toilet training

well. i think she's done! actually no. she's almost done...

***disclaimer, some oversharing will follow - if you're a parent or a really good friend of ours, feel free to keep reading, if not, you might want to stop. now. ***

don't say you weren't warned...

miss madeline is finally weeing and pooing on the toilet. i've used the way that most people i know have, stay home for a week or so, give them undies and keep putting them on the toilet. accidents will happen, but they start to learn and start to tell you (or answer when you ask) that they need to go and making their way to the toilet or asking for your help to do so. or, in early days here, sobbing that they need a nappy, which was of course a dead giveaway...

we have of course had some accidents, and even a few in the last few days, but she is using the toilet. i tried and tried and tried just before joseph was born, and then again just after, but she just wasn't ready. but a few weeks ago, i decided that she needed to be using the toilet by the time she turned three so i tried yet again - and this time it worked! she weed on the toilet without too much persuasion and drama, but poos just weren't happening, like last time, she would wait until she had her night nappy on. there was something about pooing on the toilet that just really didn't sit well with her, no matter how hard we tried.

however as the few weeks went by, one day she came to me and told me that she had pooed in her undies, so i took her into the toilet, and let it drop into the toilet while she sat there... then cleaned her up and gave her some new undies... she raced back outside to finish her game, then i heard her come back inside, climb up on her step and then yell, "mum i did a poo in the toilet!" finally! she was pleased to do it again a few times and show off, so maybe we have finally gotten it. especially when i heard her teeny feet run into the bathroom the other morning and then a little tinkle, and then caught her on the toilet pooing the next afternoon, both without encouragement.

a few things i have learnt...

the best way for kids to learn is by having an accident, or two or twelve.

bribery works. everytime. don't be afraid to offer rewards.

let your kid pick their own undies at the store, so they are excited to wear them.

let them call someone special in their life as a reward (and to show off) when they do either poo or wee on the toilet for the first time (this really worked for us, madeline loves the phone and loved to show off, plus, with both sets of grandparents being far away, they loved being involved!)

not every child will use the potty or a training seat - ours only wanted to sit on the big seat and hold the sides and would not have it another other way.

night training comes later... let them wear a nappy to bed and just bask in daytime training being done

if you're not at home, ask and remind your child constantly if they need to use the toilet, outside of their own space, somewhere they don't see the toilet every few minutes, they can easily forget.

have a step in front of the toilet and another in front of the basin. makes hand washing easier and more likely to happen without a constant reminder.

and most importantly...

if they are not ready - do not push it. maddie is so smart and knew exactly what was going on, but just was not ready to be toilet trained, and i honestly think by trying to force her, i delayed it by another few months. lesson learnt.

so... we are almost there. mostly dry days accomplished. now onto nights. please if you have any trade secrets, let me know!