Start over or leave for a while?

[Now we're 3]

DS2.5 was going really really well with toilet training but over the last month or so has all gone to pot (or pottie ha ha not!).

I know its not his fault as we've been through quite an upheveal over the past 6 weeks. As you may have read in a previous post we had to fly back to Ireland as my Dad was ill just as DS got the hang of holding on and going when he was on the toilet. For the first two weeks that we were there he did really well and had little or no accidents and then they started to creep back in and he was having accident after accident. In the end after trying for quite a few days we gave in and put him back in nappies. I didn't really have any choice as I was in the hospital with my Dad and DH was trying to manage DS to keep him entertained and any sort of real routine was out the window. We came back after 3.5 weeks away and started again (very patchy results) but I was only back here for a week when I got the call to say my Dad had passed away so I was back on the plane again. This time I went back on my own for the funeral so DH had DS on his own for a week. Persevering with trying was just too hard as he was having accident after accident. I was disappointed that all our initial hard work had been undone but understood why.

Right now he just doesn't seem to want to get it. He will go in the toilet but will equally quite happily go in his pants. He will tell us that he has gone but isn't bothered by it. He knows he could get a treat if he does it in the toilet but isn't bothered to try. I also think that some of the time he is doing quite little wees so is obviously not holding it like he had been doing before.

So after this long jumbled up post (sorry horrific jet leg as three 26 hour flights in two weeks has made my incapable of thinking straight) I'm not sure what I should do. Just put in pull ups for a few weeks and try again or persevere and hope he will sort himself. The stubborn part of me doesn't want to go backwards but the practical part is telling me leave it for another while and have a take 2! I am also wondering if the little wees could be a sign of a bladder infection? He doesn't appear ill or anything though.

Thoughts anyone? The thought of washing six pairs of pants and underpants every day is a bit depressing too!

[Arcadia]

I would be going bottom free for a week and staying home as much as possible. Pack up good rugs and pull out old towels for him to sit on etc. I think you should break the habit of him going in his pants and encourage the toilet.

When he has an accident I would just say 'oops' and run and take him to the toilet and say toilet is for wees etc.

I had to explain to my dd that when I felt wee and poo in my tummy and it needed to come out I had to run to the toilet. For some reason that was a lightbulb moment for her and she was easily trained day and night within weeks.

Hth