried when she was about 18 months - 2 years and she was terrified! So I never tired again until she showed signs in being interested in her potty and sitting on it without being forced. I found that by doing this, we actually had no accidents. I also noticed she was staying dry at night too so it wasnt long before she was totally out of nappies.
What I did use though was huggies pull-ups. That way, when she did want to use her potty, she could do easily and I didnt have to worry if she didnt want to use it. Another thing my daughter liked was using the "big toilet". She seemed to prefer this to using her potty. I suppose because it made her feel like a big girl. If your grandson refuses to use the potty, maybe get a little seat to put on the toilet for him to use instead?

Good luck to all of you on this one!

[gina32]

my grandson is two and half and we have been training him for a few weeks, he hated the potty and wouldnt go on it so we bought a childs toilet seat and he uses that, , he is still in nappies but at least he does go on the toilet quite often, his mam on the other hand loved the potty and was dry at 2! so just take your time, he will do it when he is ready

[aims1202]

In my experience it is a bit more tricky when the child is older, say 3 or 4 as they have more fears and it can become more emotional but it is still possible if done in the right way.
Children can be potty trained at an early age (18mths+) even when they cant really talk. I dont really think you have to wait until they are ready as some children will never seem ready, others will show they are at some point. The most important thing is the parent needs to be ready to do it!
Its best not to use pull ups as they confuse children and it feels just like a nappy to them.
First thing to do is to make sure you are calm and relaxed about the whole thing. This will help the child to be relaxed too. Then put pants/knickers on them, no pull ups. You could go and buy them together and make it fun, let them choose.
Then just have the potty in the middle of the room. You will need to give them loads of attention and play with them a lot. You could get teddy and put him on the potty and then put some water in it saying 'look what teddy did in potty, teddy gets a treat now,' and give teddy a treat.
You can ask if they wants to sit on it and play with some toys or read a book while they do. They shouldnt really sit there for too long, it doesnt matter if they dont do anything in it for a while just praise for sitting there. Its best not to ask them to sit on it too much as it will put them off.
When they have an accident in pants/knickers leave them on for a short time then say 'never mind next time you'll get it in the potty.' Dont get cross or annoyed at all.
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[aims1202]

continued
I'm not sure its possible to have no accidents on the carpet and if you are annoyed or upset about it going on there then this will not help the child at all. Its important to be relaxed and not mind accidents.
If you happen to see them start to do a wee on the floor then you can catch it in the potty yourself and then say 'well done you got it in,' as if they did it! But you wont see them all i'm sure!
When they eventually do one in the potty then give them a treat/prize. The main thing is to be positive all the time and be relaxed and not to worry about how long its taking or if they are ever going to stop having accidents, eventually they will. This way has worked with mine and the many children i have looked after, all different ages. Good luck!

[Im a BusyBee]

Thanks all for your help. He is familiar with his potty and has done maybe 1 weewee in it most days for a couple of months now. this has happened by us using it almost as fun plaything (as most of you suggest) and he is given a treat. But he has generally always had a nappy on and im sure 90%of the time he knows exactly when hes going to do one (cos he will often say)but its lazier for him to just do it in his nappy. Its that step of actually leaving his nappy off always. We have been doing this for a few hours each day then he will have his nappy back but he likes his pants so wants them left over the top. i guess we are heading in the right direction but it isnt going to happen overnight and we must be patient! thanks once again.

[B00]

I've found that with it being summer and warmer (yeah i know....lol) that Mini Boo spends a large part of the day without wearing anything on her bottom half, which has made it slightly easier. I've found that if she's wearing knickers and or trousers she'll sit on her potty whilst they still up and then get really upset when they're wet.

I'm sure i'm doing it wrong, lol, but i'm really not all that bothered, we're getting there.

[aims1202]

I dont really think there is a wrong or right way to do it, do what works for you. In my experience though if you put nappies back on it does confuse them a bit and if they have control then sometimes they prefer doing it the nappy and will do! If you can, be brave and get rid of the nappies completely. Good luck!

[FUZZYBEE]

Buy the pull ups nappies and get him used to pulling them up and down. You said he was in nappies but not if he's in these. Also buy the pampers care mats they are like a waterproof backed little absorbent sheet. We used to put one of these down with the potty on it, another thing we tried was setting a little alarm clock every hour and hiding it somewhere simple for the little one to find it, when she found it she sat on the potty!!. Sometimes what happens is the big fuss is made because all of a sudden they need the loo and it's very nearly too late so you end up saying quick quick get on the potty whilst yanking at their clothes and it's all a big rush. Get them used to it when they don't actually need it. Good luck

[andrea81]

I had my so without wearing anythin at all for a while (only around the house) and when he wanted a wee I would take him to the potti. Thing about boys is that they usually only see the mother fugures having a wee as my little boy used to follow me everywhere.

Probably a good idea to have a male around so he can copy. Sink the battleships together!