Is potty training your tot stressing you both out? Mums share what worked for them
Posted: 16 December 2011
Contemplating potty training your little one? If you think your tot is ready for this milestone, then make sure you check out our mums advice and thoughts below before you whip the nappy off!
“I started by letting Chelsy, 2, choose her potty and reading her books such as Girls’ Potty Time. Gradually, she started liking the idea of her new toy and would sit on it fully clothed. Next, I took off her nappy and when she started to wee, I’d take her to her potty singing ‘Hold it, hold it’. After two days of mishaps, she started sitting on the potty herself.”
Viv Obinna, 31, from London, mum to Chelsy, 2, and Chanel, 10 months
“For boys, it’s easier to start them off weeing sitting down – it’ll be a while before they can pee standing up a skill they'll probably pick up from other boys or Dad. If they need target practice put a ping pong ball or a wad of paper in the loo.”
Joanne Mallon, mum of two and author of Toddlers: An Instruction Manual
“I started trying to potty train Alexia when she was 2. But we weren’t really consistent, so I stopped pushing it. When she turned 3, I started showing her mummy’s toilet and she learnt by just watching me go.”
Titha Bonanno, 34, from Australia, mum to Alexia, 4
“For the first week we put a towel in the pram and the car seat and only put Thomas’ nappy back on at night. The next week, the nappies went altogether.”
Natasha Shaw, 30, from Lincolnshire, mum to Thomas, 2
“Wait until your tot starts to show signs he wants to use the potty, such as trying to remove his nappy. Oren needed descriptive words, so we termed having a wee 'letting the water out’ and he understood what to do.”
Dean Beaumont, founder of DaddyNatal.co.uk and dad to Oren, 3½, and Willow, 2½
Tips from Twitter…
@bettyberkeley: Don’t get cross or say negative comments at little accidents. Just clean them up!
@baile1kim1: Make it fun, sing songs, get them to enjoy using their potty and give lots of praise when they do something on it.
@BigBadDomJ: Use clothing that’s easy to manoeuvre in and out of, with an elasticated waistband.
