How early is too early to start (very rudimentary) potty training? DD said to me last night, "Poo poo! Poo poo!" and a few minutes later I realized she'd pooped. My mother got all excited when I told her this, and said we can start putting her on the potty chair if she'll let us. But she's only fourteen months. Am I going to give her some sort of weird Freudian complex if we start working on it now?
I always make sure to say "Oh, you're pooping!" when it's visibly apparent she's pooping (not hard to tell). And she comes into the bathroom with me when I go--I tell her "Mommy is going pee pee in the potty." She is totally fascinated with the toilet.
"Every man is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him" - Emerson
I wouldn't force it, but you can certainly ask her if she needs to go potty and take her to the potty without giving her a complex.
Children potty learn when they're ready - some early, some late. I think it comes much easier to them and us if we take their lead on it. Sounds like she's giving you some nudging. But, if the nudging doesn't turn into anything, don't sweat it.
We started on what is probably considered the early side (DD was about 13-14 months). But it was more like elimination communication, or as I like to call it, old school Asian mom potty training. Basically we put DD on the the potty regularly, shushed her, and made a big deal out of it when she went potty successfully. Then she was sort of trained like a Pavlovian dog to go whenever she was taken to the potty. After about 2 months, she could communicate the urge to us. So unlike training an older child, who has awareness and communication, we kind of worked backwards.
I made sure not to force it--we took advantage of the fact that she loved going into the bathroom and flushing the toilet. Our pediatrician thought it was fine, as long as DD views it as a positive experience.
Now at 18 months, she generally goes diaper-free when we are at home and she wears a diaper when we are out or for naps/bedtime. I would say that 80% of the time, she uses the potty correctly. Luckily, (we CD) 100% of her poops are on the potty.
My mil swore up and down I couldn't potty train ds before he was 3! According to her you can't potty trian a boy before 3 but girls are easy to potty train. Whatever. He has been potty trained (not including nights) for about a month say for a spot accident here and there. He even woke up yesterday morning in a dry diaper. We did a version of 3 day potty training. He had gone on the potty here and there from about 18 months so we just went for it after the holidays and it surprisingly took.
Our friends DD was totoally day trained by 16 months, and night trained by 2.5. She saw the older children at day care going and felt she was missing out. I think as long as you follow their lead and don't let it stress you out, it's fine (and the last is "do as I say, not as I do" advice )
Should we buy a potty or just try to train her on the real toilet? My mom has one of those convertible seats that you put on the regular toilet (I think she used it for my niece). She says if DD is fascinated by us going to the bathroom, we may have more success letting her just go for it on the big one.
"Every man is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him" - Emerson
I mean, you can't force it, nor should you. But you don't have to wait until kids do things on their own to give them some gentle pushes.
I PTed both my kids early. I started with DD1 at 18 mos, she was fully PTed by 2ish. Night trained by 2y2m or so.
Started with DD2 at around 11 months, and she was day PTed by 18 months. Still not night trained, at 3.5 years old. So yes, some of it is biological- I never expected any dryness at night or gave punishments, I never made a big deal of it. But I think if you wait until over 2 to start, you risk a power struggle.
I started by just sticking my kids on a little potty ont he changing table at each change, and made a "tsssss" sound. They usually peed just from the cool air on their privates. After a few days/weeks they were holding it until the potty and I never acted like it was a big deal. I'd usually say "good job!" but I didn't have a party, didn't push fluids, etc. At about 18 months I did the naked butt thing, but they were already used to using the PT so it wasn't a big deal.
Should we buy a potty or just try to train her on the real toilet? My mom has one of those convertible seats that you put on the regular toilet (I think she used it for my niece). She says if DD is fascinated by us going to the bathroom, we may have more success letting her just go for it on the big one.
It's hard to make it independent on the big potty-you'll have to take her each time. I had success with the baby bjorn potty.
DD started giving us the sign for potty before/after pooping at 12-13 months and I bought her a little potty thinking she might be interested. Nope! No interest really even now at 24 months. Just saying, don't be too disappointed if it doesn't really work out right now.
I just read "Diaper Free before 3", and the author of that book actually recommends starting kids on the potty at 9 months, with a goal of underwear at 1 year of age. No joke! The idea being that our ancestors PT'ed kids wayyyy earlier than what we do now, and parents basically put it off now until THEY feel the kid is ready (which has evolved to 2-3 years of age). It's an interesting book, worth a read if you're interested in trying.
DD 1 - 6/29/06 .... DD 2 - 8/1/08
~~A robot walks up to a bar. The bartender says "We don't serve robots." The robot says "Oh, but someday you will."~~
Potty-training--how early is too early?
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Originally Posted by wendalah
