Toddlers: 24 Months+
Ladies, I need encouragement!
We really started PT'ing today and it was an epic FAIL. We have had the potty here for awhile, and have been putting her on it, but not making a big deal. Today I decided it was time.
We tried big girl panties all day. Unfortunately, she did not go in the potty once. But, when she would go in her panties, she knew it and acknowledged it. She would say, "Mommy, potty!" right after she had gone. Then, DH took her potty after he got home and sat down with her as long as she would sit and she didn't go. As soon as she got up and walked into the living room, she peed.
Please tell me this gets better! Or, is she telling me she's really not ready?
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Re: Ladies, I need encouragement!
Of course it will get better! To me it sounds like she is doing great!
You have probably gotten a wide variety of responses to this question, ranging from "she's just not ready" to "just power through and she'll eventually get it".
Having potty trained 2 kids, I'd say that potty training occurs in roughly 4 stages:
1. becoming aware -- the child begins to realize the sensations of having a full bladder and might mention that he/she has peed or pooped. Child might express interest in using the potty. At this point the child still wears diapers, but you can get a potty and begin reading potty training books. Let the child sit on the potty, but don't expect her to "go" right away.
2. using the potty when mom says to -- at some point your child will begin to actually pee and/or poop on the potty when you take her there and ask her to sit on the potty. But for a while she won't be consistent enough to wear underwear yet.
3. recognizing "the urge" and making it on time -- with some practice your child will begin to head to the potty in plenty of time and will begin to make most of her pee and poop in the potty. At this point you definitely want to switch to underwear except for naps, night, and long car rides.
4. being totally independent -- at this stage you are not at all involved in the child's pottying, except to remind them to go before you leave the house (which, frankly, I am still doing with my 9 year old from time to time!) Some kids might still need a pull up at night, even at this stage, but some become night trained at the same time they become day trained.
Steps 2 and 3 can happen very separately, or can overlap a lot.
You seem to be in step 1 -- maybe just let her sit on the potty and see if she goes pee at times when pee might be likely (30 minutes after a meal, first thing in the morning, etc.) If she resists this, she's not ready, but it sounds like she's at least ready for this first stage!