When to Start Potty Training? - Chicago,IL

I would give it a try now if you can. I started to potty train my son when he was 2yrs. He had the signs of being ready. I was able to potty train him in 2 days. If you don't try you will never know. If he doesn't get it thats fine and then you can try a little bit later.

Good luck!

J.,

I completely agree with the other mothers. I have two year old boy/girl twins and both of them where potty trained before 2. At about 18 months I got them pottys, which we adorned with Elmo stickers. Started watching the Potty Time Elmo, and I would make them "sit" on their potty while I went (Elmo is very popular in my house). I also would have them sit and read books or sing while on the potty. Every couple of weeks I would let them run around naked. Once I noticed them holding it for extended periods of time I knew it was time. Because they where familiar with the potty already, it was not a big deal. Once I started potty training, I would always have underwear on them. Even if we went out I would put a pull up on over the underwear, I felt it helps them feel when they have an accident. Opposed to what I was told by almost everyone my son was easier to train then my daughter. I agree with the other mother the Baby Bijorn is the best potty for boys because it has a high lid. My kids will still tell me they have to poop and then just pee, so don't worry about your son not knowing the difference, as long as he know he has to go.
Be prepared to spend two weeks in the beginning at home (winter is the perfect time), and start locating the bathrooms at the stores you frequent. I would also recomend buying a folding potty that you can put in your diaper bag. I love mine because the kids can sit on it while in the public bathrooms.

Good LUCK!!

J., I would'nt listen to any magazines on when to potty train. Have you ever asked an older parent or grandparent when their children were potty trained? Everyone has told me between 18-24 months. I personaly believe diaper companies push to keep children in diapers longer to make more money. Every child is different and if you see signs that he might be ready try it out but don't push too hard. If he's ready it really won't take long at all. My son was potty trained around 21 months and did very well. Whenever he went on the potty we did what we called the "potty dance" everyone in the house danced and cheered and he thought it was great. Good luck with your son and remember you know him better than anyone.

Hi J.,

My daughter (now 5 1/2) potty trained at 2 1/2. One day she told me she was done wearing diapers and she never wore another one from that day on and never had an accident.

I had friends who said their kids were potty trained before the age of 2, but those kids had accidents all the time. I'm not really sure how some people define potty trained if a child still has frequent accidents.

Now I also have an 18-month-old who HATES having dirty diapers. It seems early to train him, but I might try and see what happens.

There's not a solution that fits all children. All you can do is give it a try when you think you're both ready.

Best of luck!

M.

J.,

It doesn't hurt to try. It does sound like he is ready. Have him pick out his own potty seat and underwear. Make it a special event. Don't give him anything to drink after 6pm esp nothing fizzy. Expect accidents. Don't make him ashamed of them. Just make him proud for trying. It might not take. If not, try again in a few months. Good Luck! It sounds like he is well on his way. My son started going poopy on the toilet when he was two because he didn't like it in the diaper. But pee pee was a greater challenge. He did not do this until three.

I don't always go with what "experts" say. Your son has clearly displayed signs of readiness. If he gets the concept and is willing to go, why not let him? My son was completely potty trained by his 2nd birthday and I didn't force him. I think he liked the independence.

i would take him if you know he needs to go.....or when he tell you he has a dirty diaper, tell him ok lets go to the potty, if he's as interested as he seams then make the effort to remind him where to go......

My son was 2 when i starte with pull ups and i asked him all day long "do you need to go pee-pee or kaka......and he would say No.....if i cought him about to go i would take him to the potty and sometime we made it other thime we were to late.......but i always made a big deal......and he was very excited.......but he would never go on his own.......and everyone told me "he'll tell you when he's ready.........and i just didn't understand it"...........I started to use big boy pants during the day so he could get use to it(accidents all day long)

and on Oct 19 2006.it was his brother B-day and Isaiahs friend went to the potty with his mom and My son saw and then he went..........that next day i said ok isaiah do you want to put underwear on or pull up...he said underwear and since that day he when all by him self................it was amazing...that in one day he got it..............he was 2.5 when this happened

But that one wk was the hardest wk...................you have to be on top of then, cause they will get distracted and forget to go.........but after that wk it was smooth sailing.............

So try the underwear thing and maybe he'll hate being wet, and try to rush him to the potty it will take sometime because as ready as they seem, they still need you to remond them..........GOOD LUCK

Im going to start potty training my 2yr(his b-day is today)as of today.

J.,

If he is showing an interest go with it. My mom had all of her 10 children potty trained by 2 years of age as were my 3 girls to. I dont understand why some of the children no a days are older than 3 and still not potty trained. My one sister had two of her boys that were not completed with potty training by 3 or even older. They could not do many things that required potty trained children(soccer, tag football, etc..)So if he is showing an interest go with it. Think no more diapers. Yeah !!

J.

Hi J.,
I know that you you have chosen a topic that is WIDELY controversial. I believe that if you feel that he is ready, go with it. Just don't force it. I believe that forcing your child just makes it stressful for you AND them. My daughter is a strong willed little girl and knew that she could go. She just chose when to go and she was scared of pooping. She was fully potty trained before her 3rd b-day and I had been doing it for a year. I did everything that people, doctors, books, magazines, etc told me to do and in the end, it comes down to your child. Please don't feel the pressure of these moms that say that they should be potty trained by a certain age. ALL children are different and you know your child.
It is a trying time but you will do what's best for you and your son.
Good Luck,
K. :~)

I would work with him on going on the big potty. My son just turned 3 & pees on the big potty. He woke up at 3am because he peid his pullup. He doesn't know how to poop on the potty yet, but we're working on it. If your son is showing some intrest in the toilet then go ahead & start the training. DRs tell you not to force the issue, but it seems your son might be ready for the big potty.

I'd go ahead and get the potty out and let him try it out. By the way, the Bjorn potty is EXCELLENT for boys. Easy to clean as it is one piece molded plastic and the guard for boys is part of that so there is nothing removeable for them to try to take off and play with and everything gets into the potty even for boys with the Bjorn potty. My older son was just over 2 when he potty trained. His personality is laid back and he has ALWAYS liked to mimic adults. He took right to it and did VERY well with it. He got a "truck candy" reward (Monster Jam fruit snacks because he's a wheels kid and that's the only time he'd have them). He also got to drink juice on the potty (only time he had juice) which gave him ammunition to go and incentive to stay sitting on the potty until he went. So it was relatively quick and easy with him. He just turned 3.5 and he is just now starting to more consistently be dry all night (like every other night now and not real wet anymore on the nights he doesn't stay dry).
My second son will be 2 next week. He seems very similar to your son. I took the potty out at about 18 months because he was like your son with everything. Although my son liked the idea, he seemed and still seems kind of afraid to go potty in the seat and REALLY afraid of sitting on the actual potty. For now, I have day care kids potty training so he is around it and the potty is out and all. He once in a while wants to sit on it, but the closest he's come is peeing next to it on the floor a couple times after standing up from sitting on it. He's pooped on the potty 4 times, but that was because I knew he needed to go, so I placed him on the potty while he hugged me (he has a hard time pooping, so it's easier for it to come on the potty anyway). With his personality, he doesn't mimic near so much as my first did. He definitely likes to do his own thing, so I'm sure that part of his personality plays into it too...sounds like a good idea to him, but when it comes down to it, he's fine with being the only one in diapers and doesn't care to conform and do as everyone else does.
Main thing I'd say is take it at his pace, so it can be a positive experience for everyone. Can encourage him to try the potty every 45 minutes or so. Pullups don't help potty training, though they make it easier when the child is going on the potty, but not consistently staying dry. And a little reward when they go. Stickers if that works for your child, or we used a fruit snack for my older son and now we are using Yogos...one Yogo each time they go on the potty, so each little packet lasts a few days. It does help to begin early, I believe, because you catch them before they get attached to the diaper, before they feel so interupted by it from playing, and it's more of a fun game when they are little as they are so excited to get you excited. Stubbornness often sets in as they get older. So I'd say at least get the potty out now for him to try it, but just don't count on anything. :) Best wishes!!

If he has most of the signs than why not try, the worst that will happen is that he isn't ready, and you'll have to try again in a few months. Besides with wionter coming that is a great time because you'll be inside more anyhow. Is he starting to wake up dry at naps and sometime at night? That's a huge sign that he is gaining control over his body. Call me old fashioned, but the sooner they are potty trained the better, I plan to start my daughter next month at 15 months, figure I may as well. Even if they have lots of accidents at this age, so what, at least your reiterating that this is where you go potty. I started my son at closer to two, I want to say about 20 or 22 months, he was completely potty trained by three with only the occasional nightime accident from 3-4. And honestly, he only had some rare daytime accidents by 2 1/2, if he did they had more to do with him being to busy to use the potty, or just not wanting to use the potty. Good luck with you decision, and I am sure whatever you do will work out greeat.

I would give it a shot. Make it low pressure. Set up a reward system (stars and a treat once he gets some number of stars or whatever) if it helps. No penalty if he doesn't succeed though, of course. Don't forget the list says "most" boys.