What is the best time and way to begin potty training a child?

Question

I am a single mother of a georgous one year old little girl. She has started to take off her diaper when it is wet or dirty and will bring me a new one so that I can change her. I have never helped potty train a child before so I am interested in any advice that I can get on the subject. Is one year old to early to start, should I wait and if so when should I start? Please help.

Answer 1

It is time, you can start playing the potty game. I did when my daughter turned one. She is 19 months and we have now started to get serious because we found out she will hold her pee until she gets a diaper on. Most doctors tell you not to start until they are 18 months or older, but I have a friend that had all four of her kids trained by 14 months by putting them on the potty and not letting them get up until they went. A little drastic if you ask me, but at this age you can play a game. IF she goes GREAT make a BIG DEAL, if not she gets a hug and a "good try".

Answer 2

Sounds like you have a smart little one. I think she is ready, if she is taking off her diaper when its dirty or wet. I trained my first daughter at one. I found that a potty reward poster was the way to go. I put it by her potty chair, and every time she sat on the potty she got a sticker. It gave her a reward, and something to look at while she was on the potty. And the best advice of all... forget the pull ups! This is the biggest error in potty training. Get her big girl panties. Pretty ones with pictures. She will love them and want to keep them dry. The pull ups hide the wet, and your daughter does not like the wet. So with big girl panties she will know right away to run to potty. Good luck.

Answer 3

No, one year old is a great time to start potty training a child!! My mom told me that I potty trained myself when I turned 1. I personally think that if a child can walk, they should be able to walk to the toilet and do their thing, of course with an adult there so they don't fall in. I cannot handle a child that can talk and isn't potty trained, it freaks me out to change a diaper and the kid be talking to you at the same time; it just feels so wrong!!! If your daughter is taking off her diaper when it is wet, it means she doesn't like to feel dirty and it shows she is ready to learn how to use the toilet! You should start teaching her now because you never know how a kid will react to the toilet! You would be surprised of how many are afraid of it because of the sound it makes when flushing! Good Luck!

Answer 4

I was clean by the time I was 11 months, and my daughter was clean at the same age. Based on that you are already on the late side.
You'll have to anticipate when she may be ready to go and sit her on the pot. Be sure the pot is comfortable to sit on, nothing to cut into her behind, and don't let her get up until she has 'done' something.
Takes a her a little getting used to, but I promise it'll be a lot easier than if you wait until she is 2 or 3.
Based on some of the questions here, I have observed some mother's talking about how their 4 year old kids are still in diapers. Boggles my mind. I feel they haven't done a proper job as mothers.
The uncomfortable pot to sit on thing comes from my own memories. I liked a pot best that was made of glass and had a wide, flat rim.
Still remember also, going to the toilet the first few times. It seemed so big and was intimidating, but I felt pride in being able to manage it on my own. Still needed help with wiping... ;-)

Answer 5

I would start encouraging potty training. My daughter is 3 and has just started wearing big girl undies and and using the big potty with the child seat on it. She has only had a couple of accidents so far. I promised her a large barbie doll house and furniture when she no longer has any accidents. That seems to have motivated her ! My daughter has bounced back and forth with potty training. Every couple of months since she was a little of one she would get very interested in potty training and than she would not want to have anything to do with it.

Answer 6

Wow- try her today with this method:
Here it is- it has worked for my 2 kids,and others after I tell them........

1. get m and m's handy
2. get a small potty chair
3. get a couple books about potty
4. you need to be home for about 4-5 days straight
5. now you can start. let them run around bare-but
6. Set the timer for 1/2 hour. Tell him/her to sit on the potty for 5 min. (read them a book in the mean time if it's to long for them.) If they go, give lots and lots of praise!!! I mean go crazy!! Give them about 3 m and m's.
7. Set the timer for 1/2 hour
8. Avoid asking the question "you got to go potty?'
9. Timer goes off- ok! What does that mean junior? Time to go potty again he or she would say, or you say it if they don't
10. repeat process all day long. If they go # 2 in the potty, reward with a handful of m and m's. They are very colorful and kids love them!!

11. Praise praise praise. I do spank my kids for behavior problems such as lying, disobedience, and bad attitudes, but never for having an accident. If there is an accident, clean it up queitly, and don't say much at all. Remind them it's ok, but try to make it in the potty next time, or in your own words.

Good luck!!! Hope this helps you. My girl was potty-trained in two days with the method. Took my 2 1/2 year old son a week. Leave pull-ups on them at night just in case.
p.s. if this doen't work at all, try again in a few months.

Answer 7

Oh that's great! My daughter did the same thing. I love that (most) girls don't like to be wet or dirty that makes it easy on us moms. My girl pretty much trained herself I just got one of those chairs that go over the toilet for her to sit on. She was 22 months when she was completely out of diapers. Dr.Phil has awesome advice on this. You can do it in 1 day, can you get excited about that? Okay so here's the deal, you tell her that we are going to have a party today and that she will get to talk to her favorite character (Barbie) if she goes potty all day. Then you put her in big girl panties and give her lots of juice and water ALL day. Ask her every 30 minutes or so if she wants to go potty. You can even get one of those dolls that go potty and put her on the chair and have a big party when the doll goes. Everytime she actually goes you are going to cheer her on like crazy! Confetti, cheering, clapping, dancing, etc. She'll pick up on it and join in. You have to devote whole day to it though and at the end of the day have your friend call for your daughter and impersonate her favorite character and tell her how proud they are of her. Viola! You no longer have a child in diapers. Good luck! Hope this helps...let us know on the addtl comments part okay?

Answer 8

Most books will tell you the readiness cues for potty training, one being that they don't like being in a wet diaper, also, liking order in their world, having the word to express their need to go. I've been trying with my daughter since she was about 15 months, because she didn't start walking until she was 14 months, but so far, she gets on the pot, but doesn't always go, I think she just enjoys doing what she sees her mommy and granny doing lol

Answer 9

Don't push what they aren't ready for. My children told me when they wanted to, at the age of 2 and 2.5 they were competely potty trained and no accidents. Gives them confidence as well. Now is they are 3.5 and not potty trained, go the library or buy a book on potty training. Good luck!

Answer 10

Wow she is showing signs early.Most dont do stuff like that until at least 2.You need to just sit her on the potty chair and let her get use to it,dont push her to use it or sit on it,let her sit there willingly.Take her to her potty chair when you use the bathroom so she can see you use a big girl potty.If she shows any sign of resistance then just give in and stop for the time being.If she dose go in the potty praise her and give her a reward.When she is ready she will use the potty.good luck