When did you start potty training?

[Iwantmycrown]

I read an article recently where it seems parents are potty training their little ones younger and younger....one article mentioned a book that you could read and have your child out of diapers by age two. I was thinking of maybe giving it a whirl with DD now(she turns a year tomorrow). But, at the same time I don't want to put pressure on her and ruin it for future attmepts if this didn't work out. Also when you started potty training...did you go to cloth diapers if you were not already using them? So what age do you think is the best time to train? I found a really great condition potty chair at the local thrift store and got it. I thought of maybe putting her on it in the mornings...before bed....and different times of the day that I know she usually has wet/dirty diapers. Any advice?

[luvmy4sons]

Well...I have boys. I hear they are harder, but not having a girl, I wouldn't know personally. :mrgreen: I found potty training to be very frustrating. And, this is just my opinion, this idea of starting earlier than two, I think is a little questionable. [whatwacko] As an ex Rn, I know that physically children aren't able to control that sphincter at all till the age of 2, hence the age most start thinking about it. But my boys...well I began a saying: " Three years, three months!" After the frist two I didn't even start till close to three. I had two trained at three and two at three years and three months! If it works for you let me know. But I certainly wouldn't get frustrated [crytantrum] till they are three years and three months. I used to tell myself, " Well, they won't walk down the aisle and get married in a diaper. It's okay!" [rotfl]

[NZMummy]

My son is 2 years and 3 months. We haven't really started the potty training (although he has sat on the potty a number of times and done nothing). I think that it will be less stress for everyone if I wait until he shows signs of being consistantly aware that he is going to wet or poo a nappy (he is only just starting to show these signs on a couple of occasions). At least he is starting to tell me when he has a dirty nappy - and I am encouraging him in this because I think that it is the first step (being a typical little boy, dirty nappies have never really bothered him). Over here they now say that kids will usually be ready anywhere between 2 and 3 years - although there is always that unspoken pressure to get them trained as early as possible. Ideally I would have liked to have him trained before his younger sibling arrives - but as it happens he will be only 2 years 7 months and probably not fully trained yet.

[stephwhiz]

Both of mine were fully potty trained at 2 1/2 but every child is different and some take longer. That is okay like you said as long as they aren't wearing that diaper down the aisle. :lol: Stephanie

[JoyLynn]

Leslie, that's funny! :lol: I used to tell myself almost the same thing. I used to think... well, I've never met a teenager who wasn't potty trained yet. Somehow they ALL get it at some point. Brings a little perspective to the situation. :)


Joy [welcomewave]

[mumof2boyz]

Okay, I don't want to discourage you, but please don't train too early!! My sis started training her ds when he was a year, and she was at it a whole year! So I decided with my first one not to do it too early, and since I was expecting a baby 2 months after his 2nd birthday, I said forget it until well after the baby. At 2 years and 5 months, he said one day, "Mommy, I have to go pot!" And that was that - mostly - for about 3 months. Now lately it's gone completely backwards, and I am at my wit's end. He pees and poops in his shorts all the time, and no rewards seem to cut it.

Is it horrible of me to spank when he knows it's totally not the thing to do? I usually give him candy when he goes, so I've tried withholding that or computer games (he loves Dora the Explorer and Pooh), and nothing seems to work! Actually the last couple of days have been a bit better and yesterday :shock: he actually came and told me that he needed to go.

On a lighter note, today I took him to the potty in the grocery store & he went & was dry. When he was done, I went, and he jumped up and down & said "Yaaaay, you didn't pee your shorts!" I had a good laugh... :lol:

[e&m'sirishmum]

My oldest ds turned 3 at the end of May and is not potty trained yet! We have been working on it a little but not aggressively!

[mamallama]

Well, I've been posting in the Potty Training Woes thread about our little girl. We started potty training when she was about 2 1/2 and we almost had her trained.....then baby brother came along and we had to start all over! Every child is different. Ours is finally getting the hang of it...I hope. Just remember to wait for cues from your daughter. Much to contrary belief - it is up to the child, not the parent when to train. They will only go when they get ready.

I am here for you if you ever want to chat about it. Good luck! :D

[love2bmom]

WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF PT WITH OUR 2-1/2 YR. DS. I REALLY THINK IT THE CHILD. MY ONE NIECE WAS PT BY 2 AND MY NEPHEW IS THREE & STILL MAKING HIS MOMMY & DADDY CRAZY. JUST WATCH FOR SIGNS. I THINK TWO FOR MY DS WOULD HAVE DEF. BEEN TOO SOON. YOU KNOW YOUR CHILDREN & WHEN IT IS GOOD TIMING. JUST BE PATIENT & PRAY ALOT... WE ARE DOING A STICKER & REWARD SYSTEM - THIS SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL.

:D :D :D

Myself I wouldn't do it under 2 because it could have created stress and mess that was avoidable (constantly cleaning up pee accidents - no thanks). I trained DD at 2 with heaps of sucess and minimal accidents. I achieved this by taking her into the bathroom with me and saying "This is how you go to the bathroom when you are big" (no don't worry I was very discreet/modest LOL). She took to it like a duck to water. I just couldn't have put myself through possibly doing it when she was too young or not ready.

It does depend on the child too, I say if they are not getting it, although it does take time, then wait because it's not worth driving ourselves crazy over KWIM?

DS I toilet trained at age 3 due to the advice of other Mum's of sons who told me not to bother until then for the same reasons above. He too took it it like a duck to water at that age, although he had some aim issues in the beginning (ROTF).

[Godzgirl]

Every child is different i think you just got read the signs to know if your child is ready. Like interested in the potty, letting you know if he/she is dirty, etc. I tired potty training my daughter when she was a little over a yr. cuz that is what my mom told me to do not because my daughter was ready so it didn't work. She would cry when sat on the potty so clearly she wasn't ready so i let it go. I got hassled by everybody that she needed to be potty trained (which sort of bothered me :roll: ) but i let it go and waited until my daughter was ready. She is now 2 and 1/2 and has been going potty for the past few days. I still can't believe it! :lol: Your little girl will go when the time is right. :wink:

[Reneemomto5]

I agree every child is different. I have some doubts about starting before the age of 2, but I have heard some success stories. None personally though.

I started around 2.5 never any earlier. I always waited until they had dry nights for a few weeks in a row. Than I knew they were really ready. All my boys were potty trained by age 3 day and night. (my first son was a little older for nights).

Also I found the fist born to be the hardest, they others learned soooo much from watching an older sibling. That helped emensly, the younger boys seemed to already know what to do when the time came to train.

[Iwantmycrown]

Thank you all for your posts. Very informative. I think the average age it seems is two and over. I haven't started yet with her. I think I will wait til two or over. Right now we are battling the toilet waterbug syndrome :lol: . So...yeah it would probably be great to wait!

[kanaclark]

Gabe trained himself. he was 100% there at 23 months. I'll probably start working with Bri around 23-24 months.

[7thHeaven]

I read an article recently where it seems parents are potty training their little ones younger and younger....one article mentioned a book that you could read and have your child out of diapers by age two. I was thinking of maybe giving it a whirl with DD now(she turns a year tomorrow). But, at the same time I don't want to put pressure on her and ruin it for future attmepts if this didn't work out. Also when you started potty training...did you go to cloth diapers if you were not already using them? So what age do you think is the best time to train? I found a really great condition potty chair at the local thrift store and got it. I thought of maybe putting her on it in the mornings...before bed....and different times of the day that I know she usually has wet/dirty diapers. Any advice?

Sam is 19 months and we are just now seriously trying to potty train. We tried when she was about 15 months and she just wasn't intrested, so we started to teach her the words 'Pee pee' & 'Poo poo' and anytime one of us go to the potty we say "Mama/Dada's gotta use the potty". She is now at the point where if she needs to go, she will say Pee, Poo or Potty (she just got into this about two weeks ago) and we'll rush her to the potty! She pottied for the first time today- Yay Sam!! [cheer] Another thing we did with Sam, was take her to her potty and let her get familar with it: sit on it, flush it, just kinda check things out. :wink:

We are using pull-ups for her training! But do what works best for you guys! :wink: