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EXCLUSIVE: James and Ola Jordan reveal daughter Ella's impressive new milestone –video

The professional dancers are over the moon

Parenting Editor
August 22, 2022

It's been an exciting week in the Jordan household because Ola and James' two-year-old daughter Ella is almost potty trained!

MORE: James and Ola Jordan reveal first reactions to Strictly Come Dancing 2022 line-up

Any parent or carer will know how tough it can be to get your child out of nappies and teach them how to use the potty or toilet, and in their exclusive column below, former Strictly dancers James and Ola tell us how they have found the experience.

WATCH: Ola and James potty train Ella!

While the couple are overjoyed at Ella reaching such an important milestone, it's also an emotional time as their toddler moves out of the baby stage.

Ola admitted: "I cried. Is that normal that I cried? I was like, 'My baby! Where has she gone?'" Aw Ola, we totally understand.

Also in their parenting column, we see Ella's 'bossy streak' firsthand when she tells her dad off, and James is not happy one bit. Find out which parent she gets it from – you may be surprised!

MORE: James and Ola Jordan supported by fans after upsetting comments about their daughter Ella

Potty training for Ella!

HELLO!: Hi Ella, how are you?

Ella: I'm good thank you, how are you?

HELLO! We're great thanks Ella.

Ola: Ella, tell everyone what we've been up to…

Ella: I had breakfast and I watched my iPad

Ola: I didn't mean that! What have you been doing the last couple of days?

Ella: I did a wee and poo in the potty!

HELLO!: Did you? Wow!

James: Ella, who wears nappies?

Ella: Babies!

HELLO!: Well done Ella! You are such a big girl, well done.

It's been a big week for Ella Jordan

Ola: So we've been doing potty training since Sunday I'm very proud to say. I don't know whether it's going well or not because I don't know what I'm doing to be honest!

James: The first day it took ages, but eventually she did a wee in the potty and obviously we were really happy. She also did a poo in the potty on the first day, which is really good, but we did have a couple of accidents.

Ella: I did it on the stairs.

James: Ella, why did you do it on the stairs?

Ella: I forgot the potty.

HELLO!: Ah, well she's training...

Ella: I'm not training. I'm Ella.

Ola: On Sunday, she did a wee in the potty for the first time, so I was like, right, no nappy at all today. Then she carried on using the potty.

James: For the next few days we stayed at home, locked ourselves in the house and ran around her all day – then you turn your back for a second and she's shi**ing on the carpet!

Ola: I think she's getting the hang of it now.

James: Yeah, but she does think it's a game sometimes when she gets us running around.

Ola: When she says, 'Mummy I need a wee' we literally jump up and go, 'Quick, quick, quick!' and I think she likes that, so now she says, 'Mummy I need a wee' and we're both jumping - then she laughs and smiles like it's a joke!!

James: We Googled potty training and a lot of people said it's best to wait until a child is two and a half and Ella is a bit younger than that. She's doing well though.

MORE: Kate Middleton's surprising parenting hack when travelling proves she's just like us

The next step: going out

Ola: We've bought a porta-potty for when we take Ella out…

James: So what, do we literally just stop in the middle of Bluewater and put the potty in the middle of the shop and let her do a poo?!

Ola: I don't think we'll go there yet! Outside trips are probably a better idea to start with.

Ella is starting her three days a week at nursery soon so this is a good time to start her toilet training and they can help continue it. This is a learning curve for us as well because we don't really know what we're doing!

Some things I've read say their child was potty trained in two days – how is that possible?

James: Yeah, but they might be meaning the stage Ella's at now. We don't know what stage they mean.

Ola: I wouldn't say Ella is potty trained yet and we've been doing this for five days now. We've been at home literally doing nothing else.

James: She won't let me go out!

Ola: I'm going a bit mad at home so we need to go out soon. I'd like to go somewhere today but I don't think she's ready yet.

James: Maybe we'll start with our garden first, take Ella out there on her scooter.

Ella loves riding her scooter

Ella gets a little bossy

Ola: Oh my goodness, Ella just told us, 'No talking' because James is being loud and she can't hear her iPad. She's telling him to 'shhh'.

James: Ella, are you telling daddy no talking?

Ella: Yeah. No talking!

James: That's rude Ella, don't say that.

Ella: Daddy, no talking.

James: She's so bossy and challenging us all the time. I find it really hard because I don't like it and I won't accept it. I'm not saying Ola does, but it makes me angry and I shouldn't feel like that because she's two years old but she's really trying our patience at the moment. If she doesn't get what she wants, she has tantrums, but if we give in now we're going to have problems.

Ella: No talking!

James: Stop saying that now. If you say that one more time, you get no chocolate, no sweets, no crisps, nothing like that today. Say it one more time, ok?

Ella: No talking.

James: Right, you're getting nothing now! Oh my god. She thinks I'm joking.

Ola: She's pushing your buttons now, testing you.

James: Ella, are you going to apologise to daddy?

Ella: Yes. Sorry daddy, I didn't mean to. I'll get nothing.

The Jordan family 

Who does Ella take after?

Ola: Apparently I was bossy and stubborn when I was a toddler. You would think James would be the one like that because he is now!

James: I agree with that. I'm very strong-willed now. I think every one of the readers would think that Ella gets her bossiness from me but apparently, when I was a child, I was pretty much an angel.

Ola: Your mum says you were an angel. I don't quite believe it!

My mum and dad said that I was a nightmare. My dad said that once I dropped something on purpose and for ages I refused to pick it up and stood there saying, 'no'. I was only little, so I was really stubborn.

James: I was an amazing child. You're just jealous! Now Ola knows what her parents went through now because we've got a child the same.

Sometimes I'm arguing with Ella and in my head, I'm going, 'She's two and she's winding me up' – which says more about me than her! She's extremely smart and she's purposely pushing our buttons at the moment.

Ella: I'm not purposely pushing!

James: Haha, she knows we're talking about her. Ella is into everything and has so much energy – you've got to have eyes in the back of your head with her, she climbs over everything.

I think maybe I was more docile as a child. I'm more opinionated and stubborn now I'm older. Until I was 16 I didn't say boo to a goose; I was a shy child. I think I changed when I started having dancing lessons with my coach in London when I was 15, because he was quite a massive character and I looked up to him.

Ola: I don't believe you can turn from a shy child into how you are now!

James: Ola hates to admit that I was a really good child (laughs).

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