I Think My 20 Month Old Is Ready to Start Potty Training

You have probably already heard this one, but have you tried the fruitloop target trick? My son hated diapers and was potty trained before age 2, so I was lucky there, but the aim problem was difficult. A friend told me to put a jar with fruitloops in it, and a little step stool next to the toilet so that when he wants to go, he can put a few of the fruitloops in the toilet bowl to aim at and stand high enough to reach. As for sitting on the potty for #2, that is a hard one. My friends have done everything from mini-celebrations to sticker reward charts. Make a big deal happy about it they say.

Try http://www.weeman.com.au/ or http://www.bonnybabies.com/freedomtrainer.htm
Good Luck!

Sounds like he wants to pee standing up. Can you help him stand in the tub to pee? Make a game of aiming into the drain? Or you could try the WeeMan urinal that hangs over the edge of the toilet rim--they are made in Australia but available at www.TheECstore.com.

My daughter was an early toilet user too.

It sounds like your son wants to be like his big brothers. I saw an ad for a kid potty/urinal but I've never used it. It's called Peter Potty. www.peterpotty.com.

Hi C.,

That's great he's ready to start now! That is the ideal. My partner's 4 year old potty trained at about 2. She was the same and only wanted to use the big toilet. Adam respected that and bought her a small slip-proof stool which sits next to the toilet, and a toilet seat insert, that is basically a smaller toilet seat that fits on top of the on already there. So when Ruby went to the toilet, she would pull the stool over, put the "duckies" she called her toilet seat on top, and away she went! Although boys can stand at the toilet, in the beginning, for aiming purposes, you may just want to teach him to sit.

Good luck!

T.

I actually wrote this to someone else yesterday. They had a similar question. It seems you are probably a pro by now (with that many kids - bless your heart,) but have you ever tried bribery? I normally am very against this but I toilet trainer the kid I nanny for with small candy (usually skittles or jeally beans.) I told him every time he he did a successful trip to the potty (actually pooped and/or peed IN the toilet) then he would get one small piece of candy. At first he tried to trick me of course by just visiting the bathroom and not "going." So I re-explained the rules a couple of times. There were a couple of tears shed, but he was trained in 2 weeks.
Also we did it during the summer so he could be kept outside in case he had any accidents. We never put him in a diaper after we started training - it was valuable for him to wet or poop himself to know what it felt like in clothes - very uncomfortable. Anyway after he was trained I made a big deal every time he went so that he was proud of himself. After about 3 weeks I stopped giving him candy but kept up the acting really excited and the extra attention was all he needed - he didn't even notice he wasn't getting candy anymore.
Hope that helps :)

Hi C.,
I am a child care provider with 6 children, and it seems so are you! I have seen children as young as 18 months start using the potty. Especially ones with older siblings. I personally prefer they start on the big potty, more sanitary! He seems cognitively aware of the feelings that he has to go, or already gone, but may not have developed the ability to hold it, or control the release yet. I feel that using the potty is the one thing that children have control of, and when they are ready, then they are ready. Maybe you could take him to the store and let him pick out his own potty chair. Then just leave it in the bathroom to use at his discretion. I have a little basket of books to read close by. I have also set timers for potty time to try and catch it before he goes. But..at his age, he might tire of the whole excitement and his attitude might change about having to stop and go potty. I would not discourage him though.
I commend you for being able to be a stay at home mom.

It's me again. My little guy is like that too! He doesn't pee on the floor and he doesn't run into the bathroom EVERY time he has to go but he does tell me he has to go potty sometimes and if I hold him up he'll go! If he sees his Daddy or big brother going he'll want to go too. I've tried letting him not wear a diaper around the house and he just pees in his pants so I think he's not quite ready, but making progress. It sounds like your little guy is ready, you'll just have to take him and hold him up every time so he doesn't make a mess.:)
Congratulations!

I never had my boys sit on the potty or use the potty seat. I had them stand up to the potty and pee. With my first I had him watch his dad. This way he can practice aiming so you won't have him pee all over the place. Forcing him to sit on the potty then telling him to go in the potty next is just going to confuse him.

There is something called Peter Potty that might be a good mix if he wants to stand up to pee and the big potty is not really doable for him. It is super cute and I have seen new ones sell on craigslist.

It sounds like he is ready. It also sounds like he can take direction. There are little targets on the market that help "aim" better. I just used the toilet tissue. I have two boys and a girl. My boys never wanted to sit either. I also never trained any of them. They were almost three when all were out of diaper. I was in no hurry, as I was a stay at home mom too. When out and about, I would make sure they were in a pull-up. But we didn't use those at home. Or we would use training underpants. I didn't know if that's a concern or not. But I think your son is ready. Let him do it!
K. B

I have read about floating Cheerios in the toilet to give boys something to aim for and make it a game. This may help him keep it in the toilet! Good Luck!

K.

I don't know if your older boys would be comforable with this, but if one of them doesn't mind letting the 2 year old come into the bathroom when he goes #2, to show him how you stand for #1 and sit for #2, that might help. My 22 mth old girl is exhibiting all the same signs of readiness and i think it's in large part due to watching her big sister. I obviously don't have the problem of her wanting to stand, but she refuses the little potty and the seat as well, so i just let her sit on the big potty and hold on to the seat to balance. she loves that, and to let go and say "No hands!!" I hate that her hands are all over the toilet but we just wash hands right after and i try to disinfect the seat a couple of times a week.