OCD and potty training.

[Guest twoshoes]

Hi,

Have to start potty training the lil' one and I am dreading it.

Once he is out of nappies it will be bye bye to days out because at the moment I am still terrified of public loos. kids don't hold it and i don't know how i will cope with this.

I want him to start at Daycare as soon as pos because he is bored at home but the daycare I have choosen take children from 2 1/2 if they are potty trained. i kinda hoped they would do it for me! I have looked at other daycare poviders but this one is attached to the prep school we intend to send him to so we don't want him to have to change schools in September.

It is a nightmare. i have only been using my own toilet without showering after for about a month, I will get better but circumstances are forcing the issue.

If you have any advice please post I need all the help I can get with this.

many thanks.

[Caramoole]

Hi Twoshoes

Not sure I'm going to be any good at this reply, not having children or experience of potty training, so forgive me if I get this hopelessly wrong

Firstly you need to work at setting up a routine, a web site like this might help

Potty Training

Hopefully, you shouldn't have too many problems.

As for days out, in the early days you could always rely on the vast array of training pants, so that as accidents occur, they don't pose too many problems.

....and the more I think about this the more twaddle I realise I'm typing The real problem is going to be once he's fully trained and wants to wee and you can't face the toilets

The real problem here isn't really potty training it's how to cope with your own contamination fears and the only way is gradual exposure. In the meantime, could a friend or your partner be around on trips?

Sorry TwoShoes....that wasn't much help at all :crybaby:

Can we have some Mums in here please who've had similar contamination problems and share how you coped :dry:

[catherine]

Hi twoshoes

Not a mum myself either but have lots of experience of taking neices and nephews out. But alas, I'm afraid my OCD just comes out on them. I'm paranoid about them washing their hands etc. It's a bit easier in one way with the boys becuse they eventually don't have to sit down........but all this is avoidance of the issue I'm afraid . I think exposure (in the OCD sense ) and desensitization is the real answer but that is putting a lot on your shoulders. You've done really well already with your own resistance to showering after the loo :crybaby:

....come on all you mums who've been there :lol2:

Catherine :dry:

[Guest meg5]

Yes , I've been there 3 times (2boys, 1 girl ). I have big contamination problems so I do understand.

I don't know how much use I can be though because I avoided them having to use public toilets until they got older. When they were very young I used to let them pee at the roadside if we were on a long car journey rather than go in a service station toilets. Outside in parks etc. behind a bush was often OK. Very young boys can't easily reach to pee in toilets anyway so they have to be helped. I sometimes got my husband to hold the boys so they could go but not touch the toilet/urinal. I don't think this is being too ocd. No one really likes public loos . The other thing I did was to keep the potty in the car and they would use that even then they were possibly of an age when they would be sitting on the toilet at home. Some places do have toddler toilets which is a good idea.

I must admit I get edgy about my daughter using toilets now . I just have a peep in and if there is nothing visable or wet I try to let her get on with it. I don't want her to develop my thing about toilets.l

I realise some of my ideas sound like avoidence but I don't think I did too badly and non of my chidren worry about loos.

All the best with the potty training bit , Meg

[catherine]

I realise some of my ideas sound like avoidence but I don't think I did too badly and non of my chidren worry about loos.

I think in the real world this is almost inevitable and lets face it, there are times when we have to try anything just to do everyday things and get through. What's the alternative.........just laying in bed all day to avoid our hang ups............don't think so

I think you've got things pretty spot on Meg :crybaby:

Catherine