LIFE IS LOVELY - but potty training really is a lot harder than it sounds

I’m at the dreaded stage of toddler life of teaching Elijah how to use to potty and letting me know when he needs to go.

I salute any parent with multiple children who has gone through this more than once because it is not easy.

When Elijah turned two, at the end of March, we bought a potty that resembled an actual toilet, to familiarise him with what the potty is used for.

Four months later we are still tackling training process, which is rather testing at times.

Whilst he’s quite happy to play with the potty with his clothes on, as soon as you try sit him on it with a nappy on it’s all tantrums and he doesn’t like the potty anymore.

He has managed to use the potty twice, but I think that was just by chance - not because he actually realised what he was doing.

I’m well aware infants potty train at different stages and some pick it up easier than others, but in an ideal world I would like him to be trained before his baby sister arrives in November.

He can sometimes tell me when his nappy needs changing, which is a good sign.

But getting him to actually use the potty is a different story and for every step I take forward it can feel like taking two steps back.

In a previous column I reflected on the differences between the newborn and toddler stage.

I’m not enjoying this part of toddler life.

How do you teach an infant when they need to use the toilet?

How on earth will they go a full night without wetting the bed?

Even better, I have all this to look forward to again with the next baby.

Did your little one take to potty training like a duck to water, or did you feel like you were pulling teeth trying to get you little one on the potty?

I’d love to hear your tips and tricks. Share your potty training secrets with me by emailing [email protected]