Potty training

[snufflepuff]

HELP!

Mindees Mum just told me they are starting potty training in a few weeks. (Daddy looked it up in a parenting book and he says she is ready, lol!) She is 18 months old. She is quite intelligent, she likes to sit on my sons potty while clothed and will say wee and poo. She has never told me she has been or is about to go but Mum says she does this at home sometimes.

I am putting together some info for her (she seems keen to have my advice and also I want to set the 'ground rules' from the start) so I wondered if there is anything you think I should put in there? Any tips? Rules that I should set down and make clear?! I have never done this before so I could really do with some help from seasoned potty trainers please?!

My other mindee is 23 months and not yet ready for potty training but I just KNOW that if Mum notices my other mindee is out of nappies (and that i'm also starting with my son soon) she will start potty training her LO- she cannot bear her LO being 'behind' as she puts it.

God help me, 2 mindees and my son at the same time.

[funemnx]

By all means give them advice and encouragement but normally a childminder will request some sign of success ie that the child has been using the potty at home for at least a long weekend (that means no nappies at all from waking to bed). You can then step in and support the child by continuing what has already been started.

I say this because in my experience, some parents will bring child in a nappy, expecting you to potty train during the day but use nappies the rest of the time, which is confusing for the child and slows down the learning process!

Good luck :thumbsup:

[gigglinggoblin]

I had a bad experience recently where mum expected her daughter to be out of nappies all the time despite the fact she didnt let me know she needed to go, didnt seem to realise she had been and had only been dry for one day at home (out of 10 weeks potty training) and that was because mum put her on the potty every hour and kept her there singing and reading stories. Mum couldnt believe I wasnt willing to do the same.

I updated my policy to say if child is having frequent accidents they need to go back in a pull up while here, I cant be cleaning up toilet accidents all the time. However some cms are ok with that, you need to be realistic about how much time you can devote to toilet training and think about how it will impact the other children. Just make sure mum and dad know what you are willing to do so they dont expect more than you can manage.

Personally I think potty training is best left until child is ready, do it at home and if its not done in three days give up and try again in a couple of months, that would be the advice I would pass on to them.

[AliceK]

I learnt the hard way. Parents said she was ready and was using the potty at home, she came here and had no end of accidents. I am not happy to clean up wee constantly it is not hygenic not to mention ruining my carpets so I explained to parents that they needed some success at home and then with their agreement I put pull-ups on over her knickers so that she could still feel if she had an accident but it wasn't all over my carpets. Once the parents realised that she wasn't ready and put it back a couple of months the next time when she really was ready she was great and got it really quickly. My DD is just over 3 and I only started with her 2 weeks ago as I knew she wasn't ready beforehand and I see no point in it being a race as so many other parents seem to see it. DD is virtually dry now (just got to get her to remember to put her clothes back on after she has had a wee :laughing: )

xxxxxx

[kel1983]

Im in the same position as you snufflepuff. My little one is 20 months old and her mum has read that she should be potty training her now. As with yours she is really intellegent for her age but im not sure she is ready. She tells me she has had a wee and half the time hasnt and apparently she has not yet actually been on the pot yet. She usually tells mum after she has had a wee on the carpet.

Im obviously happy to support the mum but think that she should be going on the potty or the toilet most the time before I take her with no nappy.

I have a 3 year old starting with me next week and he is in pull ups. He apparantly has not taken a lot of intrest in going on the toilet.

[sarah707]

Why do some parents feel it's a race? :(

I expect them to have been trained pretty much at home before they come here in pants... otherwise it's pull ups :D

[snufflepuff]

I have written a sheet out and will also give a copy of my policy.
It basically says she needs to be dry at home for a few days first before I will start here, she must bring lots and lots of full changes of clothes plus nappies for nap time/ longer car journeys, if she has lots of accidents i'll be putting a nappy back on for health and safety reasons and because this is my home, dont try starting until 100% ready etc etc. All worded very nicely of course!
Still terrified!