Potty Training - Richmond,TX

I agree with Donna and Melinda, my daughter did the same thing hers did, don't force him, but give him the opprotunity to try, but if he doesn't seem interested...give him more time. Who cares if kids were potty trained earlier back in the day, that was then and this is now, we live in different times (my opinion.) So don't worry it will happen.

Potty training for Dummies is a good book. It gives you a list of things that toddlers must "do" in order to be ready for potty training. My son showed interest in the potty at 18 months but didn't complete the list until he was 3 and was potty trained within the week of meeting those requirments. Plus the book gives you ideas on how to introduce and keep their interest in the potty. Plus tips on common problems. Don't push it...as my mom told me, she doesn't know any high schoolers wearing diapers =)

I say that your child will let you know when they're ready. In your case I would introduce (not force) the potty as an option and see where that takes you. My daughter was completely potty trained before 20 months. Some children mature faster than others so to set an age is almost nuts. Not to mention the benefits you reap with not having to buy diapers and wipes.

All kids are different, but boys tend to take longer, so I wouldn't rush it. You can get a little potty and let him sit on it if he wants to, but I wouldn't expect much at this age. I got ours out for my daughter around that age and she would sit on it when she woke up in the morning and after naptime and before her bath. She didn't get completely trained until 2 1/2, so I don't think starting that early really helped. It's good that he is starting to be aware of the fact that he went, but that doesn't necessarily mean his body is ready to control it. The one thing I learned from potty training is to be patient. I got so frustrated with the whole process and it takes a lot out of you, so just go with what he's ready for, especially this early.

I started doing the potty training really early like 8 or 9 months. My son is now 16 months and is still in diapers but he does peepee on the potty. It really helped with the night time soak throughs if he goes before bed. I say either get a small potty/cushie tushie for the big potty and let him sit on it after hes had some liquids. Running the water or pouring warm water on his parts seems to trigger it. And then when it happens give lots of praises (I mean tons!). I plan on waiting til this summer to really potty train but at least I know hes able to do it and he knows what it is. Give it a try!

My boy first went potty at 9 months. He is now 20 months old and I have him in pull ups most of the day. I have a little potty in his room & he will usually tell me if he has to go potty-he prefers to use the "big boy" potty though... I keep a glass jar in the kitchen filled with colorful M&M's and everytime he goes I will give him 2 M&M's as a reward/incentive to go. Seems to work well! I didn't plan on potty training so early as my first didn't start until almost 2, but every child is different & it's never too early to start!

"My mother says she had all of us kids trained by the time we were 18 months old, but there were 5 of us ranging from 6mo to 10 yrs."

I just had to laugh at that because I have 5 and my oldest is almost 6. I can really relate! Yet alas, my children were not potty trained at 18 months. My oldest was over 4, my second is nearly 5 and still not 100% trained, my next is nearly 4 and not even CLOSE to potty trained. My almost 2 YO sits on the potty many times a day but has NEVER actually eliminated.

Although I have seen that for some reason my girls take much longer to potty train, I do start at about 18 months. I leave the little potty out (I like Baby Bjorn) and when I change the diaper the baby is encouraged to sit on the potty. I check periodically and if the baby's diaper is dry for a couple of hours we do the same thing- sit on the potty. I read a story and sing a song. It's a game.

By 20 months they are pretty used to the routine and will likely do it on his/her own. She takes her (often dry) diaper off and sits on the potty herself.

Every child is unique and I wouldn't expect a child to potty train before age 2 1/2, although some do. However, I think it's a good idea that they are familiar with the concept so the potty is looked at as something routine and comfortable, rather then something forced or scary. With my first two I followed the advice that you shouldn't potty train until the are ready, and when they are ready they will do it in a day. That was a big mistake, because when they never took the lead and I tried to force it, but then they were terrified. My almost 5 YO was terrified to use the potty up until recently. It even took me changing the potty seat to one from One Step Ahead that has the little potty seat installed with the big one. She was so afraid of falling in and was too big for the training potty. I think if I had started early with her maybe she wouldn't have so much anxiety over potty training.

Wishing you the best,
S., mom to 5

Hi M., My son did the same thing. In the end, he didn't potty train until 3 but at 18 months we put the potty in the kitchen (sounds gross but it needs to be in an area that he will be in most of the time so he sees it and it's convenient). He did use it quite a few times. I think he could have been trained somewhere between 2 and 2 and a half but our pedi said not to force the issue. So, I didn't work too hard at it. By 2 and a half he had lost interest. Feel him out but certainly don't panic if he isn't potty trained until much later.

I have mixed feelings on the issue. On one hand I completely understand the "dont force" argument but on the other hand how does a child "know" when they are ready? If you think he is ready and showing signs I say go for it! You can potty train without "forcing" or being militant about it. The best time to potty train is between 18-22 months because their wills have not become as strong. I say if you are going to potty train then potty train, none of this a little here and a little there. If you do it and just do it your child will know that this is what he needs to do. Know what I mean? If he doesnt catch on after giving it a SERIOUS try then just wait a few weeks or couple of months and then give it a serious try again. I absolutely pass no judgement on any child who has had a difficult time training but as mothers we should give them a serious chance to catch on to the idea rather than an hour here or there or whatever. Most people dont give it a serious try. My daughter was potty trained at 22 months old. I stayed home for a whole week with her, we didnt go anywhere and it was all about potty training for that week. She caught on after 3 days and she doesnt seem to hate or resent me for it and I dont thinks she is damaged. I used lots of positive reinforcement and praise. Im not trying to say it was so easy...it was absolutely difficult and frustrating for me, she seemed fine with it. Just expect it to be difficult, dont expect it to be easy and then quit becuase it gets a little difficult. I read the book toilet training in a day.I didnt do it exactly as it said and it took longer than a day but there were some great ideas. I just think most of us dont give our kids the chance they need to get trained and we just put it off til they are older and can really fight it and be more defiant. I think society has parents scared of messing up their kids with any move we make. This is just my opinion and I hope that whatever you decide it will work for you and your son. Good luck!

I have twin boys that are now 8years old. I started potty training them around your son's age. My mother says she had all of us kids trained by the time we were 18 months old, but there were 5 of us ranging from 6mo to 10 yrs. She had to do something. It's one of those "to each his own" things. If it were me, I would start training since he is tugging at his diaper. When you start and your toddler starts catching, reward him. My boys and I gave high 5's when they would go to the potty. It was what the "big boys" did. They loved it.

Really, it's up to you when you would like to start potty training.

Hi M.. If your son is ready to start potty training there should be more than one sign. Some of the signs are telling you when he's pottied in his diaper, wanting to go to the potty with you/your husband, taking his soiled diaper off, goes to "hide" when he's pooping, etc. These signs indicate that he knows he needs to go or has gone and is starting to understand what it feels like. Until he knows the feeling of having to go it will only be frustrating for both of you to force the issue. I tried forcing my daughter (by making her sit on the potty even when she was throwing a big tantrum about it) and she was almost 5 before she started pooping in the toilet. My son (will be 3 in February) is pretty much potty trained as of last month. He has accidents but for the most part says when he needs to go. Anyway, I recommend you don't force the issue if he isn't showing multiple signs of being ready. Goodluck!!

I have an almost 24 month old who is interested but has not done anything on the potty. He sits down on it with his clothes on when I go to the bathroom and at the sitter sits on it without clothes because he wants to be like the other big kids.

I would suggest getting a potty chair and trying it out. I suggest getting one with the fixed cup at the front for little boys. Our cup moves so that it can come off and it doesn't stay up when he sits down. (Essential for little boys so they don't go to the bathroom all over your floor!)

If he doesn't seem as interested as you thought then just put it away for a little while and try again later.

I've also heard that when it is warmer to let them run around OUTSIDE without a diaper and they will figure it out when they can just go potty. Another idea.
Good luck!

My best advice is to start now, but don't press the issue for a while longer. My son was potty trained by 20 months but my daughter (she just turned 2) is just now get really good at it. She does great at home, but not so much when we're out and about. Since she started training about 18, it has made for a REALLY long 6 months.

Hi M.,
I hate to tell you, but your M I L is correct on this one. In my experience with boys (8 of them) 2- 2.5 is best, and especially in the summer months it is easier. I would not consider it in the winter- doesn't work too good with boys. It is good that he is aware there is something going on but 18 months is too young. do it now and you will be doing it again later- especially with boys.
good luck
blessings

I'd have to agree with what most have advised - and if he can tell you in words that he's either gone or needs to go #2, then purchase a training potty and keep it nearby when you're at home. Later on when you're training for #1, try leaving him naked when he's at home. It worked for us! All in all, we weren't fully trained until just before 3 years of age. Good luck!

This time, listen to your MIL...(LOL).

18 months is very early..especially for a little boy.
Better to wait until he is really ready (sometimes this is not until 3) than to drag it out over the year. You have a relatively new baby as well...he might regress.
If I were you, I would just allow your son to take the lead but absolutely not push him...

I think it depends on the child & the parents. When both are ready, go for it! Sounds like he may be ready for introductions at least at this point. I wouldn't push it (but I don't push anything too hard!), but just let him get used to the idea. If he catches on quickly, encourage him. If not, then don't worry about it for now.

I didn't read everything because it looks like you have so many great responses but here's a little more anyway. If you feel that he is ready, then go ahead. There is a lot of advise provided on methods to use from these great mamas.

Years ago all kids seemed to be potty trained by two but these days the ages vary greatly. My son started to let us know that he needed to potty by saying potty at 18 months but we found he meant that he had gone potty already. He peed in the toilet pretty easily but until we showed him that the poop can go in there too, he wasn't interested in more than passing gas and giggling. As cute as it was... Anyway, we brought one of his diapers in the bathroom and dropped a pretty firm poop into the toilet. That seemed to turn the tide. His dad has allowed him in the bathroom when he used the toilet (I'm not so eager with my son but will with our daughter). He just turned two a couple of weeks ago and is using the toilet regularly. He still needs a diaper overnight because he doesn't wake up to go and he will wait until it's too late when we are out and about but he's getting pretty good at giving us a little warning and we are getting better at anticipating when he may need to go.

I wish you the best of luck!

Many children do not have complete bowel control until after they have turned 2, or at least that is what I learned in my anatomy and physiology class and in my current nursing class.

My son just turned 3 and he is almost 100% potty trained during the day. I started out with a potty chair and let him play with it. He had no interest in the potty until he was 2.5. At that point, I bought the bulky cloth underwear that has the plastic on the outside and he learned quickly how to stay dry. He did not master the pooping until just recently.

I would say, when your little one can stay dry for a couple of hours, shows interest in sitting on the potty and is close to 2 then go for it. My biggest mistake was that my son wore underwear at home and pull ups at school. The pull ups delayed the process. I was lucky and had a couple of weeks to take all pull ups away and that is what ultimately trained him. He now goes to school in his underwear.

Good luck to you and your little one!

It never hurts to start getting him used to it early. But, he won't be truly ready til later. But, the more you can catch him in the act and put him on the toilet, the less you will have to clean up and he will get the idea sooner. I just wouldn't push it right now. But, definitely take advantage of his signals!

read, videos, lots of potty talk! get one of those itty bitty potties and put him on it throughout the day. i introduced my kids toit by letting them play with it at first and talked to them about then eventually put them on it with clothes then bare butt while reading books or playing something to see if anything happened. if something did, oh the happy dance.... but... iam a faliure my boys were not trained until 3yo. good luck... have fun and imo-it is mom being trained not the kid!! have fun!

You can start. It is not real easy because your focus is to get them focus. My daughter I had to sit her down every hour until she realize what we were doing and lots of talking encouraging, and appraising. Show lots of excitement. Sugar free gunmmies also helped. Stickers help too. If she potty a treat or a sticker was given to her along with appraises. We did lots of talking. Good luck.

18 months is the perfect age to start potty training. Age 2- 2-1/2 is too late to begin. Plus, it takes boys longer to potty train than girls. Best of luck.

Here is a list that indicates a child is ready for potty training: She's able to walk well on her own, and can pull down her own pants (elastic waistbands are good for this) and diaper.

She shows that she's aware of what's going on in her diaper-- either by saying something like "poo" or by looking uncomfortable when her diaper is full, or pausing in her playing.

She's interested in what you do in the bathroom, coming in to watch from time to time. She might help to flush, or wave "bye, bye" to the departing poop.

She's not completely caught up in needing to say "no" to everything you suggest (the automatic "no" stage is usually between about 18 and 30 months.)

She has tried to sit on the potty, with her pants and diaper on, and doesn't seem to mind it. She feels "friendly" towards "her" potty.

She understands when you ask, in a mildly interested way, "Do you need to use the potty?"

She's fascinated by putting things into containers (blocks into the box, pouring sand or water in and out of a bucket.)

She feels proud when she can do something "all by myself."

Her diaper is dry and clean often for a couple of hours at least.

She's interested in "big girl underpants."

Most kids show some interest before they are physiologically ready to potty train. I would get him a potty and let him get used to it, but I wouldn't push it since he's so young.