How Can I Potty Train My 25 Month Old Daughter?

I wanted my 20somthing month old to train when my second came along too. She wouldn't do it until she was ready - but what did help get her interested besides the books, were the Elmo's Potty Time movie; and Elmo Potty Time doll. But more than ANYthing else - her best friend (about one year older than she) was potty trained and my daughter wanted to do everything she did. It really boosted the process.

It is sometimes possible to train kids this young. It's usually a case of the parent being trained to remember frequent potty stops, to learn to recognize their child's "about-to-pee" behavior and "most-likely-to-poop" schedule, and being willing to put up with frequent cleanups.

And even when the child figures it out, it's not always for keeps. Once the child realized the responsibility stretches on for the rest of her life, she not infrequently regresses. Regression is also extremely common with a new sibling distracting the parents, and many experts recommend NOT trying until the new family dynamics are established.

Every family I've known has had the best results with waiting until the child wants to train. And they do, just like they want to learn to walk and talk. It's excellent to talk about potty training and what the body does, it's great to play potty games with toys, puppets, and occasionally the child, it's great to read books and watch videos, to let her watch you use the toilet, to observe how much easier time she'll have when she learns to use the potty and doesn't have to stop for diaper changes. (I thought of this as "pre-training" with my daughter.)

And at some point, she'll start asking more questions, indicating that she wants to try, perhaps even sitting on the potty herself. She'll probably ask for big-girl panties. That's when you can let her know you'll help her remember; let her help you work out a plan so she's got some control, and go for it. Kids will often train in a matter of days at that point, with diminishing mistakes with every try.

Children who are ready for this step forward tend to take great pride in the accomplishment. Children who are pushed into it tend to become irritable and resistant, or even worse, begin to feel a sense of failure and frustration.

So, if you decide to go for it, and your daughter hasn't yet shown initiative or that she can reliably recognize her urges, be prepared with a timer, toys and books for the potty, and a supply of cleanup rags. Also, be aware that poop training and night training are sometimes separate steps for some children.

Best of luck to you both.

Hi C.,
Well I have my own opinion about potty training, I guess because I am from Mexico and I have notice that in poor countries mom seem to potty train earlier then in USA, it does make sense to me, also notice that the size of diapers are getting bigger and bigger.
Don't take me wrong, I am not against or in favor of neither, I think it depends in many factors, the child, your economic situation, your patience, time, etc, etc.
My first daughter was Pee trained before 2, and it wasn't that hard, maybe I was just lucky, I just start putting her in girl panties and keep a close eye when she start to pee, but my mom help me a lot and my mom had my sister just a year before I have mine!! So my daughter liked o imitate my sister.
Now with my 2 years old I am just staring, but I am not in a hurry like before and neither her, lol.
I start buying her books about Potty training and she seats in her potty while I read, I let her come with me when I go to the bathroom, I got her the video Elmo and Potty and she watches that.
I let her be around the house without diaper and I keep a close eye when she goes. So far, she hasn't go yet in her potty, but I think she knows what is all about and I am ready to make a big celebration dance when she finally get it.
I totally recommend to buy lots of panties and use some old towels to clean the mess, of all the potty books I have my favorite and her favorite too is "Once Upon a Potty" Is so realistic without being offensive.
My daughter love it and is one of her favorite books.

I think waiting to their ready is the best way to go, but I was lucky enough to have my daughter (at 2 1/2) says, "I don't want to wear diapers any more mommy." What we did is set the timer and put her on the potty ever 15 min. Once she seemed to be successful with that, we upped it to 20 or 30 min. We spent the first 3 or 4 days at home and just played and sat on the potty. When she started not wanting to we would give her choices (do you want to run or walk to the potty? Do you want 2 or 3 squares of tp? etc). I also went out and bought $10 or $20 of cheap little toys at a party supply store and let her take 1 toy out for pee in the potty and 2 out for poop. I realized after I bought them that I could just put them back in the bag at night for her to earn the next day and she never noticed.
When we got to the point that we were out running errands and such we would use the potty when we got to a place and then when we were leaving. We still do that (she just turned 3) where we go potty when we get to Target, Costco or wherever, but we don't do it on the way out now. She just relapsed and started having accidents again so we are back to pull ups at naps (we only used pull ups at naps and bed time, not as a training tool) but we've just started talking up potty time again.
Best of luck!
C.

We did the 3 Day Potty Training method (from www.3daypottytraining.com) with our 21 month old daughter because it came highly recommended from a friend and she is totally potty trained! Yay! We also did it because we had a second child coming and are very pleased with the results. Good luck!

my kids were all potty trained before the age of 2..both at about 22 months. i am not the type of mom that says they'll do it when they are ready...no. so, back to the point. one weekend with no plans. we threw out the left over diapers together...mom, dad, baby, and even her older sisters. (get a sitter for the newborn, you daughter will need all of your attention. even if the sitter is down stairs.) we locked ourselves in the master bedroom, mommy, daddy and baby. she kept her shirt on, but no bottoms. took the potty chair and placed it in the middle of the room and just played with toys, read books, at snacks and drank as much fluids as we could get her to consume.... and every ten minutes on the nose asked her if she needed to go potty. if the answer was no, then we asked if she wanted something to drink. we talked about the potty, and how the diapers used to catch the peepee, but now since they are all gone we have to let the potty catch it. anything to keep her attention on the potty and going potty. the first time she went, she dribbled on herself before we could get her on the pot...and then..we'll, it's party time...the potty caught the peepee!!!! im talking jumping up and down, screaming, laughing, clapping, dancing...the second time about an hour later, she said..oh, i have to peepee, she dribbled but we got the majority of it in the potty...and once again...paarrttttyyyyy!!! LOL...so after a day of this she got the picture. we got her the thick panties for daycare cause the dribble continues for a few weeks until they learn how to identify they have to go without feeling it come out. she has never used diapers at night...because we would keep a potty next to her bed..! seriously...! and i kid you not, has never, ever had an accident at night or at home. she did at daycare three or four times...but usually because she was having a blast and didn't realize she had to pee. now, she is almost three, been potty trained for over a year...goes to the potty alone, wipes, flushes, turns the light off, etc...well, she doesn't wipe the messy ones...lol...and this is the second time I have been completely successful with this method. some people don't agree that potty training so young is good. You should have seen the look on my daycare lady’s face when I said, “ok potty training weekend”! ..we'll, I think people don't give kids enough credit….they are the most amazing creatures, and watching them learn something is truly a gift…I think I am one of the only people I know that says they enjoyed potty training…HAHAHAHA…maybe im just weird..who knows. But, it works!

Good luck, and congrats on the new addition! :)

I would start out by taking her to the bathroom with you when you go and telling her that on (whatever) day she is going to start wearing panites and pottying in the toilet. Then, sit her on the toilet so she can get used to it. Then, when (whatever) day comes, put her in training panties (NOT pull-ups) and tell her she needs to let you know when she has to go. Then, from there, start sitting her on the potty at regular intervals. She will undoubtedly potty in her pants and will be thoroughly shocked at the mess it makes when she doesn't have a diaper on. You just keep doing that until she gets it but under no circumstances use pull-ups. That takes away any progress you may make because kids are not stupid and they know a diaper when they see one, no matter how it's put on!

You wait till SHE decides she's ready. I would much rather change diapers than clean up messes.

Yeah waiting til they are ready is best.. I was in the same situaiton as you.. .my daughter was 2 and I had an infant.. and man the money spent on diapers was crazy.. so I just made sure I took her every 20 min to the toilet... she had a few accidents but in a about 2 weeks she was potty trained.. I still put them on at night because she doesnt wake up yet to go.. but still a lot less money now! Good Luck

She will potty train herself when she is ready. Buy a potty and put it next to yours and she if she is interested.

We did it around that age, as did a couple of our friends by simply going cold turkey during the days (not nap/night time). It does mean not going out much those few first days, and being ready to deal with accidents. With the weather nice over the summer, have her play outside. We

She had seen friends/older toddlers go. She understood the concept of wet/dry, and did not like being wet/dirty (not necessarily diapers, but, in general, did not like being dirty). She also would tell us after she pooped that she needed a change.

We took her to the potty often (never traumatic or forcing it), and did not make a big deal of her accidents. Though did have her help clean up. No bribery. Nothing to make it seem like a big deal (other than clapping and praising her for when she did go to begin with). She did not like the idea of sitting on the big toilet to begin with so we got her a small $3 Ikea one for the ground. We also had her wear clothes so she really got why being wet is no fun.

She got it within a few days ... though still occasionally has an accident every now and then and/or fights having to go if she is playinge She is still in a night time diaper.

I kind of get the whole "when they are ready." I simply do not believe that means, they tell you. There are signs like understanding wet/dry, having some concept of poop/pee, being able to follow instructions, being able to pull down their own pants, etc. that show they are ready.

Good luck and congrats on no. 2.

C., Congradulations on the new baby and for being brave enough to try to potty train after all the new changes a new baby brings and she is still a baby becoming a toddler herself.
We have a potty chair that "talks " to the child when they sit down. She likes to sit on it while watching TV or when we are in the bathroom ourselves. We even put some picture books near it. It will take time and patience and then it will just happen---- you can always bribe with m&m's or something special. That works as well. Just be mindful that it takes much longer to get them to have a BM in the toilet, so don't be discouraged. Our 3 yo was scared to have a BM in thetoilet becasue she thougth it was a lack of control and she didn't like the splash sound. Her little body might be telling her she has to go to the bathroom although she isn't sure what it means just like with our body does. Good Luck