Potty training!

**pinklady** · 20-09-2010, 09:33 AM

I have a note in the diary this morning saying LO has asked for potty and successfully done one wee in the potty this weekend and now mum thinks we should think about potty training.

LO is 2 next month and has never shown any signs of being ready for potty training with me. I want to tell mum that I'm not prepared to potty train yet as I feel she's not ready. LO is full time (8am-6pm) so I would be doing the potty training not them.

Any advise would be welcome as mum wants to discuss it later.

**AliceK** · 20-09-2010, 09:47 AM

I had the same thing a few months ago, it was obvious LO was not ready, not even 2yr old at that point. I explained that if parents started at home and had 4 / 5 days of relative success then I would work alongside them to carry it on. LO is now just turned 2 and parents recently had a week off and started her off and she is quite good now but when it's really busy here she leaves it till too late and has accidents. I explain to parents that in the early stages when we are out and about a lot LO will have to wear pull-ups.
Sorry have waffled, not got much time. Hope this makes some sense

xxxx

**sarah707** · 20-09-2010, 10:10 AM

Parents must train their own children! It is not our job to do it for them.

Parents need a clear week before they come to you in pants.

If you don't have a policy on it I suggest now is a good time to write one!!

**pinky33** · 20-09-2010, 12:25 PM

Considering a boys nerve endings are not complete till aged 2 and girls not much before that I find parents try potty training way to soon and it gets dragged out for far too long and then the poor child becomes confussed by the whole process.

And it really isn't our job to do it all!

**pinklady** · 20-09-2010, 04:03 PM

Thinking my potty training policy needs re-wording as when I wrote it I had assumed parents would wait until their child was ready

Oh how experience counts for everything in this job

Had a brief chat with mum as I actually had to call her to collect her poorly child and she was thrilled at LO's wee in the potty. I said that whilst that was brilliant I haven't seen any signs that she's ready and wouldn't be potty training her here and left it that we would discuss it more when I see her.

Watch this space......

**Daftbat** · 20-09-2010, 04:17 PM

I have always worked well with parents wanting to potty train and have been happy to start from day one with them so long as they are doing the same as me at home. However, I am a bit fed up today since I recently encouraged a child to use the potty - having talked about it with the parent - and we ahd a good day with the child using the potty three times for a decent wee! However, this has not been continued at hoome and guess what? - I am not carrying on until they see sense and carry it through properly. Do I have MUG on my foreheasd??? Probably

**little_gems** · 21-09-2010, 12:20 PM

i have a lo who's not 2 till decmeber. Lo's mums turned up with a pack of nappies and said once you've used these im going to start potty trainning. I just looked at her and said do you think he's ready. He's only just started saying hiya and doesnt say anything else. I said do you really think he's going to be able to tell you when he need the potty and to which she said he'll just to it himself

. theres no way that i will be potty trainning him!!!

jumpinjen · 21-09-2010, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

Parents must train their own children! It is not our job to do it for them.

Parents need a clear week before they come to you in pants.

If you don't have a policy on it I suggest now is a good time to write one!!

How do you enforce this though sarah.... if the child is ready to use the potty or toilet do you just tell the parents you won't have them for a week until they've done it..... it often takes a lot longer than a week as Lo's have accidents of both sorts for a while....I don't see how that is much different to reminding them to use the potty/toilet and helping them?

many parents are first timers and don't know how to toilet train or what the signs are so I don't have a problem being part of potty/toilet training.... both my LO's (just 2 and nearly 2) are using the loo/potty at the mo with a lot of success and it was at mine that I noticed one was dry in nappies and asking for a wee so I started it in one case!!

What does your policy say just out of interest??

jen x

**mushpea** · 21-09-2010, 06:25 PM

surley parents cant be expected to take a week of work to potty train their child? I thought our job was to work in partnership with parents, so carrying on with the potty training when the child is with us ,
all kids are different but you definalty need to make sure the child is ready,, my daughter was almost 4yrs before she stopped having accidents yet my son was 17.5months when he came to me a toddler group and asked to go to the toilet,, he couldnt speak properly and said 'de de' which ususaly meant wet nappy as he was in cloth nappies but he was dry so i sent him off to play then he came back all upset with a wet nappy,,, i felt terrible cause i didnt realise at the time he was trying to ask for the toilet, but after that day we had a week of the odd acident and he was dry! I was shocked cause was expecting major problems like with my daughter.
I have just finished training a 3.5yrold and have now started training a 2.5yrold and when she's done the 18month old will probably be
start !! think i should be an expert soon

**sarah707** · 21-09-2010, 06:31 PM

I don't enforce it as such. I work with parents to suggest they start during a holiday!!

Sometimes it delays things a few weeks but I find through experience that it is much better if the child is a little older anyway.

I put it in such a way that they realise it is their responsibility... I turn it back on them... ok so you think he is ready, when are you going to start him off?

I know it takes longer than a week but for most children it is pretty obvious whether they are ready or not within the first week.

Then I just carry on the parents' good work.

Many parents seem to think it's a race which is very bad for the child

**claire'scherubs** · 21-09-2010, 07:19 PM

Now I've got the opposite problem!!! LO 2 1/2 years old, mum told me she wanted to potty train and we have been having fantastic results here, going when needed and no mistakes! As soon as we go home, back in pull ups and we are back to square one. Who the hxxk invented pull ups, I detest them!!!