Potty Chair or Seat Recommendations

From what I understand, if you end up buying a separate potty, you have to retrain them on the big potty. So I would just get a seat for each toilet and let him start off on the big throne! I agree with Mother N...wait until he's older. I've also been told (by a former daycare owner who has trained hundreds of kids) that most kids just do not have the abilities to be potty trained until they are at least nearly 3 years old.

I agree that 16 months may be a bit young to expect your son to be potty trained. That being said, I see nothing wrong with getting a potty seat for him to sit on in the bathroom so that he starts to get the idea that people use toilets. You can't force a child to actually use the toilet until they are ready (physically & emotionally) to start contolling their own body. We used the Baby Bjorn potty seat with our daughter and really liked it because it was easy to wash. She started potty training at about 18 months but was not out of diapers until 3. Good luck!

Since going pee pee is always first in potty training me and my parents (our childcare) used the Peter Potty. It is a toddler size urinal. It sounds really weird to teach the boys to do it standing up but they want to imitate their daddies and it works well. And so cute. It worked for my son who I feel is fully potty trained except during naps and at night but we still have him in a crib so we are okay with that. Even when he's sick he tells us when he has to go. And he won't be three until February!!! Good luck.

Potty chair is the way I went. My kids were 10 1/2 months and 11 1/2 months trained.They like the stability getting on and off the chair. It's well balanced on the floor rather than having to be lifting them on the big potty until your child is 3-4 and can manage it on their own safely.

I completely agree with Alison S's post. 16 months is a good time to ask if they want to use the potty readily available on the floor. That's the route I like to go with kids (my own and for the most part my home day care kids as well), allowing them to master it as they are naturally ready, encouraging but not pushing. My first potty trained a month after he turned 2, but second is a couple months after 3 and we are just now getting it, though he has had more obstacles in terms of contipation and sensory sensitivities. But the Bjorn potty (just 9.99 at Babies R Us and VERY easy to clean as it's one piece of molded plastic without hard to reach crevices and a built-in pee guard with the plastic being molded high in the front) is excellent particularly for the boys. Both my boys really liked using that seat, and all that used it easily then transitioned to the big potty when ready without any issue. Sometimes the big potty is intimidating ESPECIALLY when training a younger toddler, so the separate chair seems to work better, and really the transition to the big potty is nothing to worry about. They all have told me when they wanted to use the big potty and then we just switched over no problem. Best wishes!! :)

Baby Bjorn stool and seat are excellent and sturdy.

Hi M.,
I think you're jumping the gun trying to potty train at 16 months. Most kids are 2 to 3 before they are potty trained (boys seem to potty train later than girls). I would only do this now if your son is asking to go to the big boy potty, if not, than wait. If you are going forward with this then look into a kiddy urinal at Walmart called Peter Potty. It has a water reserve so you can flush the pee with water & then empty it.

My soon to be 2 year old son has been using the Baby Bjorn potty seat since he was about 14 months old. It is fantastic in its stability, convenience, and easy clean up. We installed a hook on the side of the vanity and just wipe it down and hang it up when he's done. No matter what anyone says, 16 months is NOT too young to introduce the potty. It's just a process of getting used to it so when they ARE physiologically and psychologically ready to be potty trained, it'll be 2nd nature to them. Good luck!!

Hi M. - I think you'll have to see what your boy wants himself. We bought a potty & a seat - ended up using only the seat - but in saying that my child was 2 mths shy of the 3rd birthday so they could communicate what they wanted. Potty trained fully in 2 days.
Are you starting now at 16mths? My sdvice would be to wait until after 2 yrs .....

We've had great luck using a potty ring placed right on the regular toilet seat (our son is tall so is able to stand up for #1 without a problem). We have one handy in each of our bathrooms and even take one with us when traveling. He will be 3 in a few months and is doing great with this method. We've purchased the potty rings from Target.

Good luck!

I remember how they all looked the same when we went to Babies R Us and Target! I bought the Safety First Brand. One of the pieces can be removed and carried with us, so when we go to Grandma's house, I can slip it onto the "big toilet" and she doesn't fall in (which actually happened!!) She likes having her "own" potty, just her size and we have one in each bathroom. I plan on using it for my son. (I had to ask my husband if we will need to train our son to pee standing up...and he said absolutely not! Apparently, it takes a lot longer for a boy to learn to aim, even after he is potty trained. Hence, sitting down for a few years will eliminate much unnecessary clean-up.)

We LOVED out Baby Bjorn potty seat (for the big toilet). The splash guard is built in, and the seat is small enough for little ones so they feel like they are not going to fall in. It's also got a grippy bottom and an adjustable wheel to make it snug fitting to your toilet, which makes the kids feel even more secure. It's easy to clean, and even has a loop to hang it on a hook. And just flush away the mess!

If you get a step-stool, make sure that it has a grippy bottom, too, so they don't slip and slide as they are getting up, turning around, and getting off the potty.

Good luck!
M.

Hey M., I used a seat for the regular toilet. Takes up less space, cheaper and so so much easier to clean. Also I have found with my older son that it has been very easy to move on to the toilet without the seat since he's already used to using it that way. That REALLY helps in public bathrooms or other homes. Also, they learn to flush as part of the process from the beginning. Our little guy (18 mos) also fits on it, although he needs a boost to get up there. Its not like he goes in the bathroom alone ever since he's so young, so its no big deal that he's not tall enough to climb up there himself. Good LUCK!!