How Do I Know When He's Ready?

Hi J.,

My daughters both learned how to use the potty between 18 and 24 mos, not because we forced it on them, but because they were interested. I truly believe that a child will let you know when he is ready to accomplish something, and that you should follow his timetable, and not necessarily the one that the books give you (or anyone else, for that matter). Hope that helps!

S. V

My son started around 18 months but they wouldn't reinforce it at daycare until he was in the 2 yr old room. So we (my mom and I) just casually put him on the toilet w/ one of those cushion potty seats a couple times a day and we oo'd and aw'd and put him on after he would eat knowing he'd have to poop soon. We also got all the elmo, bear in the big blue house, etc goes to the potty videos. And those were the only kind of videos we'd watch. We were really casual and made it a big game. So when he went to the 2 yr old room he all ready had a sense of what he was to do. So we stopped wearing pull ups and put big boy pants on. He did have a couple accidents with pee but never pooped on the big boy pants. I think this worked because every time he pooped we shook out the poop from the pullup in the toilet and said put the poop in there. With in one week of every one reinforcing it he was trained.
I really am glad because around 2 1/2-3 yrs he got really stuborn and developed his own mind about how he liked things. His toys, his food, his clothes. I know if we hadn't done it early he would have been alot tougher.(he's 5 yrs now and definitely willful)
On that note, I have just purchased a princess cushioned potty chair for my 16 month old daughter who points to her self and brings me a clean diaper when she's pooped.
I say good luck and go with the cues your child gives you. Also remember people who live in tribal cultures don't have diapers and their kids are trained to go were the parents go by the time they can walk. Hope this helps.

I haven't gone through potty training yet, my twins are only 13 months, but both my grandmother and mother said their kids were all potty trained by 18 months. My grandmother had 3 kids that were 18 months apart (and then another a couple of years down the road), she said she didn't want to have to wash cloth diapers for 2, so she had the older one potty trained by the time next one was born, and the same thing when her 3rd was born. My mom said that both my brother and I were easy to potty train and we were also done by 18 months. I fully plan to start early with my twins. If he is interested in it and he likes to flush, I definitely say go for it. It will be easier if he's interested in it. My Aunt had a hard time with her youngest daughter because she was scared when the toilet would flush, so be thankful he isn't and I'll cross my fingers that things will happen fast and easy for you :o)

I think if he is showing interested in it why not.I dont think its ever too early to potty train a child.My son(who is now 15)was potty trained by age 18months.All of my kids way before the age of 2.Start by putting a potty chair out,see if he wants to sit on it.Wont hurt to see. Good Luck!

The average age of showing interest is 18 months to 3 years. We did elimination communication so mine's been using the potty much of the time since 5 months, with varying success, but it really started clicking around 17 or 18 months.

An easy way to get started is to put him on the potty when he wakes up. Even if he doesn't wake up dry, he probably has to pee then. If he's ready, he'll make the mental connection and start letting you know that he wants to go potty. Of course you want to be patient; it can take a long time. Stay positive about it as much as you can. If he ever doesn't want to sit on the potty just put a diaper/pullup on him; don't push. I think it helps to focus with them on how it makes them feel -- like "Isn't it nice to go in the potty and not have to have a wet/dirty diaper on and have your bottom all yucky?" rather than just "Good job!" or whatever.

Both of my daughters were potty trained by the time they were 2. I started them around 16 months old. If he is interested try it. If it is more of a frustration to both of you then put it off for a bit but at least then he knows a bit about it already.

i dont think it's ever too early. my son was about that age when we got him his own potty seat, one of those lil ones. we didnt force him to use it, just kinda put it there and when he did use it we rewarded him or at least made him see it was a big boy thing to do, he eventually started to do it more on his own. it seemed to work pretty good, maybe u could try it and see how it works.

Oh heck no get him started now if he is willing to learn...i heard boys are a lot harder to potty train....and don't wait until he is three or four when he knows that going in his pants is bad and still does it....i think those people are lazy and don't want to deal with the stress of the training trust me its hard and takes a lot of patience...my daughter is going to be 3 in February and she has been potty trained for almost a year and she don't even wear diapers to bed...and only has had 2 accidents since we went diaper free.

Also if you get him his own little potty and also his own little potty seat that sits on the big potty...i think he'll be more interested. Take him with you when you go and tell him to sit on his potty in front of you or beside you and try to pee in it. Always praise him for when he goes. and you could ask him if he would like to use the big potty or the little potty letting them chose makes them feel better about going...my daughter likes to chose even now she decides which one she wants to pee or poop on.

So don't let anyone discourage you from trying to train him...if it takes a while it takes a while...all children learn at a different stage...but i wouldn't wait to teach him...he may get scared later on...if he is intrested now keep it that way...thats what i did and i am soo excited now...no more diapers or diaper bag.

Good luck to you and your son....sorry i wrote so much!lol

its not to o early to start if he is interested then i would suggest starting now while he can be entertained by the idea

No you can try him on it, just dont get upset if he dosent
want to do it all the time. hope this helps
S.

I would say go ahead and try it. My daughter just turned 10, but when she was little I started potty training her when she turned 1 yr old. I didn't use a potty chair. I bought a padded seat with little handles that fit right onto the toilet. I had ordered it from a company back then, but nowadays they sell them at WalMart,Kmart,and such. The second time I put her on she peed and I clapped and praised her so much she was smiling. I guess after a few times she caught on mentally that mommy was so proud of her, eventually she started clapping too. She would crawl down the hallway to the bathroom(she didn't walk till she was 15 mths) pull herself up and tap on the lid to let me know she had to go. It does take time and you have to have lots of patience. The big thing is not to expect them to go everytime when they first start. If he tries and doesn't go still praise him with something like 'good try buddy, we'll try again later'. Though I started when my daughter was 1, she didn't master it until she was 18 mths. I started putting pull ups on her during the day and still a diaper at night. That only lasted a week. She stood dry throughout the day so I bought underwear for her. I kept a diaper on her at night cause I figured night training would come later. But she suprised me a couple weeks later when she started waking up in the night crying cause she had to go pee. After another week or so of her staying dry at night too I left her in the underwear at night. She was completely potty trained, underwear day and night, no accidents, by 20 mths. Yes it did take some time, but I expected it would since I started so young, but I also thought of it this way, all the money I saved not having to buy diapers anymore! I worked in daycare for years and so I've 'helped' potty train many kids, boys and girls. I can say from personal experience that it is much easier to potty train when they are under the age of 2. The most difficult ones I potty trained where the 3 yr olds. My niece, who I watch everyday is 18 mths and I will be 'helping' potty train her shortly as well.
Good luck J.!

do it now! they used to potty train kids younger then 12 months, now the norm is supposed to be 3.. my daughter is almost 3 and will not do anything in the potty seat! So u are soo lucky!

My son is also 17 months, and does the exact same thing, he'll even see if he can sit on the potty. I don't think he's ready at all, I think it's just a cool thing for them. It's just like any toy, lifting things up, making noise, etc. I personally thing it's way too early. I have a 4 1/2 year old and she started potty training around 2 1/2, and was done before she turned 3. I know everyone develops differently and he may be ready earlier, but I just think that 17 months is way too early.