Hi Everyone!

I haven't been around for a very long time because life just got so hectic!! But I have commenced TT with DD so have come in here for some much needed TT support!!

DD is definitely ready. Has the whole independence, curiosity and big girl thing going on. As I work 4 days a week and a ton of other things going on I don't really have time for mixing it up, mainly because I know it will be me and DH that let it all slip and that's not fair on DD. So I amazingly had a clear weekend last weekend and so commenced the 3 day potty training method. It worked an absolute treat with DS so gave it a crack. And it worked. I took Monday off work just to make sure but yep, her chart was filling up with stickers very quickly. Then I took her to CC on Tuesday and it all fell apart at the seams. I'm so lucky she goes to a supportive CC so they didn't put her back in nappies at all, but she did more wees on Tuesday during CC than she ever does in a whole day. This kid can usually hang on for 4-6 hours during the day and up to 16 hours over night. She got better as the week went on with holding on, but just wouldn't have a bar of the toilet or potty.
Yesterday afternoon her big brother was taking a rare nap so I built a cubby house and put the potty in there (she doesn't use the potty - just the toilet) and I started doing some role play with one of her dolls doing wees and poos on the potty. She instantly engaged (more than even last weekend) and started getting more and more of her toys to come and do poos and wees on the toilet. Some even did poos on the floor and she told me how we have to clean it up. And lo and behold not long after our game finished she did a wee and a poo on the toilet. Same thing again this morning. This afternoon we went up to the shops in undies (brave move I know) and I took her to the toilet but she wouldn't sit on it, and refused to have anything to do with it. Not wanting to force it, or make it a negative experience I left it. We wandered in to the shop where she wandered off and when I found her a few minutes later she announced she did poos and was wet from the waist down.

I know it was probably a bit too soon but I still feel like I'm not sure how to encourage her from here on. She is stubborn and strong-willed and I kind of think this is a bit of dig-the-heels-in crossed with almost that she doesn't want to let go of being a baby. So the 'big-girl' encouragement isn't working for that reason. I am refusing to put her back in nappies so soon, because I think that it won't help anyone in the long run. Can anyone help me with experiences like this, and perhaps other ideas? I have the most trouble getting her to release, she can hold on so well that she actually struggles to release. DS was the same but once he got that first wee on the toilet it all fell in to place for him.