Ready for Potty Training? - Bossier City,LA

Hi K.,
I was in your shoes around Thanksgiving. My son was 21 months and my daughter was 6 months. He started around 16-18 months being interested in watching daddy use the toilet, etc... We started by having him sit on his potty chair while we were running the bath water. (he was 18 months) We did this for a few months and also spoke about "pee peeing" and "poo pooing" in the potty every time I changed his diaper. We bought some books that showed kids using the potty and we read those every day. Right before Thanksgiving, when he was 21 months, I picked a day and started taking him to the potty every hour, on the hour and we would sit in the bathroom for about 10-15 minutes each time and would read his favorite books. I took him to Wal Mart and let him pick out some big boy underwear and from them on he used them. I noticed that when he was wearing a pull-up he would just pee and then tell me afterwards, but when he had underwear on, he had very few accidents. We did have a few days when he didn't want to go and would fight me, but I just kept him in his underwear and would clean him up when he had an accident and would remind him that "big boys use the potty like daddy". My goal was to have him potty trained by his 2nd B-day, Feb 4th and he was. He just wears a pull-up to bed. However, in your case, since you are having a new baby, you may want to wait until after you get adjusted to the new baby. Even if you get him potty trained before the baby is born, he may decide to go backwards and be a baby again and start peeing his pants and want to wear diapers again. Whatever you decide, Good Luck!!!

Hi! I think toilet readiness is the wrong word. I've heard to start potty training when they show an "interest". Good luck! : )

K.,
I understand your concern. When I was a new mom, I also wondered about how to get my son to that point of interest in the potty. I had more success with my nephew who lives with us. I see that you had let him run around before his bath in his birthday suit. Here's what we did. We had let our nephew run around without his pull up on but put on big boy underwear and socks. He would have an accident and it would immediately become an uncomfortable feeling so we'd walk him to the bathroom and get him to change undies. Also, we'd let him stand in there while we sat on the potty, we'd read a book or whatever and when we were through we'd hop up and say YAYYYYY.. I went potty in the potty!. Big horray about it, we made it a fun thing. So, after a few days of the uncomfortable wet underwear and socks, we'd also have him help clean up any mess he made, and we'd have him go sit on the potty every hour and especially after he had something to drink or eat. This helped. If it had been a little while since he pee'd, we would turn on the faucet, maybe even drip some water from our hand into the potty while he sat there and we'd say... make a tee tee so you can put your water in the potty.
SOUNDS CRAZY, but it all helped. He's using one pull up all day now and only wets when he sleeps now. *with the occasional "almost" wet undies* This I mean is he'd be concentrating on something and start to wet, then he'd grab himself and run to the potty yelling all the way.. I have to potty.
Good luck. I know it's hard and with two, it may be even harder. I guess if you're potty training, you can get the older one to potty just after you feed the baby each time. That would be every few hours right? Anyway, hang in there. It's all worth it and will get easier before too long.

Good advice already given on technique, but I would go on & start in the next couple months - just expect some possible setbacks after the new baby, and you can reinforce that he will be the big brother & get to help teach the new baby all that he has learned. I am planning to start with my son in three months when he turns 18 mos. Helpful hint - when he stats to use the big potty, empty it of water & put a "bull's eye" sticker in to help teach proper aim, a feat that will make you & all the future women in his life grateful!

i would wait til he is able to communicate pretty well, so that neither of you will get frustrated. usually boys are closer to 3 yrs until they are ready. good luck

I have 2 girls, 2 boys. So far, the boys have taken a little longer. About 2 yrs.8 mos. 1 of my girls was 2 1/2, the other was 22 mos. when she potty trained. She just did it herself. I wasn't even going to try till she was 2. I wouldn't push it. He's too young to talk enough to tell u he has to go, he's probably just curios about what dad is doing. All kids are different. But I wouldn't try till he's 2. Having a new baby will be a big adjustment for him, it may take a little while after that before he's ready.