Potty Training Q

[wolfhazel]

Hey guys, I'm back again with another potty training question... can't believe this is my second child to potty training and I'm having to ask more questions that with the first!

My 2y4m old has been attempting to potty train for over a month now... we go the no nappy get into big girl pants and stick it out method as I don't think pull ups help potty training along at all, in fact I think they hinder it. She still wears a pull up at night, but during the day its only pants allowed. My eldest was 18m when she potty trained and she got it within about 2 weeks (yes there were still accidents but only one or two a day and she would tell you most of the time when she wanted to go).

Now with my youngest, 1 - 2 months into it and I wouldn't say she's potty trained I think it is more like EC. She will go on the potty / toilet and do a wee when me or her childminder time it right, such as twenty minutes after she has had something to drink or when she starts wriggling, before and after leaving the house on school runs etc. So she can be accident free if I've got nothing to do but consider when she needs to go, but obviously 2 months into this routine, there are times when I have dinner to cook or whatever and I miss the moment... in which case... she won't tell me she needs to go (she knows how to say the words) she won't make any movement to go to the potty she'll just wee wherever she is and she won't even mind about taking off her wet clothes she'll happily sit in it until I notice the wet patch. In terms of no. 2's there is literally no joy there what-so-ever.

So how can I get her to make her own decision to go to the toilet? If I ask her she'll simply say "no" even if she does need a wee. We praise her when she goes on the potty with "clever girly" songs and high fives etc and when she has an accident we simply say "where do poo poo and wee wees go?" and she'll say "the potty" and I say try and get there next time and clear up the mess, there's no fussing, no shouting, no over-attention just a simple reminder that it goes in the potty which is what the books say you should do... but it just doesn't seem to be working?

I've had her pick out her own pants and all sorts I'm getting fed up with it all to be honest and I don't want to give up and go back to nappies a) environmental reasons b) cost c) she wants to wear big girl pants so she has that desire and I believe she understands it all.

[wolfhazel]

Haha maybe its something about second borns! Hehe! It is definately frustrating, I know she'll get there at some point but boy oh boy, this time it's hard work! Thanks for the tips and supports sometimes it's great just to have someone to hear you and know what you're going through... so thanks susie! You've made me feel better!