Toilet Training #4

As Miss 21 months is getting near to age two I've begun to think of the dreaded 'toilet training' thing.

I asked Hubby how he thinks I should get her toilet trained. His reply? "Sit her on the potty and tell her to do a wee" *rolls eyes* yeah right! Obviously he spends too much time away from the family home, and obviously he's not an avid reader online.. in parenting issues.

So I sat Miss 21 months on the potty and told her to do a wee.

So she did.


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She's been doing so ever since.

A week on she's still going, but only if asked or prompted. She will go for her siblings if they ask (Because she has more than just one mum? Or rather we have a 5yr old in the house who likes playing the role of Mum).

At nap time after lunch I will put her into a cloth nappy for 2 reasons.

1. So she can feel the wetness 
2. I contemplated buying more disposables and decided to follow through with toilet training as much as we can before bub comes in around 3 months time hence no more disposables

If we go out I will put her in a cloth nappy incase she wets, Yeah I know, Im just not game enough to do without it yet. Perhaps this week? Maybe next week. 

Accidents are rare and she will ALWAYS do a wee on the potty for me when asked/told to. Straight away most times. Because she knows what she's doing. 

Next step? Work on her telling me she needs to go to the potty. 

Then working on her going to the big toilet.

Her cuteness says that the potty is YUK and I have to tell her it is not yuk I washed it. Why? Because she's been told the potty is yuk on the inside with wees in it. Her favourite word atm is yuk and she wont sit on it if it is yuk which means no potty training. 

Her potty sits in the lounge room on our slate floors. We have slate floors throughout most of the house so accidents are not an 'end of the world' event for me (blessing of the new house). The potty is in plain sight  so we are all prompted to remind her. Even though it just doesn't work with the decor I know it is not a long-term plan. 

I have not used any rewards or systems to get this going. Why? Because I haven't needed to! Is it wrong to use rewards? I hope not because that's how I got my two boys going ;)

So here's my tips:

1. Wait until summery months
2. Keep potty in view to remind everyone
3. Listen to the husbands advice
4. Keep it simple, if it takes too long for them to do something wait and try again later
5. Keep all toys and distractions away
6. Just go for it, if they've got it you've done it. 
7. Wait longer for boys, girls are easy. Okay so MY two girls are EASY ;)
8. KEEP AT IT! No point doing a bit here and a bit there if they've got it
9. Keep underwear closeby (if your modest like me and prefer dressed babies)
10. A dress will keep the girls covered without the necessity of properly fitting underwear or when the undies disappear your still good to go
11. Try not to dread it, if it doesn't happen now it will later. It is unlikely that your 6 year old will be in full time nappies. 
12. If training a boy pants/shorts they can pull on themselves are best, elastic band waists over jeans or thick materials with buttons, and definitely no overalls.