Toddler Advice Thread #2

[Jellybean093]

So to those who asked, my daughter will be 3 in about 6 weeks. But she is a (generally) phenomenal sleeper who has never once tried climbing out of a cot and actually asks to go in it! She has had a single bed in her room for months and I think, if I'm honest, she is probably ready... but I'm not. I'm worried it will rock the boat! But yeah, I am probably being selfish but also of the view that if it ain't broke, don't fix it?! Though I know she will need to soon, as when we stay at my mums (which is about once a month) she has to sleep in a travel cot and she's getting too big for it - though obviously her actual cot is roomier and she's not outgrown it yet (it's not a cotbed though, so sadly can't take the sides off)

Also, she's woken up this morning with a STONKER of a cold. Guessing it's not ideal to transition when ill anyway? Or am I making excuses

ETA: Is anyone else just fed up with the relentless illness of toddlerhood? Every 3/4 weeks she's ill with a cold and it always seems to knock her for six.

If it helps, all 3 of mine were good cot sleepers. I moved them all in to single beds at 2, and they all done so well for months. They’ve all hit a phase of crawling into our bed. I remember we had to stop our 3yo at the time (he’s now 6) from getting into bed with us because I was pregnant and I didn’t want his sleep disturbed when the baby came along. Said baby is now 3 and constantly sneaking in, but he’s had a year where he hasn’t

 

[Hushpuppy]

If it helps, my daughter and son have both gone straight in, no problems

I was dreading it both times!

Sorry I'm very behind, but what age did you do the cot to bed transition?

I am thinking of doing it around 2 because we will need the cot for the new baby and I don't really want to buy another one for just a few months x

Okkk, I must learn to read through the threads before asking questions! Oops! Sorry everyone!

 

[al255]

Me going on about potty training again, sorry not sorry….. 2 accidents ALL DAY at nursery!!!!!! This late afternoon when she’s getting tired. Nursery said she kept asking and asking to go and she’s really cracked it.

I got her some haribo for after nursery as a treat and her stickerchart has come. I am just bursting with proudness for her 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

 

[strawberrysunshine_x]

Me going on about potty training again, sorry not sorry….. 2 accidents ALL DAY at nursery!!!!!! This late afternoon when she’s getting tired. Nursery said she kept asking and asking to go and she’s really cracked it.

I got her some haribo for after nursery as a treat and her stickerchart has come. I am just bursting with proudness for her 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

Yayyy so pleased for you both!!! What a clever girl she is. Hope you’re feeling better with it now

 

[al255]

Yayyy so pleased for you both!!! What a clever girl she is. Hope you’re feeling better with it now

I am, I just think thank god it’s not going to take weeks my friend said her little girl struggled with it and it was 2 weeks of a job. I’m so glad to see the back of nappies during the day, buying them and wipes are costing me £35 a month so I’ll save money too. One less thing to really worry about. Just need to stock up on knickers

 

[strawberrysunshine_x]

I am, I just think thank god it’s not going to take weeks my friend said her little girl struggled with it and it was 2 weeks of a job. I’m so glad to see the back of nappies during the day, buying them and wipes are costing me £35 a month so I’ll save money too. One less thing to really worry about. Just need to stock up on knickers

Hahah least knickers are cheap. I can’t wait for the day I don’t have to buy nappies again . I’m not sure if my potty is too small that I’ve got for my LO he doesn’t like sitting on it and plus he barely fits on it !!!


what did everyone find easier a seat that goes on the toilet or a potty?

 

[WhatABore]

Hahah least knickers are cheap. I can’t wait for the day I don’t have to buy nappies again . I’m not sure if my potty is too small that I’ve got for my LO he doesn’t like sitting on it and plus he barely fits on it !!!


what did everyone find easier a seat that goes on the toilet or a potty?

Seat that goes on the toilet

 

[TheBabeWithThePower]

Hahah least knickers are cheap. I can’t wait for the day I don’t have to buy nappies again . I’m not sure if my potty is too small that I’ve got for my LO he doesn’t like sitting on it and plus he barely fits on it !!!


what did everyone find easier a seat that goes on the toilet or a potty?

Get a seat that goes on the toilet and try to get them to just use that!
My little one is being super stubborn and will only use the potty and I am fed up of emptying it so do yourself a favour and try to skip that if you can haha. If they are struggling then get a potty too but definitely try to introduce the toilet seat asap!

 

[al255]

Hahah least knickers are cheap. I can’t wait for the day I don’t have to buy nappies again . I’m not sure if my potty is too small that I’ve got for my LO he doesn’t like sitting on it and plus he barely fits on it !!!


what did everyone find easier a seat that goes on the toilet or a potty?

Mini A has got a seat that goes over the toilet if we are upstairs but a potty downstairs. I don’t want to have to keep carrying her upstairs to rush her whilst we are still early days but she will go on the little toilets at nursery so I know there’s no issues there xx

 

[Definitelyme]

Hahah least knickers are cheap. I can’t wait for the day I don’t have to buy nappies again . I’m not sure if my potty is too small that I’ve got for my LO he doesn’t like sitting on it and plus he barely fits on it !!!


what did everyone find easier a seat that goes on the toilet or a potty?

Ikea toilet seats are my personal fave (for toddler use, not my own!) as they sit really well on the toilet. Some I’ve seen in the past don’t sit flush with the toilet seat.

 

[Megatron1298]

How do you guys know when a toddler is ready for toilet training? I ask my 2 year old (+5m) and he always says no to wanting to sit on the toilet and won’t tell us when he’s done poo.. I’m guessing we are a long way off?

 

[Definitelyme]

How do you guys know when a toddler is ready for toilet training? I ask my 2 year old (+5m) and he always says no to wanting to sit on the toilet and won’t tell us when he’s done poo.. I’m guessing we are a long way off?

I will be honest - with my older two I just told them it was time. I picked a time I felt was good in terms of their understanding and told them they used the toilet now. Eldest was 2yrs 3 months, second was 2yrs 1 month. My third decided on her own so that took it out of my hands!
I wouldn’t say they had any of the “typical” signs of readiness - no hiding to poo, no very dry nappies indicating holding wee longer periods, not asking to use it (until my 3rd). When I thought they could understand what I was talking about well enough, I just went ahead. We didn’t have any real problems at all, a few accidents along the way but that’s to be expected.
I always recommend “oh crap potty training”
As a good parenting guide.

 

[TheBabeWithThePower]

How do you guys know when a toddler is ready for toilet training? I ask my 2 year old (+5m) and he always says no to wanting to sit on the toilet and won’t tell us when he’s done poo.. I’m guessing we are a long way off?

So I read "oh crap potty training" as mentioned below and followed pretty much what @Definitelyme said.... And it totally didn't work
We tried it at just after 2 years and she wouldn't sit on the potty, she was so upset, it just was a no go.
So we tried again a few months later, she was the same and honestly it was torture.

And then she got to just after 3 and was telling us every time she had done a wee or just before, told us when she was going to do a poo and we tried again and it was honestly so easy, basically no accidents after day 2.

So what I would say is give it a go soon if you want but don't panic if it doesn't work, that method works brilliantly for some kids and some it just doesn't!

 

[watermelon sugar]

How do you guys know when a toddler is ready for toilet training? I ask my 2 year old (+5m) and he always says no to wanting to sit on the toilet and won’t tell us when he’s done poo.. I’m guessing we are a long way off?

my toddler is 2 years + 8 months and we’ve not started yet. He doesn’t always tell me when he’s had a poo and when I ask him if he wants to go have a wee or poo on the potty it’s always a no then a fake scared cry I don’t think he’s ready but I don’t know when I should start cos I’m getting the ‘he’ll Always be in nappies’ comments and they annoy me 🫠🫠

 

[al255]

How do you guys know when a toddler is ready for toilet training? I ask my 2 year old (+5m) and he always says no to wanting to sit on the toilet and won’t tell us when he’s done poo.. I’m guessing we are a long way off?

So I’ll tell you my journey with mini A. She’s just gone 2 years 8 months.

I tried first week of September just to see, they say don’t do it when there’s a lot going on and we had holiday after holiday and she was moving up to the next class in nursery so change of key worker etc, so I wanted to pick a time it was “calmer”. Anyway. I bought her some knickers and a potty, explained potty is for wee wee and she couldn’t of cared less.

I’m a single parent so she sees me go to the toilet (I mean even non single parents kids do) but she would mimic me wiping either end, flush and then wash her hands so I realised she knew what a toilet was for but I felt like her want to do it and interest in it wasn’t there. I gave it a day and she would just wee so much, it was VERY stressful and I thought leave it abit longer. She would pass me a nappy and she wasn’t that bothered about if the wetness was annoying her.

Compare it to this time around 6-7 weeks later - she initiated it, she would pick potty over nappy, she had an interest of the potty more, she would happily go and sit down on it naked and she was happy after she sat on it. She knows she needs to ask nursery to take her for a wee and her understanding is better. Her bladder control is also better.

You just get a sense of when they’re “ready”.. my friend told me potty training shouldn’t be that stressful if they’re ready and she’s right. This time my only worries were surrounding if she would ask at nursery but she realised if she didn’t tell them she would have wet clothes and nobody likes them! 6-7 weeks ago was insanely stressful and not worth it really.

Just to add this time - she didn’t show any signs on Saturday she was ready, I literally picked her up once I’d taken her nappy off and sat her on the toilet cos wee was trickling down her leg and then it was her choice to go. But she honestly didn’t show any signs apart from sitting on her potty clothed cos she got fed up of being on the couch / she saw it as a toy, obviously now she realises it’s for wee and poo.

If they go to nursery, they will support you too and if you start it on a weekend you can stay indoors for a few days and get them get the jist of it.

Please don’t feel under pressure to get him out of nappies - they will honestly do it when they are ready. It’s not like other things where they just gradually drop naps or bottles x

 

[Megatron1298]

Super useful thank you all, I don’t think we are there yet maybe something to look at in the new year.
I do love how he has a poo spot though by our book shelf cracks me up he’s like an old man sitting there flicking through a book while he poops

 

[watermelon sugar]

Super useful thank you all, I don’t think we are there yet maybe something to look at in the new year.
I do love how he has a poo spot though by our book shelf cracks me up he’s like an old man sitting there flicking through a book while he poops

mine goes next to the fridge and like squats and goes then he ALWAYS opens the fridge when he’s done. Like he’s just cleared himself to make room for food

 

[Jellybean093]

mine goes next to the fridge and like squats and goes then he ALWAYS opens the fridge when he’s done. Like he’s just cleared himself to make room for food

We still talking about toddler watermelon and not Mr Watermelon

 

[TheBabeWithThePower]

mine goes next to the fridge and like squats and goes then he ALWAYS opens the fridge when he’s done. Like he’s just cleared himself to make room for food

Ours used to go under the dining table, often when we were eating, and just stunk the place out

 

[watermelon sugar]

We still talking about toddler watermelon and not Mr Watermelon

toddler watermelon gets it from mr watermelon