Potty training

**Sarpix** · 09-08-2009, 06:42 PM

Hello all,

I have been childminding since Sept last year and have recently had one of my children start potty training.

I have carpeted floors and an expensive sofa so when the parent said that she had started her daughter at the weekend and was going to bring her to me straight into pants I decided to talk to her about this and explained that I didn't feel happy with this and would rather she was in pull ups until she was asking to go to the toilet. The mum got very funny with me and reluctantly bought pull ups.

I have felt quite uncomfortable with her since but feel frustrated that she is like this as feel she should respect my home. I have a dog too and don't want him to start weeing everywhere. I know it is best to put the children straight in nappies, but not in my home. I feel parents should take a week off work to work with them rather than passing the buck. What do you guys think? I know it sounds silly but its really got me down and when I ask others I get mixed opinions...Its my home though and I don't want it getting ruined plus my fiance is good enough to let me work from home and I have to respect him too...

Thanks

Sarah x

**zillervalley** · 09-08-2009, 10:22 PM

It is very hard when potty training,
I ask my mindees all the time to go to toilet, have had accidents,

I know what you are saying about your home, and yes parents should potty train when they are at home for a week,

but quite honestly even doing it that way you could still have an accident on your hands

i think you just have to go for it now and keep reminding them

ziller

**It's a small world** · 09-08-2009, 10:45 PM

My mindee had pull ups for a few weeks then mum put in pants. I ask every half hour (esp if drinking loads) seems to be ok only had 1 accident in 3 weeks. Last week I started a sticker chart for every time he went on the potty..to avoid unecessary visits to the loo he knows that he doesn't get a sticker if only a small wee (seems to work so not constantly go to toilet just so he gets a sticker for trickle... now he tells me about 3 times a day need big wee and sure enough needs big wee. If he's dancing slightly I ask if he needs the toilet and he says no but I'm not quite so sure lets try anyway and get him to sit on potty usually 2 out of 3 times he does need it.
Also I have a fab book 'my potty book ' by Kathryn Smith they do a boys version and girls version and it explains what a potty is and how you use it (not a boat/not a hat and so on ) and has a little ryhme 'when you need to wee or poo (sorry tmi) put your botty on the potty....my ds 2 next month thinks its great and although not ready for potty training yet knows that his botty goes on the potty ... hope it works when training.

I think you will get to recognise signs of them needing to go..I can understand where your coming from with pull ups...plus if child not quite ready these can help and you can buy nappies where child knows they are wet and don't like the feeling so become more aware of when they are needing the toilet..

Sorry to have gone but hth...good luck.. (take a potty out with you you never know when you might nee it !!!!!)

**sarah707** · 10-08-2009, 06:14 AM

I have just returned from holiday to be told my little mindee has been trained while I'm away.

They have got him using a toilet apparently...

It's difficult when children are here because they get so tangled up in the toys and games I find they tend to forget - hence wooden flooring!

I know what you are saying about your furnishings, but if the child has been left until he is old enough there shouldn't be any problems. I have found over the years it is the parents who want their child trained early who have dribbly ones!

**gegele** · 10-08-2009, 07:27 AM

accident do/will happen my daughter is 3 1/2 and it still happen to have her running from the garden saying "ah aaahhh aaarrggahh aagga " which translate by I'm going to pee myself open the stair gate very fast LOL

I understand with your furniture but the carpet i'm afraid has ugly days to come..!!!

**Sarpix** · 10-08-2009, 07:49 AM

Thank you for all your replies. I do know that children will have accidents but my point is that I want to avoid them as much as possible because it is my home and carpets and furnitures are expensive. I just felt that a child isn't really ready to go striaght into pants when in someone elses home until they are asking to use the toilet.

I have been sitting the little girl on the potty every hour and this does seem to be ok. She is usually bone dry and will wee when sat on the potty but is still learning to poo on the potty.

I suppose my point aswell was that they are going on holiday for 2 weeks next week so why couldn't they have just waited to start her then, then she will probably be ready for pants.

Sorry to waffle and thanks so much for the good advice. Its hard for me also as I moved in with my fiance so my home was his before and I feel like I need to keep it in a good state. I know deep down he doesn't really like me childminding and would hate it if his home got ruined because of it

xxx

Sarah x

**Mollymop** · 10-08-2009, 07:57 AM

It is bad enough trying to potty train your own children but when it is someone elses child and they are having accidents on you're carpet and funishings it is not a nice job to do.

One of my mindee is 2 now, but when she was 18 months mum wanted me to start potty training her. I said that she is a bit young yet and she agred but she wanted me to try it. Brought some knickers for her to wear. I put her in them once, but as soon as she wee'd on my floor I decided that I wasn't going to carry on until she was old enough, old enough to know she needed a wee.

She is only just 2 now and mum brings her in pull ups now. She goes to the potty but only when I take her. So I don't think she is ready just yet. But at least she is wearing pull ups.

Sometimes I think it is best for them to just come in knickers and if there are any accidents the child understands better than if they are in nappies/pull ups. Wearing pull ups can confuse a child into thinking they are still wearing a nappy and it is ok for them to wet/poop them.

But it is different when it is you're home. I think mum should really see if she is ready at home first before asking you to potty train.

**sweets** · 10-08-2009, 09:00 AM

hi it is hard i know. i have carpet and to be honest a bit of wee is not too hard to clean up (unless your carpets are cream)LOL. I have a bowl with hot soapy water in and a cloth and then dry it with a big wodge of kitchen roll, then give it a light spray of dettox. it never leaves a mark. i do have my carpet cleaned proffesionaly once a year (tax deductable).
Iwas a bit peeved though the other day when a 2 year old who's potty training sat on my fabric sofa and did a full wee! luckily i spotted it straight away and whipped the covers off before it soaked through to the foam. When she comes this week i have decided to put a couple of care mats down with a light throw on top to save washing all the covers again!

~Chelle~ · 10-08-2009, 09:28 AM

This is one of the things that you have to think about when becoming a childminder.

I have wooden flooring and leather sofas, so they are easy to wipe clean

I see what you mean about parents starting children off, but potty training doesnt happen in a week!

I am potty training a 2 year 4 month odl boy and a 3 year 3 month old boy. The 2 year old has taken to it brilliantly and has only had 2 accidents in 2 weeks. The 3 year old has had so many accidents, mainly due to forgeting himself or not getting there in time and pulling down pants.

I feel that they should be in pants/knickers whilst potty training as pull ups are just a glorified nappy and they will wee in it. I use pull ups on them if we have to take a trip to the park or the car and will take their potty's with me and keep reminding them that if they need a wee, then they have the potty there.

I understand that you want to keep your fiance's home clean but kids = mess, they cant help it a lot of the time, bless them!

**Sarpix** · 10-08-2009, 07:55 PM

Thanks again for the replies. Mollymop its great to hear someone who seems to feel the same as me..And I do have beige carpets!!!

**Sarpix** · 10-08-2009, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by sweets

hi it is hard i know. i have carpet and to be honest a bit of wee is not too hard to clean up (unless your carpets are cream)LOL. I have a bowl with hot soapy water in and a cloth and then dry it with a big wodge of kitchen roll, then give it a light spray of dettox. it never leaves a mark. i do have my carpet cleaned proffesionaly once a year (tax deductable).
Iwas a bit peeved though the other day when a 2 year old who's potty training sat on my fabric sofa and did a full wee! luckily i spotted it straight away and whipped the covers off before it soaked through to the foam. When she comes this week i have decided to put a couple of care mats down with a light throw on top to save washing all the covers again!

Poor you...That sounds like a nightmare...bless ya x

**Chimps Childminding** · 10-08-2009, 08:42 PM

I do think that parents should start potty training at home, but as has been said it doesn't happen over night, so the odd accidents are bound to happen! just one of the joys of the job!