PT - What to do?

[Ariana]

I just started a 20 month old DCG who is here part-time. Her mom is convinced (due to grandma) that her child is ready to be potty trained. I have not witnessed anything even remotely close to what I would call ready to be potty trained. They told me that she points to her diaper and says "poop" and then she poops. Well she does that here too but there is no association between when she says "poop" and when she actually poops. The kid is just not ready.

My daycare contract states that kids are ready usually at 2.5 years old and that when PT begins I recommend they take time off to do it and then when they've had a good start at home I continue it at daycare providing it is going well. UGH. So I am wondering what do I do in this situation? I have potty trained lots of kids but how the heck do you deal with a child who is not ready at all? Do I just flat out refuse because I don't feel she is ready? My friend says she thinks it will be short lived once they start and realize she is not ready but there is no way I am supporting this at my home.

Meanwhile this child cannot even use a fork and can't drink from a cup

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Just tell them they can start at home whenever they want, but YOU will decide when she is ready to start using underwear in your home. Until then, they need to continue supplying diapers.

[TXhomedaycare]

Just tell them they can start at home whenever they want, but YOU will decide when she is ready to start using underwear in your home. Until then, they need to continue supplying diapers.

I tell parents I will start when she accident free for 2 weeks at home. If you don't tell them you and the child will suffer and potty training will take longer. I have a potty training "Is your child ready?" Quiz I give to parents so if they don't listen to me maybe they will understand by taking the quiz.

[Unregistered]

Just tell them they can start at home whenever they want, but YOU will decide when she is ready to start using underwear in your home. Until then, they need to continue supplying diapers.

I use BlackCat's list of things they need to be able to do
One of my dcg's just started and I stopped immediately because she refused to even try and get dressed. Not ready!

[Ariana]

Thank you everyone! I really like the "no accidents at home for 2 weeks" idea. I may need to add that to my contract. I have never had a parent want to start PTing so early so I have never had to deal with this before.

I don't mind taking her to the potty but she will at the very least need pull-ups while she is here.

[Controlled Chaos]

I am all about helping potty training little ones. BUT to me this means sitting their little booty's on the potty for a sec after cleaning their bum and before putting on a clean diaper Note, they are still wearing a diaper. Once they have an accident free weekend (and have been consistently going well here and having mostly dry diapers) I am open to trying underwear BUT once they have an accident they are back in diapers.

Whatever your policy is - explain it again to mom. "How fun you are working on potty training at home! Good for you! Remember my policy is _____. Let me know where princess has met all those requirements."

[Crazy Baby]

Two weeks without an accident before they can come to my house in anything but a diaper or pull ups. At that point they are pretty well potty trained. Also, take them to the potty once an hour or so.


I am about to go through a similar situation. I have a 20 month old dck who's mother just mentioned is ready to start potty training. I'm not buying it. You know, every mother thinks her child is gifted and ready before they really are. .

[auntymimi]

I am all about helping potty training little ones. BUT to me this means sitting their little booty's on the potty for a sec after cleaning their bum and before putting on a clean diaper Note, they are still wearing a diaper. Once they have an accident free weekend (and have been consistently going well here and having mostly dry diapers) I am open to trying underwear BUT once they have an accident they are back in diapers.

Whatever your policy is - explain it again to mom. "How fun you are working on potty training at home! Good for you! Remember my policy is _____. Let me know where princess has met all those requirements."

I have one like this too. I only have her 1 day a week, so intensive pt at my house just seems silly.Her mom brought her two weeks ago and asked me to sit her on the potty every 15 min. Uh, no. This little girl can't pull her pants up or down, or even get herself up on the potty. She'd tell me she had to go potty, but what she meant was "I want to play in the sink and unroll toilet paper while you give me one on one attention". I told mom I would sit her on the potty during break time for the other kids, and during diaper changing, but no way every 15 min!

[Controlled Chaos]

I have one like this too. I only have her 1 day a week, so intensive pt at my house just seems silly.Her mom brought her two weeks ago and asked me to sit her on the potty every 15 min. Uh, no. This little girl can't pull her pants up or down, or even get herself up on the potty. She'd tell me she had to go potty, but what she meant was "I want to play in the sink and unroll toilet paper while you give me one on one attention". I told mom I would sit her on the potty during break time for the other kids, and during diaper changing, but no way every 15 min!

Oh my goodness! Yea, I just sit them on it once every 2 hours ::

[Unregistered]

I put together a potty training letter/policy using a combination of letters/ideas I got from here. I give it as part of my enrollment packet and again when a parent says they want to start potty training. My letter does say each child is different and will show signs of readiness and progress at different rates. It also says they are free to start anytime at their home, however a child must continue to wear a diaper at daycare until their child is accident free at daycare for two weeks straight. Should they have two accidents at daycare they will go back to wearing diapers.

You do not have to start at your daycare until you feel the child is ready.

[Heidi]

One my dcm's and also the dad (theyre not together) brought it up right when dcb turned 2. He's hefty fellow, and my first reaction was "how the heck is he going to get on the toilet?" Of course, they want to use a potty chair-no go here. They're disgusting in group care.

I said "well, let's work on some PRE potty training skills first. You know, pulling has pants up and down, making sure he understands when he has a BM in his diaper, etc.

Why are people in such a hurry to PT kids that have no other self-help skills? Making their (and our) life MORE difficult instead of easier. How about, we teach him to put his own shoes on first? Now, THAT would be helpful!

[Ariana]

I said "well, let's work on some PRE potty training skills first. You know, pulling has pants up and down, making sure he understands when he has a BM in his diaper, etc.

Why are people in such a hurry to PT kids that have no other self-help skills? Making their (and our) life MORE difficult instead of easier. How about, we teach him to put his own shoes on first? Now, THAT would be helpful!