My son is almost 15 months old and just learned to walk. When is a good time to try and introduce the potty to him? and How do I start potty training?
I would 15 months is too young. Boys take longer than girls most of the time. My son was 2 1/2 before he really cought on. I would not rush it. He will start sounds signs that he is ready.
This seems to be a heated subject - why?!?! Every child will potty train eventually. Here is my opinion - go ahead and put a little potty in your bathroom and show your son what it's for. I don't see how that could hurt. As far as actually training, I think 15 months is way too early. I personally didn't have time to watch my kids' faces all day long to see if they're making the "poop face." I trained one daughter at 2 1/2 and the other at almost 3. I had the potty in the bathroom from the time they were 18 months, and sure they sat on it every once in awhile but I didn't talk about it all that much. When they were ready, they were ready - and each of them were potty trained in one day. It was almost like a lightbulb went off for them. So that's my only experience and what I draw my opinion from. Why make yourself crazy? When the your son is ready, it'll happen quickly. Good luck!
http://drphil.com/articles/article/264
I tested the kids to see if they were ready I put them in regular underware and watched them for an accident and watched to see how they handled it. If they just went and did not know until wait I am all wet then they are not ready if they get up move to a better location then went oh ya ready. Then I followed Dr Phil's method and wow.
Good Luck
My son is not quite a year and I have already introduced the potty to him. As a mother, and like most other mothers, we know when our little ones are about to go poo, I just try to be disciplined and put him on the toilet. I started at about 10 months. We don't make it every time, but I think he is already associating the rumble in his tummy with sitting on the potty and pooing. I make sure to have a key phrase so he will also associate that with potty time. It is going great! and I am pumped to know that he might be out of diapers by 18 months. My two older children were both potty trained this way and done with dipes around that same time and way before 2!
GOOD LUCK!
Katie
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Oh wow, after posting that first part I just read the other posts, and am really sad to read what I read. I think it is just laziness, and I know that me saying that will upset other mothers, but seriously 3 or 3 1/2!!! Does anyone else think that is ridiculous?
If I were you I would first not listen to that advice..... I feel that it is encouraging you in the wrong direction instead of empowering you. Second, I would get one of those potty seats that sits right on the potty, and when you see your son grunting or doing his normal 'I'm about to go poo' things, Put him On the Potty. How easy is that. I Really believe that if parents would introduce the toilet sooner there would be no time for getting Un-familiar with the potty, There would be no bribes and fears and, gasp, Feelings. I mean come on, we are talking about going to the bathroom. I see kids that are 3 and 4 wearing diapers, doesn't anyone see something wrong with that?!
Call me crazy, and I know they will, but my oldest children were potty 'trained' by simply introducing the toilet at a young age on no time line or rushed schedule. Their greatest incentive was getting to flush. You may think that I am a drill sergeant, but I ensure you that our potty time was relaxed and unstressful.
The best of luck to you! and feel free to message me for more encouragement. :)
He is pretty young to potty train. However having the potty around is a good idea. Once my baby was 18 months old and started to talk (more than just one word sentences) I have her sit on the potty before bathtime each night. During the day I ask her if she has to go. She is not potty trainied yet. From what I read, they need to tell you when they are wet or soiled and have concept of 'that area'
My son was day trained at 3.5 yrs and night trained at about 7 yrs. Girls tend to train younger than boys, but there are exceptions. Read up on signs to look for. Can he control his bladder, tell when he needs to go, show an interest in using the potty (just because they can doesn't mean they want to), does want to feel clean (hates a dirty diaper) or get rid of wearing a diaper? Can he dress/undress himself? Can he wipe his behind and wash his hands when he's finished? Starting too soon is (just my opinion) makes both you and your child miserable. Look for the signs and when most of them are there, you'll be in a good position for success to happen.
I wouldn't rush it. I have 2 girls that both potty trained at 2 1/2. It was so easy, they understood everything about it. They went straight from diapers to panties and never had any accidents. My girls didn't want to sit on a little potty either, they wanted the big one, so I wouldn't waste money on a toddler potty. He'll show you signs when he's ready like taking off his diaper as soon as he's used the bathroom, staying dry all night long, and trying to get on the potty.
When he's ready and showing interest.
Our son was past 3 when he was potty trained. He had no concept of when he was needing to go to the bathroom. When we started seeing more and more time pass with dry diapers, we started working with him.
His sister is 2.5, and she's nowhere near being ready.
The advice from our pediatrician was to wait until they're ready - obvious signs like dry diapers, them telling you they need to go, etc. Pushing before then will likely lead to regression, accidents, etc. Boys usually don't have the ability to recognize bladder fullness as early as girls do.
15 months is really young, and if you are able to do it successfully, you'll certainly be exceptional.
Honestly, probably not what you want to hear, but most boys aren't ready to potty train until they are at least 2 1/2 years old and it's not uncommon for them to wait until 3 1/2 either. I'm convinced that boys' "potty systems" develop slower than girls'. Of course, boys generally walk earlier than girls do, so really it's just a matter of different developmental priorities, but there it is.
Good luck with your toddler! ;)
My advice would be let your son lead the way. I think 15 months is a fine age to introduce the potty, but forcing it may create problems. With both of my kids, I had the potty in the bathrooms very early. When I go, they can sit on the potty and "go" if they want to, just to get used to it. Sometimes they're fully clothed, but they're pretending, which is how kids learn. Offer opportunities to try the potty with no diaper also. Bathtime seems to be a great time to do it since they're already naked! My son just made his first pee-pee in the potty the other night right before the bath. :)
My daughter (now 5) trained very easily. It was a breeze. By the time I started officially training, she had gotten so many chances to try the potty, get used to it, talk about it and had some successful pottying in it that it was almost a natural progression to start going in it. She was VERY ready. We're going through it now with my son (now 2) who is NOT a big fan of change or anything new and he seems to be adjusting fine to it. Let them lead and take your time. He'll get it when he's ready.
As to the mom who claims that those of us who do not have our children potty-trained by 2 are lazy, I would like to ask you to withhold your judgments on other moms. I don't think it's fair. Every family is different, every mom is different and every child is different. Who are you to claim I am lazy because I didn't have my kids trained by the time you did? Shall I claim you're lazy because your kids didn't reach some milestone by the time mine did? I would never because it's rude. Please don't do it to us.
I'm with Katie C. I think I'd lose my mind if I were having to change the diaper of a 3 1/2 year old. The older they are, the grosser it gets.
I stated putting my daughter on the potty at around 9 mos. She was trained a month or so after turning two, and night trained a month or so after three. SO MUCH EASIER.
I started putting my son on the potty at around 4 mos. Yes, 4 mos. He was peeing on cue consistently at 5 1/2 mos. He's 17 mos. now and still primarily in diapers but hoping to have him out at the latest by 2.
Really, what's the harm in an early introduction to the potty? Your child gets used to it, you don't fight the same battles as kids who never see one until they're 2 1/2, you save on diapers (or clean up less mess if you're using cloth), it's ultimately less work for you (for just a little more effort at the start), and there's no rush if you give them PLENTY of time to catch on. Nothing but positive. I'd say get that kid used to the potty as soon as you can. Put him on after meals and any other time you have his diaper off. Do some naked time outside so he can experience what is happening and actually feel it (diapers wick away moisture so they don't feel wet - let him experience the wet!). It sounds silly, but grunt WITH him when you put him on the potty to give him an idea of what he's supposed to be doing.
A good book I picked up about the early training is "The Diaper Free Baby" by Christine Gross-Loh. It sections off into whether your starting at birth, infant, toddler and had a lot of good tips.
And Brenda, I have to defend the statement that was made that you took offense to. Katie didn't say that "mother's who don't potty train by 2 are lazy." She said 3 to 3 1/2. And, while I agree that all children and experiences are unique, I also have to agree that I, too, think it's ridiculous to see 3 1/2 and 4 year olds wearing diapers. Children are cognizant enough to have a clue by that age.
When to start potty training vary from family to family and even from country to country. In countries like Mexico and I believe other 3rd world country, is not strange start potty training at more early age then in USA per example. Probably has to do because families in these countries can't afford diapers for as long as here and also for the different parenting approach.
I know as a fact is possible to potty train before 2, and is not a dramatic experience for all kids/parents who decide to do so.
The ideal time if you have the time, the money, the energy, is to wait until your child is ready and give you all signals that he/she is.
I potty trained my first kid around 18 months, it wasn't hard, not traumatic either, it took us 2 weeks (maybe would have being less if she was ready?), with my second kid I decide to wait until she was more ready (she notice and let me know when she has a dirty diaper, she knows what is the potty for, I can tell when she normally poo, etc). We just start yesterday (with many accidents, lol) I am not sure how long it will take.
There is an amazing book (IMO the best potty training book out there), is call
Once Upon a Potty, and I love it because it is anatomically correct, and kids can actually see some (cute looking) poo in the potty (other books don't show it, so kids knows exactly what to look in there.
The only down side is that the potty they use is a pot (I have a jar that look exactly like that, I am afraid she will get her hands on it, lol)
What ever is your decision of when to potty train, be sure is at a time when you have the time and the patience for it. This is an important mile stone for your little one and it needs to be teach with love and lots and lots of patience (and lots of cleaning supplies, lol)
Good luck.
EDIT: Night potty training took longer then day potty training too.
I spoke to my son's ped at his last visit and he told me that boys take much longer than girls to learn the potty. He indicated that they usually don't catch on until about 3-3 1/2 years old. You don't want to rush it because then you'll only get frustrated and then he'll likely not want to do it if it just leads to bad "feelings" from mom. I did, however purchase a potty that I keep in the bathroom just so he's familiar with it, he'll sit on it, but refuses without clothes on.
