when is a good time to start potty training?

Question

My son will be 2 in Jaunary he already has intrest in the toilet calls it the potty he like to flush the toilet and his diaper stays dry almost everynight I did buy him a fisher price potty chair for christmas along with elmos potty time dvd should I start know and what are some good tips that have worked for you with your child ????

Answer 1

Sounds like he's ready. Here's what we did. Got some videos about potty success (make sure to stress that accidents happen, and that's OK because he will worry about that). Go to the store and let him pick out his favorite underwear. This is his reward for keeping himself clean and dry. Wash them and let him try on a pair, so he can see how much more comfy they are than diapers and pull-ups. Then plop him on the potty for a couple of minutes. Sit with him and see what happens. If he goes, great! Reward him with lots of hugs, maybe an M&M. If he doesn't, wait 15 minutes and do it again. Eventually, he will pee, hopefully in the potty, but more likely in his underwear. That's OK, catch him as soon as possible and put on clean underwear, and try it again. This takes a little while, but once he figures out that you love him up and down for peeing in the potty and keeping his pants clean and dry, he'll get the hang of it. Congratulations on having a Big Boy, and good luck--

Answer 2

I waited until my son was ready, which sounds like yours right now.

Buy cloth training underwear (extra padding for accidents) NOT the diaper pull ups. Believe me, the extra padding when wet is uncomfortable more so than even the pull ups. Besides, you can just throw them in the wash!

Use them at home and I promise, OVERNIGHT he will rather use the toilet (start with the potty chair if so desired).

Remember when using the potty chair, offer the "Big Boy Potty" as an option (hang on to him, I always hugged my son on the Big Potty so he didn't even think about falling in).

Of course, praise always work towards encouraging any behavior.

Answer 3

Your best way to decide when to start potty training is wait until your child starts waking up in the morning with a dry diaper. If they can hold it all night long then their bladders have grown and they can handle going in public without a diaper. When I stopped using diapers on my kids I wanted to have as few accidents as possible so that's why I waited until they were dry in the morning. With two kids I had 0 accidents. Both of my boys were 2 when I started. I bought them their own potty seat that had a little bowl you could dump when they were done because they were too short to stand in front of the toilet. I still wiped their behinds for them until they were about 3 1/2 or so to make sure there were no skid marks. It all went very nice and smooth! Don't forget possitive reinforcment and no punishment for accidents.

Answer 4

I was a nanny/preschool teacher for five years and I will tell you that I hated it when parents taught out of a potty chair. The kids at the daycare have to use the regular potty and because of the potty chair they would not do it, making it harder to train them. If I were you I would take back the chair and get a seat that goes on the regular potty, they are portable and don't cause as much stress when transitioning to a regular potty...
Pullups are also an expensive waste of money. They are the same as diapers...if you are serious about training then buy regular underpants that are made for training, they help the child train faster!
If he is interested then have a potty party one weekend and buy him regular underpants and remind him that it's time to use the potty every half hour. If he starts to get upset then drop it for a few weeks...he will let you know when it's time!

Answer 5

If your child is staying dry at night then it is a good time to start. That shows that they have some control of their bladder and will be more successful at potty training. One thing to remember is not to push....it won't help. If you try it and find that he is not interested then just wait awhile longer. It helps if you have an idea of his "going" schedule. If you know that you have to change him around a certain time everyday, then start taking him potty right before that. Also, use training pants instead of pull-ups. The pull ups are too much like a diaper and aren't uncomfortable to the child if he has an accident. I have seen some advertisements lately for a pull up that supposedly feels more like training pants, but I have no experience with those. Just remember to be patient. Good Luck!!

Answer 6

Anytime after 2. It depends on your child. It sounds like he is ready to go....

I would wait until the weather is warm enough that he can run around in underpants... toilet training is a messy job. Once he gets it and is able to go on his own several times, start holding him accountable. Don't be mean,,,,EVER and don't give up. It took me a month of cleaning my son and the floor 2 to 3 times a day before he was finished.

When my son (2 1/2)has accidents he is upset about it and it is up to me to change the bed or his clothes and keep my cool at the same time.

I say something like this to him after an accident; " Oh honey, its ok. Everyone has accidents once in a while. Don't worry. We'll get to the potty next time."

P.S. I LOVE life without diapers!!

Answer 7

I have a nine year old daughter and I have heard that females are harder to train than males but I must admit....I was blessed in this area. My daughter decided that she didn't want to wear "baby panties" anymore and started using the potty each time she had to go. She did not wet the bed one time but I understand this is not the "norm" for most kids. I would STRESS this fact however because my sister had major problems with all three of her children. I think the MAIN thing is don't push them into it. Let them show interest and take it at their own pace. HAVE PATIENCE! This is key as well. I know it is easier if you are going shopping or know that you will be out of the house to put a "pull up" or diaper on for convenience but this is what confuses the child. You h ave to be prepared to take him to the restroom twenty times a day without him actually using it. lol. You have some really good ideas with the Christmas gifts and just make it a big deal if he goes. Let him know that you are proud of him being a big boy. He will start feeling that sense of accomplishment himself and it will work. Just have patience and enjoy this time because it is a stepping stone to them getting older and I found it a little sad myself. lol. I guess that is the mom in me. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 8

Its not related to age its more related to the childs interest and how long they can hold their bladder. Lets face it, we were all potty trained much earlier when our moms didn't have disposable diapers. If he is barely urinating at night the first thing you should do each morning is put him on the potty. Boys also like the target practice thing...you can use cheerios! If his bowels are pretty regular or he has a routine you recognize that is a great way to start too. I wouldn't wait for Christmas.....go get him a potty chair today, he will be thrilled. While you are at it, get a few packages of underwear for him. Its easier to train them when they don't like getting their knickers wet.

Answer 9

I have a son and he didnt' start to go potty on the toilet (He used his potty chair as a chair not a potty) 3 of course we did it in the summer time and read books too him and had him Watch the Bear in the Big Blue house that show all about the potty..

In the summer it seems weird we had him naked in the house and he would just go potty on his own .. We only put pull ups on him at night and when we went out because he had to get used to wearing clothes after wards but he thought the pull ups were diapers .. Go buy him a pair of undies and start sitting him on the potty and see if he will go do it slowly .. Get a Kitchen timer and set it for every 30 minutes to associate him to going to the bath room .. Just remember its a hit or miss kinda thing..


Good luck.. and remember use positive reforcements ..

Good Job!! (your childs Name) I'm so proud of you .. with this they will want to go because they feel good about them selves and their own accomplishments

Answer 10

Your son sounds like he's ready. Children are usually ready for potty training around the age of 2 (some a little earlier, some a little later). Some signs of being ready are, sleeping through nap time/night time with a dry diaper, showing interest in the potty, feeling uncomfortable in a wet or soiled diaper.

I haven't started potty training my daughter yet, but my MIL told me that it's best to just get them used to it first, have them sit on it after they eat a meal and explain (if you haven't already) what you do on the potty. Don't force him. Just keep bringing him back like before nap time, after nap time, after drinking a large cup of juice, etc.