HAVING just read the letter by E L Thompson I felt incensed (July 6).

Has this person ever toilet trained a child? I started with my little boy at 18 months old but the sheer number of "accidents" made me realise he wasn't ready.

By the time he was two-and-a-half and still not trained I discussed it with my health visitor who said that no amount of effort by the parent will make a child who isn't ready potty trained. One month later he was ready and cracked it in two days flat, proof that it wasn't me or my child being lazy, just that he wasn't ready.

As far as the argument over the mixing of formula milk is concerned, most parents know it has to be mixed properly. It is no good if it's made too thin as suggested and certainly has nothing to do with the speed potty training is achieved.

While I realise that disposable nappies are not good for the environment, so are other people's ridiculous opinions on how we should bring up our children, adding extra pressure to an already difficult job.

Sarah Chestney,

Amberley Street,

Poppleton Road, York.

Updated: 10:53 Friday, July 09, 2004