I started potty training my little girl yesterday. She is almost 2 years + 2 months old. I'm really not sure if its going well or if she isnt quite ready yet and woudl be grateful for people's thoughts. This is how its gone:

Day 1: Started yesterday afternoon (weds 4th) after we got home from work/nursery (I am not back at work until Tuesday 10th). I let her run around naked from the waist down. I explained to her that as she is a big girl now we'll see if she'd like to do her wee wees in the potty and wear some pretty pants. She was very excited at first, esp re the pants, but didnt seem to understand that potty was where to go for a wee. Spent the afternoon doing role plays with her favourite teddy who did his wee wees on the potty etc. That seemed to encourage her to sit on the potty and I'm afraid that I also resorted to bribery (chocolate buttons)!

She didnt seem to have any inkling that she needed a wee - I woudl ask her every 30-45 mins and she woudl say no, and then she'd start going only 10 mins afer she did the last wee and woudl literally jump wiht surprise when she did it. Anyway, after about 6 or 7 wee wees on the floor that evening I was thinking to myself that perhaps she wasnt quite ready and it was time to put the potty away for a few months time. Then I walked back into the front room and off she went, sat down on her potty, and did a little wee wee. I was pleased as punch and really praised her up but she just became shy and coy and didnt seem to see what the fuss was about, bless her.

At one point yesterday I also introduced her to her toilet seat to see what she thought of that, but she didnt like that at all so I stuck wiht teh potty.

Day 2: Started from when she got up in the morning, again I kept her naked from waist down. Decided not to put pants on her because it would be too much for her to keep pulilng them up and down at teh moment.

Today I really noticed a change - I coudl tell when she wanted to go because she'd hold herself and shuffle about. She also kept telling me she needed a wee wee or a poo poo. I'd say, oh lets sit on the potty then and sometimes she would say no and sometimes she woudl go and sit on it. She held her first wee for ages - kept telling me she needed to go and then sat on the potty but then said "finished" as soon as she had sat down, when she hadnt done anything. Finally she couldnt hold it any longer and her first wee started on the floor and then I transferred her to the potty where she sat and finished it off.

Her second wee, she went straight for the potty and did it all in there. Subsequent wees; I knew she wanted to go but she got really upset about sitting on the potty. She'd go to the potty when she felt she couldnt hold it any longer but as she started to wee she woudl get up and cry. She'd also cry as she did anything on the potty.

The last wee of the evening was entirely on the floor and she got very upset that she had done it, even though I have never once told her off or acted cross. I always say, oh well never mind. But she says things like "Silly Grace", "Silly Me", "Oh dear!", "Sorry mummy" which breaks my heart and I say there's no need to be sorry its just an accident, its just a wee wee etc.

I've been doing all of the potty training as my husband's been at work but tonight he asked whether she is really ready for this and to be honest I'm not sure. The last thing I want to do is pressure her but I also dont want to give up if it sounds like this is actually a typical experience and that we just have to hang in there.

I thought about getting one of those musical potties but they are very expensive and not sure whether it woudl make a difference if she's not ready anyway. I've ordered one of those potty books from amazon for her to ready whilst she is on the potty which I think she will like.

What do you think - put the potty away until say June/July or persevere?? Any new tactics that are worth trying?

id say your first 2 days sound exactly like mine!
Although instead of asking Willow if she needs a wee i tell her she needs to sit on the potty and place her there.
Ive been doing it every hour, over the past 3 days i think ive figured out a patturn and she now tries to get to the potty.
We only had 2 accidents today, on the first day we had about 9!
Id say keep going, a least for a week, write down when she wees, accident or potty and see if you can figue a patturn. ive braved going out today! hurrah! with a travel potty, so far, no accidents but im not holding my breath.

I keep telling myself that shes been wearing nappys for nearly 2.5 years, its going to take some getting used to!

Also, i take my hat off to you, i have to admit, ive lost my patience at times.
I never thought this would be so hard!

Good Luck
let me know how you get on!
x

I'm letting my LO lead the way. I'd say to persist with what your doing but if she gets upset and doesnt want to wee just put her back in her nappy. Take her to the toilet with you and explain that your doing wee wee...taking your pants down etc etc. Encourage her to wash her hands with you etc. x

Thanks I tried putting her on potty but she wasn't having any of it and got upset so trying to suggest she sits on it instead, which she will, but only when she can't hold it anymore or has already started to go.

This morning went fairly well but this afternoon it seemed to be upsetting her, she spent all afternoon running to and from potty holding herself so she couldn't have been comfortable poor thing. Will see what tomorrow brings!

It is tough though isnt it? Never thought it would be so hard. So glad we dont have carpets downstairs

Aw I'm not sure if shes quite ready. She might physically be able to hold her wee but psychologically maybe not if she's crying a lot

Tactics that worked with my daughter who toilet trained at 24 months within 5 days for daytime and within 2 months for overnight.

1. plain jane potty, one located in her room and one on the main floor. She was allowed to decorate it with stickers.

2. thick training pants and plastic covers. That way if she had an accident should wouldn't make a huge mess but definitely make it feel icky and uncomfortable so she was aware she had an accident.

3. M&M's she would get one for just trying and a second one for completing the task.

4. stickers and a chart, one sticker for pee, three for poo and for every 5 stickers on the chart she could redeem them for something from a prize bag full of little toys, craft stuff from the dollar store.

5. We praised DD sooooooooooooo much when she did a good job and when she had an accident we just kinda talked to DD about how it didn't feel very nice and next time we'll try to make it and basically try to let her know we empathized with her.

I was really to throw in the towel after 2-3 days but with a little perseverance it worked. It worked fast for us. For others it takes a little longer but I don't think only a few days is long enough to know for sure she isn't really. I think as long as they are willing to try they are ready. My DD was dry overnight for the first week or two after potty training and I was blown away but then she had a few accidents and we used pull-ups overnight for a few months but encouraged her to use her potty at night and popped in a bunch of night lights in her room and towards the toilet. One day we just realized she was no longer wetting herself overnight.

Nothing wrong with bribery and corruption to accomplish this task. The sense of satisfaction once you're done is amazing! But then of course you better become quickly aware where all public toilets are, have a travel toilet seat in your purse and a spare pair of undies too. When they gotta go, they gotta go!

Good luck with this chapter of life.

I don't think she's ready at all and if she's upset it can cause more problems.She's still so young there's no need to rush her into it. Why make life harder for yourself. We did and will wait till he's able to tell us and happy to go to the toilet straight away then it's done in a day and not constantly cleaning accidents or upset child.

I am not trying to rush her into it and I obviously dont want to upset her. This is the first time I've ever tried potty training. I only tried for a day and a half to see how she got on, without pressuring her, giving her lots of encouragement and treats. If she didnt want to sit on the potty then I didnt pressure her to. But as she started getting upset on the afternoon of day two I thought it might not be the right time for her - hence my posting in the first place.

No need to be so defensive about it. All I was saying is she's obviously. Not ready if she keeps reaptedly weeing and gettingnup set there's no rush for her to be out if nappies I don't think I once said you was pressuring her into it.

Thanks, I think you're right - she is ready physically but emotionally its not the right time for her. This morning we asked if she wanted to take her nappy off and was firmly told "no, nappy on" so we have put the potty away for now and will see if she feels like trying it again in a couple of months. The last thing I want to do is upset her or make her feel under pressure to do it. I'm certainly not in any rush for her to use the potty, I think nappies are easier! x