Any tricks to get them to sit on the potty?

My DS is showing lots of signs of awareness of his poos and wees now...but I can't get him to sit on the potty! He's nearly 2.

I'm not wanting him to poo or wee into it yet, I just want to get him used to the idea of sitting on it but he just won't. Is there a trick to it or should I just gently persevere?

Starting to wonder if I should just put him straight on the toilet or is this bad idea? He watches me and DH all the time on the loo, even tears off the loo paper for me LOL, maybe he just doesn't "get" the potty? I've tried telling him it's a little toilet but he just says "No!"

I haven't TT yet - but will be soon, and I will go straight to the toilet. Maybe if he is watching you there he will like doing what you do IYKWIM. I'd be inclined to get him one of those steps and a toilet seat. Good luck!

try straight in the loo with one of the insert seats, i wouldnt push it though, will make him scared of it!

I am TT DD2 now and started with the potty in frount of the TV when ABC kids was on and she would sit on it with no nappy on while watching her shows and was quite surpised when she would do a wee in there and then I would dance around like it was the best thing ever.... She liked me dancing so much she would run right back to it to "try again..... Its only been a week and a bit ( started last sat ) and she now wants to use the big toilet like the rest of us.... The easiest way to TT I have found is without putting anything on as in no undies until they are trained like I said DD2 is working it out really quick and has her undies on but will still sometimes do a opps in her undies.... While it took DD1 ages to work out NOT to do that in hers....

BTW DS was trained before he was two as he too was showing the signs of been ready and he trained really well.... HTH

None of my kids have sat on a potty we just bought a smaller toilet seat (about $5 from Big W ) and sat them straight on the big toilet.. You can also buy one of the step ladder things.. Some kids feel more secure with this..

Sit on the floor next to him and read him a story!

DD is too scared to sit on the toilet as she is quite small but has been stubbornly resisting the potty. Today I got her some Dora underpants and she was sitting on the potty almost before I had said that to wear them she needs to be a big girl and use the potty. She did #1 and #2 on it AND told us when she needed to go. I think she has been ready but it was just a matter of finding what incentive she needed.

Maybe try letting him sit on the potty with his nappy on. Or the toilet if that is what he is interested in. Does he have a stuffed animal or teddy he likes, perhaps you could use that to 'show' him how it works. Good luck TT! :)

Just wanted to say thanks for the tips ladies! I can't get him to sit on the potty either clothed or bare-bottomed...but Nai, your story intrigued me...some Thomas undies might do the trick with him. He happened to see some at Big W when I was wandering around and grabbed them off the shelf and gave them to me (in his size too, coincidentally!) That might work.

Only thing I wonder is...if I do start him straight on the loo, would it work okay for when we are at the shops etc? I have been told it's a good idea to have a potty in the boot of the car for when we are out and about. But then I guess if I am at the point where I am confident enough to take him out in his undies, then he would have the idea enough to actually consent to sit on the potty.

Oh well, I guess I'll figure it out soon enough. New baby due in 6 weeks so I'm not in a rush right now!