Toilet training - warning: details follow

This month is the 4th time that we have tried to get Pascale to do toilet training. In the past she has tried for a day or two then abandoned it as too hard (made lots of messes, refused to go to toilet when prompted after 2-3 hours). Anyway it appears that she didn't appreciate our telling all and sundry that she was toilet training, not to mention the stories etc.

This past month she has asserted her independence over her toileting, recently asking the adult to keep out of the bathroom until she had done her business, then calling out for a bit of help putting the mess into the toilet. Actually she is quite capable of also cleaning up but the parents are a bit paranoid about spillage en route to the bowl. Can find new undies from her drawer, sometimes choosing the thicker training pants cos no other undies were available/visible.

The interesting thing is that Pascale likes the novelty of using toilets in places other than home, and will sometimes hold out / agree to go to a toilet in the shopping centre/Abigail's school/someone's house/in the park/at montessori ... This evening was a milestone when Pascale took herself to the bathroom at home, lifted the lid on the adult toilet but was too late getting up onto the seat. A bit upset at this, calmed down once she was put into the bath for a wash. She may have been confused over using potty or toilet, as she had just spent 2 days at Por Por's house where she uses the toilet.

At the park today for Pascale's birthday picnic she was fascinated by the electronic vandal proof toilet at Dean Reserve. There was no waiting - as soon as she was put onto the seat the urine was released. However later in the day she was a bit sheepish as a poo somehow snuck out without her knowing and her undies were soiled. Her papa quietly cleaned her up and they returned to the picnic area sans undies, only to have a new set of Tinkerbell undies waiting for birthday girl! In purple her current favourite colour (used to be orange and yellow).