Do you want the good news, or the bad news...?

'Mummy', Holly shouts up the stairs excitedly (we were having a private stair gate moment at the time). 'Mikey's done a wee on the potty!'.

'Well done Mikey, excellent, good boy'. We shout back our encouragement.

'And he's done a poo on the floor', Holly continues.

There goes our stair gate moment.

We're toilet training at the moment, and Holly has been a constant source of encouragement for her little brother, providing stickers for success and condolences when required, fetching potties at a time of need, and hauling down trousers when the parents aren't quick enough.

Toilet training is a daunting experience. I've always thought it ought to be done somewhere between two and three and as we get closer to the three end of two, I decided we'd better bite the bullet and give it a go.

It is said that you should plan to spend a week at home with your child so you can be fully focused on the task in front of you, but I'm afraid I'd go stir crazy at home all week, and besides, it's not practical nowadays. What I do believe is you can't tackle the challenge in a half hearted way. You have to get them into undies and keep them in undies. Other people choose to put nappies on their kids when they go out, or use pull ups, but my feel is the quickest approach is the most direct approach. Short term pain for long term gain.

So with that in mind, I set off on the toilet training adventure armed with a bag packed to the brim, and a determination to remain calm and deal with whatever happens the best I could. When, on day 2, I found myself mopping the floor in Woolworths and changing Michael's clothes in front of the cheese counter, I wavered slightly, but we didn't panic. After all, we came armed with towels and clothes and plastic bags designed for just such an occasion.

In those first few days I did wonder if we'd just gone too early, but amazingly it didn't take long for Mikey to master the basics and I have now reduced the bag to two changes of clothes and one towel, just in case.

There is still an air of urgency every time we go. 'Mummy I need a wee!' sets us off at full speed to the nearest toilet. Conversations are stopped mid sentence, shopping is abandoned, the phone is left dangling. And when he's finally sat up there on the toilet seat, we both utter a sigh of relief.

I'm reminded of a Channel 9 program (I think), that showed adults what it would be like to live in a two year old world. They built giant chairs and stairs, and toilets, so the adults could see the physical difficulties their little ones have to master. And yet, my two year old's favourite phrase is 'No I can do it', as he lifts up the toilet seat, puts his seat in place, and struggles with the trousers and undies, all the while hopping from one leg to another, trying to hold on. Once there, he has just got to remember willy needs to point down, and all goes well. Mummy is banished from the bathroom when a poo is in progress (he gets more privacy that I do) and summoned again to clean up.

Naturally accidents do happen and I seem to wash an amazing number of Wiggles undies each week, but overall I'd say we're there. We are out of day time nappies.

I now look forward to the day when my handbag can be reduced to normal size.

So here's my tips for toilet training:

- before you take the plunge, decide if your child is ready. Have the potty available, and get them to sit on it, for example, before they go in the bath, or when you get them dressed in the morning. Make sure your child is able to communicate with you and understands when he or she has done a poo or a wee. Let them watch mummy and daddy so they know what to expect.

- when you decide to do it, go for it whole heartedly. Don't be tempted back to nappies as the child gets confused, and it's amazing how long they can hold onto a poo if they want to, just to get a nappy.

- let your child choose their first undies and go with the Wiggles, or Thomas, or Dora if that makes them want to wear them.

- pack three changes of clothes and undies. Take some old towels (we use nappy towels) with you and a couple of plastic bags.

- if your child uses a potty, take it with you when you go out. Even if you get to the toilet at the shopping centre, your little one might be more comfortable using their potty than the grown up toilet. The same applies at the park or on a visit to grandma's house.

- provide lots of praise and if your child responds well to these, use a stamp or stickers to mark his or her successes.

- don't make a fuss if he has an accident. 'Never mind, next time we'll use the potty' is fine. If they get upset, they are likely to feel stressed about the experience.

- sit your child on the toilet before you go out.

- initially, check regularly (every half hour or so) whether they need to use the toilet, and be aware when they might need to. For example, my little one must drink a lot of water during his swimming lessons because he always needs an enormous wee when he gets out!

- make sure you know where the nearest toilet is, and if there isn't one, be prepared to do a 'garden wee', as we call them.

- it is suggested that summer is a good time to toilet train because your child can run around with no undies on and not be cold, but they still have to wear something when you go out, and as my sister said, the more clothes they're wearing, the more there is to soak things up if they have an accident! So I say go when you are ready, regrdless of season.

- And good luck!