What's up with the blank potty stare? She's two and a half. She is very clingy and shy, and wouldn't say much to me the first couple hours (surprisingly she didn't even cry when daddy left) I'm supposed to be working with her on potty training, and she is wearing pull-ups. But she has no interest in potty whatsoever. I went to the bathroom with her and was talking to her all the while, and put her seat on the potty and helped her up and everything. But as soon as I even mention potty she shut down. Blank stare. No words. Dead. No response to anything. It's been two years since I taught my son - but man I don't remember him ever being like that - he at least showed some curiosity and humor to the whole thing, making "sssssss"ing sounds and all that. Obviously she isn't ready. And I don't think she should even be wearing pull-ups yet. It's weird because usually this is the right age, right? I tried again about two hours later, after she's been talking way more and I've seen her open up, but the same thing happened as soon as I mention potty. I tried to get her to participate by putting her seat on the potty and nothing. Just stood there and stared at me. Wouldn't answer anything. I tried to hand her the seat and she just wouldn't even grasp it, and let it fall. I will talk to her mom about it, but wonder why dcg is so... weird about it. DCM made it sound like she was doing great, just needed reminders... Yeah. Any potty ideas? Seems like this is the only issue I have with her. Her 4 yr old brother is wonderful, can't understand a word he's saying but he's great lol.

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I'll go ahead and guess that she she's shutting down because she's getting too much pressure from it at home.

I'd lay off on the potty training for now. Let her get to know you. Start again later, when you decide she's ready, and make it really low pressure.

Poor thing!!

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I wouldn't potty train a new kid.

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If she asks to go, fine. Otherwise, I wouldn't bring it up.

Any chance they use a potty chair at home?

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Not sure if she uses a seat or a chair at home. She was attending a home daycare prior to me, mom didn't write down proper information on the form where it asks for phone number and daycare name (she just wrote kiddo's daycare, no city, no nothing.......) but I can't imagine the prior provider had any luck with getting dcg to go, in fact I'm sure she wouldn't have because she is obviously not ready. Heidi, she wouldn't ask - she's completely disinterested. I agree, it really does seem like it may have been someone putting too much pressure on her. Possibly even yelling at her about it. What would you tell mom? I'm printing out a readiness checklist I found online that I think I'm gonna give her at drop off.

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I would just explain that sometimes too many new situations can be overwhelming, and you feel that tryin to potty train is a bit too much at this point. Offer to ask her if she needs to go potty on a regular basis, but that she should be in diapers just for the time being, until she gets more acclimated to the new daycare. Good luck, poor little thing just sounds scared

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If applicable, I discuss my potty training policy from day one at the interview. I stress that I do not potty train by humiation, intimidation, or punishments and the implications if THEY do the above.

I explain every milestone that HAS to be met BEFORE the child is ready and that I don't assist in potty training until the parents have started it first. I don't do pull-ups at all. Either diapers or undies. After 2 weeks dry they can go into underwear here.

Most importantly though, the child HAS to be able to tell me BEFORE she goes and then goes willingly.

Also, I don't do the putting a child on the potty every hour. I don't need to be potty trained.... The child does

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I totally agree. I hate pull-ups. They just confuse the child because they still think they are in diapers. I talked to mom and explained that I didn't think she was as ready as she thought, and that I'm not having any luck with her shutting down and I can't work with that. Her excuse was that they had a busy weekend and lots of things happening that has caused confusion. That may be so, but I don't think little one was even doing it.

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Potty every hour? HA. Ain't nobody got time fo that.


I'm not their nanny lol
As it was, I had three other kids coming in trying to see what was going on like they've never been potty before (4 and 5 year olds lol) I just kept looking at them and saying "PRIVACY" lol

Does anyone really do that? If someone asked me to take their child potty every hour or even every HALF hour, I'd die laughing.

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