When to start potty training

Stephanie - posted on 02/16/2010

You can start introducing children to the potty as young as 1. Every child is different....you never know. Girls are much easier to potty train than boys are, for lots of reasons. The best person to work with your son (if there are no siblings to follow the lead of) is daddy. It is also best if you make it a natural flow in the routine.

Becca - posted on 02/16/2010

From experience working in a daycare our girls would usually train between 2 and 2 1/2 but our boys would take longer training closer to 2 1/2 or 3. You need to watch for signs of readiness: Does he stay dry for more than an hour? Will he tell you when he's wet or dirty? Do they know what pee and poo are?
The first step to toilet training is familiarizing your child with the potty.Several times a day and every time you do a diaper change ask your child if they want to sit on the potty like a big kid/mommy or daddy. Don't force the issue and don't worry about what they do when they are sitting (some kids like to sit fully clothed at first and that is okay too). Eventually, you will want to progress to teaching your child how to remove their pants themselves (this skill is important for sucessful training so you will want to make sure that all pants are easy to get on and off). Some kids benefit from training books; some prefer the toilet over the potty and often boys will develop a preference for standing or sitting (so try both); and some children train better if they are taken out of diapers completely, then allowed to get wet or dirty (if you go this route invest in some good training underwear) while others train fine in pull-ups (I would recommend a brand that allows the child to feel that they are wet). Whatever you do be consistent. Take your child shopping and let them pick out what big kid underwear they want, then put it in their dresser and remind them of it often: "When you do your pee and poo in the toilet you'll get to wear your big kid underwear!" Keep up the training while you are out of the house (you may want to pack seat covers in your diaper bag for iffy public toilets). Choose a time to train where there will be few stressors in your child's life (they are unlikely to change during a period of major change like a move, new baby, or starting at a new daycare/babysitter). Offer often, give praise (even for little accomplishments), expect setbacks, and stay positive!!!

Tammy - posted on 02/16/2010

HI MY LITTLE GIRL WAS ABOUT 2 WHEN STARTED 2 GO2 THE POTTY ALL BY HER SELF I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THAT SHE LIKED THE POTTY BECAUSE IT MADE NOISES WHEN U USE IT SO SHE JUST WANTED 2 GO 2 IT ALL THE TIME BUT MY OLDEST SHE WAS ABOUT 3 WHEN SHE DECIDED 2 GO 2 THE POTTY SO I ALWAYS SAY HE WILL LET U KNOW WHEN HE IS READY

Courtney - posted on 02/16/2010

Whenever you're at home you should let him walk around with no bottoms on. They start to catch on really quick when you do this. Then after a few months you can transition him into trying to go to the potty with pull-ups & then underwear. Pull-ups never did work for my son though. They felt too much like diapers to him. He was great when we transitioned him from nothing at all to underwear though. I also heard that using cheerios or fruit loops works too. You get them to aim it at them. There is also a DVD called Elmo's Potty Time that I used when I would sit him on the potty too. It may get him warmed up to wanting to try it. Good luck.

Lara - posted on 02/16/2010

The only one who can tell you if your child is ready to potty train is your child. My eldest potty trained herself (no joke... she told us she was done with diapers and she was!) at 20 months. Our second daughter just figured it out and she'd 3.5 years old! Each kid goes at their own pace, but there are some signs to look for:

1) interest in what happens or what you do in the bathroom

2) awareness of a wet/poopy diaper

3) looking for privacy when peeing/pooping



We started by having our duaghter follow me and my eldest daughter into the bathroom, talking alot about it, and when she started to give the above indications, sitting her on her potty seat every 90 minutes. Took about a week but she finally started to utilize the potty. That was 3 weeks ago. Now she's FINALLY starting to ask to use it when having a BM. (those get much more difficult to train).



Your child will not enter kindergarten in diapers! Just trust that he'll come around in time and start indicating to you that he's ready to train. Good luck!

Vicky - posted on 02/16/2010

I think every child is different. I knew my oldest was ready when he started to hand me the diapers on his own and telling me he had "stinky". This was 4 months before he turned 2 yrs. My youngest son is now 17 months and doesn't tell me anything. He will bring me the diaper when I ask him, well he actually throws it to me and then runs. I don't think he's quite ready yet but we are planning on buying him his potty chair next month. Will just have to see how it goes. I wouldn't stress about it though. There are several books you could read him and of course there are "blessings" or rewards for using it. Even if he doesn't go you could reward him for just sitting on it. And I recommed sitting as the first part of training a boy and then move to standing once he's got that down. I always heard boys were harder than girls but my daughter took a lot longer to train than my oldest (he was done in 2 days-no accidents). I praying the younger will follow suit after his older brother!!! Be blessed and have fun!!!

Jennifer - posted on 02/16/2010

hi jackie my son leland was 2 in nov and he has never been interested in the potty either but i was surpprised when he used the toilet! he has an older sister who uses the toilet so i suppose this encouraged him to do the same. when we are home with nothing to go out for i leave him with a bare bum and he is fine but the moment i put pants on he has an accident so i dont think there is a right age and i think 2 is still very young so i wouldnt worry yet just keep the potty in view and if he sits on it be sure to make a big deal about it lots of clapping and clever boys will do the trick good luck jenny