Potty Training 15 Month Old.

Updated on March 24, 2009
S.H. asks from Bremen, IN
18 answers

So, my 15 month old daughter has an extreme interest in the potty. It started to really take off one day when my hubby was changing her diaper. He said she looked like she was about to go again (right as he was putting the clean diaper on) and so he took her and sat her on the big potty. She apparently held herself there with his help and pooped! IDK if she actually knew what she was doing but she let him wipe her and got down. They flushed and washed their hands. She was very proud and excited (smiling, laughing, clapping her hands, etc..) when he praised her. For the next few days she would go in the bathroom and want to sit on the potty. She never pooped again but was showing interest so we went and got her a little potty of her own. SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT! When we brought it home we let her explore it. My hubby is a SAHD and has asked her about every 1/2 hour if she has to go. She almost always says yes b/c she loves to sit on the potty and over the last few days she has peed about 3 times in it. However, she has also sat on it and then stood up and peed on the floor literally 2 seconds later. My parents got her training pants which she thinks are fabulous also. However, I am not sure if she is ready for them yet.It's been almost 10 years since I have done this. She is obviously interested int the potty but I don't think she is able to know when she has to go. I feel like she is so young b/c I took my son till past three to get this. However, I don't want to pass over her interest. So my question is....are we on the right track? Are her potty successes a fluke? Even if they are should we take this as a good start and roll with it? AAAAAHHHHH....HELP!!! What do you ladies think?

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A.M.

answers from Cincinnati on

If I were you I would keep the interest going. The interest will go in phases. Right now she might be interested and in about a month she will move on to another interest. Just be patient with her. My chldren did this they would suddenly get itnerested for about a month and then all of a sudden the interest would drop off.
But I would encourage it, hey if she decides to not wear diapers anymore that is more money in your pocket.

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L.H.

answers from Columbus on

My daughter did the same thing. She was 13 monoths old. I did what you did and bought the potty seat and started to train her. She would go potty for jelly beans. I bought the Elmo Potty Time dvd, which she still loves, as well as the Once Upon a Potty Book, which we have read so many times I had to tape it back together. That was her favorite book for a year! We did not talk about it a lot other than to praise her for going potty. It literally took about a month to train her. Now she is two and just made 6 nights without an accident and doesn't get up in the night to go. When she makes 4 nights in a row, we go to ice cream. When she makes 6 nights, I spend the night in her room and have a slumber party with her. If she makes it until Monday I am going to let her stay up to watch part of her favorite show (Dancing with the Stars). This seems to be working.

Don't doubt it. She is old enough to control her urine. Just go with it and be happy that it is working!

L.
Single mom to 2 year old daughter

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M.C.

answers from Cleveland on

I think you should keep going Girls seem to "get it" faster then boys I have 3 girls and 2 boys and 2 grand kids one boy and one girl the girls started training around 15 - 16 months the boys trained in 3-4 days but they were all around 3 years old
Good Luck

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B.A.

answers from Indianapolis on

I know what you are going through. My daughter is a year old and we got her a potty chair about a month ago. Every time that my husband or I go to the bathroom we take her in and ask her if she has to go potty, (we use baby sign with her) and she will always say yes. Most of the time she will go potty on her potty chair, we will ask her if she is all done on the potty and she will either say yes or no (agian it is signed) and there have been a couple times where she will tell us no she is not ready to get off the potty and has already peed and then will poop in the potty. The problem I am having is that daycare does not feel that she is old enough to be potty training. So yes it is possible to potty train her at this age. There are other countrys that potty train as soon as they can sit up. you might what to look into the "potty trained in 3 days".

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M.S.

answers from Bloomington on

I would say follow her cues!! this may be a phase that she passes through... but maybe it'll stick! the important thing is that you stay positive and encouraging and be ok with diapers if she has a bad day. My daughter trained before she was two, and we have a friend who also did!

i decided to wait until the diapers stayed dry to go to panties... it took longer but i couldn't handle accidents in a happy way and would get frustrated which i knew wouldn't help... one day she just got it and was totally trained from then on!

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G.B.

answers from Dayton on

I would say give it a shot but make it low key. Strip her from the waist down and let her run around naked with a little potty wherever she normally plays. You might find that she is ready and goes by herself. Give it a few days or a week - the only thing you've lost is time cleaning up accidents. No harm no foul in trying!

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M.S.

answers from Cleveland on

Keep up the good work with your little one. My oldest daughter is over 30 now and that is the way she happened to get potty trained. She was so interested in the big potty,I got her a wooden potty chair(this was over 30 years ago)and she was so excited.
But she only would use the bathroom in the big potty, she used her potty chair as a regular chair. And the training pants just got her more interested, she realized after a few months that she didn't like the feel of the wet pants and would take them off herself. She learned quickly. More quickly than boys, I think. So keep it up, she will let you know if she isn't interested yet. But it sounds like she is.

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M.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

Go for it! My oldest son is 5 now but started using the potty at 17 months. He wore a pullup if we left the house and at bedtime. He rarely had a daytime accident. My 20 month old just started trying but I think he will take longer to learn but its ok. They know when they're ready

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K.S.

answers from Columbus on

Yeah for you and your daughter!!!! My daughter started pooping on the potty at about 16months. I've only changed about 1/2 dozen or so dirty diapers since then. At first, I noticed her starting to strain and put her on the potty, but within the last couple of months, she has been doing it on her own. She is about 28 months. So, within the last year, she has been pooping very well. Peeing, on the other hand, is a whole separate issue. Whenever she poops, she will usually pee, but with no real consistency. Anna is right, that it went in phases. Only now is she really started to pee with any regularity. If she goes without a diaper, she does pretty well. And, she does know when she needs a diaper change. But, I'm still leery about taking her out in public. She would probably do great, so it's my own hangup. So, encourage it!! yes, it might be a fluke, but it might not. She is showing interest and who knows where it will lead. Follow her lead and don't get frustrated if she loses interest for awhile. I, personally, didn't worry about peeing and just kept with the pooping. I hate poopy diapers. Good luck

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P.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

Where is her potty chair located? We had enough run we kept it the bathroom. A little running water when they are sitting on it is a great way to help the urge. Play patty cake, read a short book, sing a happy song with her while she sits there. When she goes on the potty there is a reward with lots of praise. My sister-in-law used skittles, we used pennies for their banks. If there is an accident we acted sad and disappointed.
Good luck. My boys were the hardest to train they were both 18 months old before we were finally there, my daughter was trained at 13 months.

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D.T.

answers from Indianapolis on

Almost every child goes through a period of being interested in the potty around 18 months old. Sometimes it lasts a few weeks or months, sometimes just days. She may or may not be ready. Most experts would say she's too young to be truly potty trained. It depends on what you define "potty trained" to be. Most experts say that means your child can do everything by herself - recognize the urge to go, go to the bathroom, pull down pants, sit on toilet, wipe, flush, pull up pants, wash hands, dry hands and go back to playing. Most kiddos can't do all those things by themselves at just 18 months -- it's usually closer to the 3rd birthday. So experts will tell you that your child isn't potty trained but rather you are 'trained' to help her. There's nothing wrong with that and many parents do it... it just comes down to your defination.

IMO, let her explore the potty and even use it a few times a day. Every 1/2 hour is too much pressure, though, I think. She doesn't "get it" yet. If she's sitting on the potty every 1/2, when is she playing? I think it's better for her to just continue playing at this age because there is a TON of learning going on in random free play at this age.

I know plenty of parents who have "trained" their child as young as yours but in reality (and they'll admit it) they just have their child in a regular feed/sleep schedule and they've learned the visual clues that their child is about to pee/poop and get them to the toilet on time. Or if the child does recognize the feeling and tell them, the parent still has to do almost everything for the child - carry to toilet, pull down/up clothes, help wash hands, etc.

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M.C.

answers from Cleveland on

I wouldn't stress out about it. It took almost a year for my daughter to completely "get it" and that was off and on the potty. Her interest waxed and waned, but when she was interested, she did really well. Good luck!!!

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D.T.

answers from Muncie on

Personally, it might have just been a fluke, but if you can catch her more often when she pees/poops in the potty she'll slowly get the idea. Don't push her but keep it fun, roll with it. It's not going to do any harm for her to sit there and sing songs and do dances when she actually does go. It is called "training" for a reason.

A thing that's working for me is telling her what she's doing when she's going. "Oh my, you're going pee pee! Wow, pee pee in the potty, so good!!" That way she can associate the sensation of going and the sound of going with the proper words. That way when you ask her if she has to go she'll have a better chance understanding what you're after.

Good luck.

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K.Y.

answers from Canton on

relax every child is different and every child seems to have their own timetable.my youngest daughter completely pottybroke bottle broke herself at 1 year old.also taught herself how to undress and dress herself at that age.she is now 19 and very very bright

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N.R.

answers from Cleveland on

Absolutely!! We started putting our girl on the potty at 4 months old. She pees and poos in the potty on an on and off basis, but the big thing is she is not afraid of it! I see so many moms saying that their 3 year old hates the potty and hides in the corner to poo and they are having such a hard time potty training their child. I've seen my nephew do this same thing. My daughter is 20 months old now and I really think she'll be potty trained by 2.

The big thing is to not make a big deal out of using the potty or accidents. My daughter still pees on the floor at times. They still aren't completely aware of their bladder and the need to go at this age. Just keep offereing it and don't be upset if they don't go, nor get super crazy excited when they do. using the potty is a normal thing when we are older, so make it a normal thing when they are a child.

She might be sitting on it every 30 minutes now, but the novelty will wear off soon and then she will probably go through a phase where she will not sit on the potty. Just roll with it. There will be good days and there will be not so good days, but I say go for it. You won't regret it.

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J.H.

answers from Columbus on

I have 5 kids and when my oldest daughter was 15 months she also started showing interest in the potty. We encouraged her to use it. We would let her sit on the potty and play a wooden puzzle or look at a book. She was completely potty trained (including most nights!) by the time she was 18 months. My boys, on the other hand, were 2 or 21/2 when they were potty trained. My 4th child, also a girl, is just now 16 months and she is showing interest in the potty. So we are trying the same thing.
I think it never hurts to try! Why miss the opportunity for them to grow because some people think they are too young. I say give it a try! We are in the same boat as you!

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N.S.

answers from Columbus on

Its not at all unusual for boys to take longer to train than girls. My son wasn't fully potty trained until he was almost four. (I thought the day would never come!!) But then my daughter was potty trained by the time she was two. So, it varies. Basically, if she's interested, indulge her. You certainly won't hurt her by doing so, even though it may wear you out to run to the potty every thirty minutes. And I hate to say it this way, but just like house training a puppy (which I know a child and a puppy are not the same, lol)but....pay attention to when she eats/drinks....and have her sit on the potty about half an hour afterwards, as she is more likely to "go" at those times, resulting in successful potty sessions more often, which will help her to "get it" more quickly.

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M.M.

answers from Kokomo on

I have 4 kids and each of them did this. Between 15 and 19 mths they showed wild enthusiasm about the potty and we had hit and miss (eww!) usage. Despite effort and encouragement of us parents none of the 3 really had consistent control and understanding of their bladder until they were at least 2 yrs old. Best of luck, just wanted to give you a comparision.

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