Help- potty training 33 month old daughter

[MrsG8444]

My 33 month old daughter doesn’t show any signs she is ready for the potty. The things we have tried- fav teddy sits on potty, sneak brown play dough in and Say well done teddy you’ve done a Poo, pretend to flush it down the toilet and wash hands, give teddy chocolate buttons and a sticker. Watched potty videos- peppa pig, cocomelon, Princess Polly, read “No more nappies” hundreds of times. Got stickers, chosen pants, sand timer to sit on potty. Let her wee in knickers and say never mind next time wee goes on the potty. Now she just gets upset if we even mention the potty and she won’t go anywhere near the toilet, she is happy to watch us on there but won’t go herself. She knows what to do but won’t do it! No wees or poos. I’m worried she will never be ready, she has been quite delayed with lots of things which my family blame the pandemic but I feel with this I just don’t know if she will ever get it? So hard when all her friends who are younger have just got it

[Anya80]

Hi,

It’s one of the hardest and also tiring thing for some to get over nappy and switch to use potty.

I have just completed to train my 2.5year old boy. It is our second attempt (we tried him on potty when he was around 2yr)! This time it taken us only one day. This is my second child, first boy too, was trained at 23months and with him it was my hardest experience ever, it taken us two weeks to bring him into idea of using potty, but we did it. I think with my oldest but also with my second boy being patient and consequent played the major factor!

I was prepared with my second boy, that this time i might need to allow more time for the training since first attempt was a bust (partly cos I was away on holiday with my boy and i thought I can train him in different place, big mistake, new place new people around messing stressing kid unnecessary) .

My way of training was, once I decided to do so, stay at home for first few days not leaving the house at all if possible (hence I believe winter/colder days are perfect for this since we home anyway). Kid bottom less completely and potty next to us, don’t bother about pants. I have been putting on my boy thicker clothes jumpers and thick socks but no pants. My boy clicked with one day on this. Then after a day or two we decided to get out for half an hour or bit longer. To get outside I put him only in joggers with no pants so he feels loose in the bottom, it’s important for kids to notice that difference .

We had no accidents but I needed to watch him closely as he won’t call for toilet! When back home I had to force him to remove pants he was not willing to do so , we had therefore accident but it was ok because it shown him he is wet and liked to be changed. So we carried this training bottom less for another week at home, outside only joggers without pants.

This week my boy restarted nursery classes and childcare full days. I’m wearing pants on him under the joggers, but he had only one accident at nursery and when first day with them, it was kind of learning exercise. No accidents since. My boy not particularly call for toilet but he is so willing to be walked to toilet on balanced timing manner mostly on hourly basis. It has been noticed since the training he is holding off longer his urge for toilet!

And important thing, no nappy since start of the training. For naps and nights I’am wearing nappy but only on pants then pull-ups nappy and the pjs trousers. I also wear the nappy only after he falls asleep, I don’t give any reasons for him to remember nappy. As soon he is awake, sometimes even before he’s awake I’m removing nappy immediately before he realised he was in them. So he knows no nappy! It’s working well for us since and only after a week of training he can wake up dry most of the times-thanks to pants under pull-ups he knows he will get wet, so he is holding off! This trick worked both on my boys.

With all what has been said above I know it can be different for different kid. My oldest trained earlier in age but was not happy with the training. It was phonics for us to get him into the idea , constant catching making tricks but again once we started we wear no nappy whatever happened! My second boy, first refused the training, but environment for us was not good but once I knew it we can do it he was ready and no pain almost pleasant experience . So it can be so different experience with two kids! Try to be consequent with what you do with your kid as for the training and stick to your plan every day repeat repeat bottom less at home even for next 3months once training started☺️it will come around.

Good luck xxx

[Claireeeeeeeeeeeee]

Maybe she just isnt ready yet and needs a break from the idea if she is getting upset by it. My eldest probably didn't really get it until she was 3 and a bit and then she just did get it no training needed. We had one conversation about how maybe she was too old for nappies and then she wanted to use the potty and toilet. There were accidents still at this point but she got there without sticker charts or rewards etc. All children are different and develop at different times.

[GemX81]

33 months for potty training is still quite young. My eldest was over 3 before he was potty trained. I tried initially when he was just over 2 and he did not get it and on reflection he wasn't ready. It just made the whole process for both of us awful! So I stopped and tried a couple months after his 3rd birthday and he got it straight away. My approach was very similar to Anya. My youngest is the same age as your little one. So far we have the potty in the living room and he's chosen his pants but I don't think he's ready yet so we're not trying yet. Also both my boys are really bright! Even though my eldest was over 3 when potty trained and didn't really walk until 15 months old and now he's nearly 7 and considered highly able - his reading and maths skills are years ahead of where he's expected to be. In terms of developmental milestones there is a wide age range of what is considered normal. If you are concerned about your little ones development talk to your health visitor or doctor but being slightly slower than their peers to pick up skills is nothing to worry about and no indication on how they will do in the future. Good luck with the potty training!