Hello!

My son is 2 and 1/2 and he is starting to show signs he is ready to go to the toilet. We have tried the potty and the seat that goes onto the toilet but he starts to scream or wants to play. He is showing all the signs of being ready letting us no when he does number ones (not big on number twos). I have even trying to let him run around nude. He picks up a cup and wants to use that instead. Should I put a stop to this or let him go a little longer before I start toilet training him? Any suggestions would be great!


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  • Persistence is key! It will be hard but keep at it. :) I think he will come around and if not let it go for a few weeks and try again.


  • could u try a rewards ?


  • maybe you can get a cup just for the toilet if his wanting to do that well his a step closer to the toilet so maybe just let him


  • Yes my son tried the cup trick.. He wanted to pee like daddy but wasn’t tall enough. Could try a step or I got a bucket and put one of the little white training seats on it to make it look like a big toilet (you can buy a kids troff) but this work just fine. Still having trouble getting him to poo in the toilet tho. We have just started a toilet chart. He gets a gold star to put on the chart if he poo’s on the toilet and a sticker of his choice for himself. Once he gets to 20 stars he gets a $20 toy…. Never reward with food for anything!!


  • wait a little longer until he is more ready,


  • We used toilet related books
    like elmo can use the potty to show
    and taking the child ot the toilet with you
    go through all the steps of using the toilet out loud infront of your child
    lots of praise helps too
    say big boy alot to encourage growing up
    even use animated videos online which are child friendly to help. or invite a friend over that is toilet trained to encourage it
    I have 2 yr old twins and they are wanting to go to the toilet alot now
    at the same time too which doesnt help lol but its great that they want to use the toilet


  • I prepared a little potty seat for my daughter.


  • Probably not the cup but like another said maybe outside on a tree or the grass if he’s scared of the toilet and then slowly introduce the toilet seat or potty


  • It will happen when he’s ready, just be ready when he lets you know


  • Mine was the same – at 2.5 she was very very interested. We got a special toilet seat with little stairs she can climb up on to it. The first few days she used it all the time (except poos) then acted terrified of it for about 2 months. We just let it go and did not push it, and, in time she asked to use it and we are now almost fully trained. My SIL has 4 kids and told me this is perfectly normal behaviour, and to just let them work it out for themselves.


  • My son showed signs at around 2.5 (he could sit on the potty and do a wee before the bath) but would not even tell us he had done a poo, and deny it if we asked him. About 3 weeks ago he started telling us he’d done a poo and asking to be changed. 2 weeks ago I decided it was now or never and put undies on him, reminding and encouraging him to go but not constantly, and no pressure. 2 weeks later at 2 years 8months he is pretty much trained. He is dry overnight, does poos on the potty, and will even come in from outside to do it and yesterday took himself to the toilet to go. A month ago I would not have thought this possible but something just ‘clicked’ for him and I think until it does, it can be hard. My first son was not trained at 3 so I know it’s not easy.

    To me it sounds as though your son is not quite ready yet. It’s a personal thing though and you both have to be ready. Good luck!


  • I wouldn’t let him go in a cup, that is setting up a bad habit, let him wee on the grass to start with and get him to go with hubby to see how he does it


  • I would wait no point in hurrying it wait til he’s completely ready


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