Potty training

I will be ready to start potty training my 2 yo DD in about 2 weeks. Any

Pologirl...

Mine is just 2. At 18 months he seemed ready on most points (walking,
telling us when he needed a diaper change, and for what, familiar with
how adults do it, interested in the whole process including sitting on
his potty and pretending to go and then dumping the results in the
toilet and flushing, saying "bye bye pee pee"). So, during a warm
spell I tried taking the diapers off. It was a disaster. He held his
pee as long as he could (3, 4 hours), denied he had to pee, then
abruptly wet himself and cried. Each time, 3 or 4 in all, he became
more upset. We stopped everything to do with potty training, but for
months afterward he avoided everything associated with it. Only now is
he showing new progress: starting to try to undress himself, starting
to tell us *before* he goes that he is about to go, starting to
practice how he wants to do it. He wants to use the toilet just like
everyone else, not his potty chair nor his squat pot. He invented a
new game this week: he has us hold him on the toilet while he is fully
clothed, so he can pretend to go (or maybe he does go, in his diaper),
then he throws in some toilet paper, and flushes.

I regret that early potty training attempt. I probably should have put
him on the potty before asking if he had to pee, so that if my
suggestion caused him to lose control then at least he would be in a
position to succeed, not fail. And anyway we started too early,
because he was not ready. He is the kind of child who always decides
for himself when he is ready to try something new. We just have to be
patient.

tips, hints, suggestions, or advice would be greatly appreciated. I've
never done this and am a bit nervous. Thanks all!

Dagny...

As yet another of my minority viewpoints, I say if you are ready, she is
ready. Potty learning by 18 months is common in many cultures, including
the US culture two generations ago. The cynic in me wonders if the "signs
of readiness" are not promulgated by the diaper industry. No, my 14 month
old can't pull down his own pants, but it is my personal preference to get
him out of diapers notwithstanding that he will need help when wearing
clothes.

Look, my 14 month old is on day 3 of part day pottying (when we are home)
and he's running oh, 65% ish. I know he is a genius, but I don't know that
you would agree that he is smarter than your kid :)

Jamie Clark...

Are you really training him, or are you training yourself? I can take my
kid to pee every 30 minutes to an hour, but I don't consider that potty
trained unless the child recognizes the sensation of a full bladder, lets me
know that they have to pee or poop, and then does it on the toilet. Me just
knowing their schedule and making sure that their is a pot under their hiney
while they are eliminating doesn't constitute potty trained in my book.

I do agree that a few generations ago people tended to potty train much
younger than today. But, they also started solids much sooner. If it's
working for you, that's a good thing, though.

Jeanne...

I honestly think there is a window between 12 and 15 months to potty
train the child. DD was bowel movement trained then. It was a matter
of her recognizing the sensation and telling me that she had to poop.
Could she pull down her own pants? No. People tell me that *I* was
trained but you know what? As long as the result was no more poopy
diapers, I don't really care *who* was trained.

Anne Rogers...

I'd agree with this too, it was definitely a case of me recognising he was
about to go, but I missed the opportunity as I couldn't find a potty small
enough for DS to sit on, he was and still is tiny and I did look! But he
literally fell in them and couldn't get out, so that was a no go!

WIth DS, I tried at 17 or 18 months thinking the window was still there
but alas, no.

Anne Rogers...

Jamie Clark...

We have little potties in both the downstairs bathroom and the girls
upstairs bathroom, so Addie has been exposed to the potty for her whole
life, basically. She loves to come in and sit down on the potty fully
clothed, when I pee. She's so proud, and says, "poyee." But, if you strip
her down and put her on the potty nekkid, she does not like it at all, and
fights it. I think it feels very vulnerable and scary, so I don't do that
anymore. We'll just let her sit on it clothed until she's ready to take the
next step.

Taylor has just had a growth spurt, and can now climb on and off the big
potty without a step stool, and is comfortable without the ring, so that's a
major accomplishment in my book, and a step in the right direction for
finalizing the pee training.

do it when she is ready, not when you are ready, it can be difficult enough
when they are ready, but if they aren't, then it's heading for disaster, but
if you are both ready to go, here is what I would do.

For a few days stay at home, don't put any clothes on the bottom half,
always have the potty within sight. If within 2-3 days they haven't got it,
give up. If they are basically getting the idea, then it's time to start
going out, be prepared for accidents and don't wear trainer pants, use big
girl pants and encourage good habits, such as going to the toilet before you
leave the house and after a meal and so on. We have very very rarely had
accidents when out, a couple in the car seat and once, sat on my knee,
accidents at home have been more frequent when we've been more relaxed.

Sue...

Is your daughter ready?

Jamie Clark...

LOL! That was my exact thought!

Stephanie...

You may be ready in 2 weeks. Will she?