i want to start potty training??? is 20 months too early?

Diana - posted on 01/18/2010

I have yet to potty train my 20 month old, but I look forward to it in the next few months. Perhaps even the next few weeks. (I'd like him to be "day dry" by 2 years old.) My son is very interested in his genitalia and he wants to follow my husband and I to the bathroom. He comes running any time one of us are in there yelling "PEE!" He also picks up his used diapers and exclaims "baby pee!" before he will throw them away or place them in his diaper genie. I'm sure he has a general idea of what is going on and I'd like to take advantage of his interest.



In general, I think it's up to the parent(s) to take the cue of their children as to when is the "right" time to potty train their child. I don't see the harm in starting the process. If he doesn't take to it right off you can either wait until he's older or take your time and be patient until he catches on.

Alice - posted on 01/13/2010

My 20 mo son started using a toilet seat a couple of months ago because he showed interest in it. The first time i sat him on it he had done a poo in his nappy so i took off the nappy and put him on the seat and he carried on going to the toilet much to my suprise! So i praised him so much he was very proud of himself! Since then he will sit on there and go when i put him on it but he hasnt quite got the hang of asking to go yet...especially when he is too enthralled in his playing.



I did the same as you and gave him a potty just to introduce it and it became a box to put toys in so i gave up with that and just went with the toilet seat. He knew what to do as he is usually in the toilet with me whenever i go so it was a matter of being like mummy and daddy.



I feel it is too early for my son to be completely dry during the day as he hasnt quite got the communication bit right but his interest in it is encouraging and i know when the time is right with a little push in the right direction he will get it.

Stacie - posted on 01/11/2010

I agree whole-heartedly with Steffane!! Especially about the pull-ups! Those are just a "trick" by the companies who make them. Not only do they not work, they are WAY more expensive than diapers! I used them ONCE on a long trip, but the first time that I had to stop on the side of the road and try to get those things on and off before there were accidents and freezing bottoms.... that was the end of that! :) I know that at some daycare's, if you use that service, you have to use them... so I guess I'm just glad I never had to do that.

Good luck!!! It can be a LONG and frustrating process, but the end reward is incredibly satisfying!! :)

Steffane - posted on 01/11/2010

unfortunately, all kids are different. My son too, was very interested in the potty at around 21 months. So i got out the potty, got some m&m's and thought, "why not?" Well, my son went from diapers to underwear, fully, in under a week...at 35 months. LOL. I spent the good part of a year asking him everyday, "underwear today? or a diaper?" and get mixed answers. On underwear days I would go through at least 6 pair. Pull ups don't work...kids know they are diapers. Useful at night when the kid is fully day trained, though. or on long car rides...I suggest trying it out. He may go on the potty for a couple of days, get bored and want to go back to diapers. Don't get to excited, though the prospect of no more diapers is appealing, he may just like the idea of being "big" actually being "big" means so much more, and he knows it.
Good Luck. Let us know how it is going!!

Stacie - posted on 01/11/2010

This really is something that you kind of just have to work with your kid and take cues from them a little. If he is showing interest then go with the interests. We have a potty seat that goes on the big toilet and that's pretty much all we used with our older child (who was 2 1/2 when he potty trained) and that's what we're likely to use with our son who is 19mos. I would say that 20mos might be too early to "get serious" about it, but it's never too early to allow them to explore. Just last night my baby wanted to sit on the potty so I got out the seat and let him. He didn't do anything but he enjoyed sitting there. Oddly enough his motivation was washing his hands, he's obsessed with washing hands and he knows that you do that after you potty... so, whatever works! :)



Like so many other things, there is no one right answer with this. We started WAY too early with our oldest and ended up with a small potty being used as a toy too. If you do decide to go ahead with this you can likely expect his to regress around 2 before he's really ready, but I still believe that it's important to use teachable moments and if he's interested at least indulge his interests!!